Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft

摘要

The disclosure generally pertains to a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising a fuselage and at least one fixed wing. The aircraft may include at least two powered rotors located generally along a longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The rotor units may be coupled to the fuselage via a rotating chassis, which allows the rotors to provide directed thrust by movement of the rotor units about at least one axis. By moving the rotor units, the aircraft can transition from a hover mode to a transition mode and then to a forward flight mode and back.

主权项

1. A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:
a fuselage having a fore end, an aft end, a top side, and a bottom side; a main wing coupled to the fuselage; at least one vertical stabilizer coupled to the fuselage; a fore rotor unit located at the fore end of the fuselage and intersecting a longitudinal axis of the fuselage; an aft rotor unit located at the aft end of the fuselage and intersecting the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, the fore rotor unit and the aft rotor unit each including:
a ducted housing including a stator;at least one rotor vane including a plurality of pitched blades;an electric motor coupled to the stator, the electric motor to rotate the at least one rotor vane to create thrust; a rotating support for coupling each ducted housing to the fuselage, the rotating support allowing rotation of each rotor unit about at least one axis, the rotating support configured to transition each rotor unit between:
a hover flight orientation such that thrust from each rotor unit is directed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the thrust from each rotor unit generating lift to support the VTOL aircraft in hover flight, anda forward flight orientation such that thrust from each rotor unit is directed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the thrust from each rotor unit causing propulsion of the VTOL aircraft in forward flight; and a battery set to provide power for each electric motor.