Aerodynamic integration of a payload container with a vertical take-off and landing aircraft

摘要

A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) rotary-wing air-craft is sized and configured to match a payload container such as a standardized Joint Modular Intermodal Container (JMIC). The aircraft may be an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) that is capable of autonomously engaging and disengaging the container so that the aircraft can pick up and drop off the JMIC with minimum human intervention.

主权项

1. A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:
an airframe which defines a cargo tunnel along a longitudinal axis of said airframe, said cargo tunnel interfaces with a first surface of a payload container and extends at least partially along a second side and a third side of the payload container, wherein said cargo tunnel has an axial length that is longer than a length of the payload container, a landing gear system that retracts to selectively vertically position the cargo tunnel relative to the payload container when said landing gear system is in contact with ground.