System and method for compact and combinable aerial vehicle capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing

摘要

System and method to construct vertical and/or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aerial vehicles capable of being folded into compact size, and capable of be combined with one or more such vehicles to form bigger composite aerial vehicles. Airframe of the vehicle comprises a plurality of wings on lateral or periphery of thrust generators, wherein arrangements of wings make it possible to optionally fold wings without moving thrust generators. Folding transforms such vehicles into ground vehicles which can share roads and house parking lots with conventional ground vehicles. Therefore such vehicles can be used as V/STOL flying cars. Means are provided for attaching to and detaching from one or more similarly equipped vehicles in flight or before takeoff, so that multiple vehicles can form a large composite vehicle. Compactness, combinability and V/STOL capability enable versatile applications.

主权项

1. A vertical and/or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) enabled vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of thrust generators which are powered by one or more power plants; means for said one or more power plants to drive said thrust generators directly or indirectly via transmission, and to change magnitudes of thrusts produced by said thrust generators; an airframe comprising a plurality of wings whose most portions are generally arranged on lateral or periphery of said thrust generators, wherein arrangements of said wings make it possible to optionally fold said wings without moving said thrust generators; means for mounting said thrust generators and said one or more power plants to said airframe in one of the following three configuration modes:
VTOL mode wherein said thrust generators are configured in a way to generate thrusts generally pointing upward;STOL mode wherein said thrust generators are configured in a way to generate thrusts with both upward components and forward components;horizontal flight mode wherein said thrust generators are configured in a way to generate thrusts generally pointing forward; whereby V/STOL enabled means that when said thrust generators are configured in VTOL mode to generate thrusts generally pointing upward, said vehicle is capable of takeoff and landing vertically and hovering; when said thrust generators are configured in STOL mode to generate thrusts with both upward component and forward component, said vehicle is capable of short takeoff and landing; when said thrust generators are configured in horizontal flight mode to generate thrusts generally pointing forward, said vehicle is capable of conventional horizontal takeoff and landing and conventional horizontal flight; thrust vectoring means for changing in flight from one of said three modes to any other one of said three modes whereby said vehicle becomes a V/STOL vehicle which is capable of in-flight transitions between any two of VTOL, STOL and horizontal flight mode; avionics and flight control system, whereby said vehicle is capable of unmanned flight and/or manned flight with autopilot system; means for attaching to and detaching from one or more similarly equipped vehicles in flight or before takeoff, whereby said vehicle is combinable so that multiple said vehicles can form a large composite V/STOL vehicle;said wings comprise two swept backward wings joined at a head of the vehicle and located on a left and a right side with respect to a center rolling axis;said power plants comprise two gas-powered or electric engines;said thrust generators comprise two propellers driven by said engines;said airframe comprises said wings, a front and a rear beam to mount said engines;said front beam is mounted laterally to front parts of said two wings to support one of said engines;said rear beam is mounted laterally to rear parts of said two wings to support another one of said engines;said thrust vectoring means are located inside said wings, and are attached to ends of said front and rear beams to rotate said thrust generators to realize thrust vectoring.