Modular miniature unmanned aircraft with vectored-thrust control
View Patent ↗An aircraft for unmanned aviation is described. The aircraft includes an airframe, a pair of fins attached to a rear portion of the airframe, a pair of dihedral braces attached to a bottom portion of the airframe, a first thrust-vectoring (“T/V”) module and a second T/V module, and an electronics module. The electronics module provides commands to the two T/V modules. The two T/V modules are configured to provide lateral and longitudinal control to the aircraft by directly controlling a thrust vector for each of the pitch, the roll, and the yaw of the aircraft. The use of directly articulated electrical motors as T/V modules enables the aircraft to execute tight-radius turns over a wide range of airspeeds.
1. A thrust-vectoring module for providing propulsion forces to an aerial vehicle, the thrust-vectoring module comprising:
a propeller;
an electric motor, wherein the electric motor is configured to rotate the propeller;
a rigid link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled with the electric motor;
a positioning device coupled with the second end of the rigid link, wherein the positioning device is configured to position the electric motor by rotating the rigid link; and
a retention mechanism for passively securing the thrust-vectoring module to the aerial vehicle, wherein said retention mechanism comprises a permanent magnet.
2. The thrust-vectoring module of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring module is configured to passively break away from the aerial vehicle upon sudden impact.
3. The thrust-vectoring module of claim 1 , wherein the positioning device is configured to position the electric motor by rotating the rigid link about at least one degree of freedom.
4. The thrust-vectoring module of claim 1 , wherein the electric motor's rotational speed is controlled to produce a desired amount of thrust.
5. The thrust-vectoring module of claim 1 , wherein the positioning device comprises an electric servo.
6. The thrust-vectoring module of claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet is a neodymium magnet.
7. The thrust-vectoring module of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring module is electrically coupled with the aerial vehicle via an electrical interface.
8. An airframe system, the airframe system comprising:
a thrust-vectoring module, said thrust-vectoring module comprising (i) a propeller, (ii) an electric motor configured to rotate the propeller to generate a thrust vector, and (iii) a positioning device configured to direct the thrust vector by adjusting the electric motor's position;
an airframe, said airframe having an interface location configured to engage said thrust-vectoring module; and
a retention mechanism for passively securing said thrust-vectoring module to said airframe at said interface location, wherein said retention mechanism comprises a permanent magnet.
9. The airframe system of claim 8 , wherein said interface location is a shallow pocket configured to receive at least a portion of said thrust-vectoring module.
10. The airframe system of claim 9 , wherein said shallow pocket is correspondingly shaped to said portion of said thrust-vectoring module.
11. The airframe system of claim 8 , wherein the thrust-vectoring module is configured to passively break away from the airframe upon sudden impact.
12. The airframe system of claim 8 , wherein the positioning device comprises an electric servo.
13. The airframe system of claim 8 , wherein the thrust-vectoring module is electrically coupled with the airframe via an electrical interface at said interface location.
14. The airframe system of claim 8 , wherein the airframe comprises an integrated hinge to facilitate folding of the airframe.
15. An aerial vehicle, the aerial vehicle comprising:
an airframe;
a thrust-vectoring module, said thrust-vectoring module comprising (i) a propeller, (ii) an electric motor configured to rotate the propeller to generate a thrust vector, and (iii) a positioning device configured to direct the thrust vector by adjusting the position of the electric motor; and
a retention mechanism for passively securing the thrust-vectoring module to said airframe, wherein said retention mechanism comprises a permanent magnet.
16. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the thrust-vectoring module is configured to passively break away from the airframe upon sudden impact.
17. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the positioning device comprises an electric servo.
18. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the permanent magnet is a neodymium magnet.
19. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the thrust-vectoring module is electrically coupled with the airframe via an electrical interface.
20. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the electric motor's rotational speed is controlled to produce a thrust vector having a desired magnitude.