摘要 |
<p>A vehicle (2), particularly a VTOL air vehicle, includes a duct (22) carried by the vehicle frame (3) with the longitudinal axis of the duct (22) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame (3); a propeller (11) rotatably mounted within the duct (22) about the longitudinal axis (10a) of the duct (22) to force an ambient fluid, e.g. air, therethrough from its inlet at the upper end of the duct (22) through its exit at the lower end of the duct (22), and thereby to produce an upward lift force applied to the vehicle (2); and a plurality of spaced vanes (24) pivotally mounted to and across the inlet end of the duct (22) about pivotal axes (25a,25b) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (10a) of the duct (22) and selectively pivotal to produce a desired horizontal control force in addition to the lift force applied to the vehicle. In a described preferred embodiment, the vanes (24) are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (10a) of the vehicle frame (3). Various vane arrangements are disclosed for producing side, roll, pitch and yaw movements of the vehicle.
</p> |