IP Library Granted Patent US 10,086,931
Granted Patent B2
US 10,086,931 · App. 15/249,077 · Granted Oct 2, 2018

Multicopter with wide span rotor configuration

Inventors: Todd Reichert (Mountain View, CA); Cameron Robertson (San Mateo, CA)
Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
B64C27/08B64C25/54B64D11/0689
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,086,931
App. No.
15/249,077
Granted
Oct 2, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A multicopter aircraft with a wide span rotor configuration is disclosed. In various embodiments, a multicopter as disclosed herein includes a fuselage and a plurality of rotors. The plurality of rotors includes inner rotors and outer rotors, with the inner rotors being substantially surrounded by the outer rotors or the fuselage. The inner rotors and the outer rotors may be tilted based at least in part on their arrangement in relation to the fuselage.

Claims (22)

1. A multicopter comprising:

a fuselage and a plurality of rotors,

wherein the plurality of rotors comprises inner rotors and outer rotors, and

wherein the inner rotors are substantially surrounded by one or more other rotors, the fuselage, or a combination of one or more other rotors and the fuselage; and

wherein the plurality of rotors are arranged to provide an overall width to length ratio ranging from 1.7 to 3 for the multicopter and the multicopter has a length of 88 inches or less.

2. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein the inner rotors are tilted.

3. The multicopter of claim 1 , comprising a wide span rotor configuration.

4. The multicopter of claim 1 , comprising ten rotors.

5. The multicopter of claim 1 , comprising three rotors adjacent to a side of the fuselage, two rotors adjacent to the three rotors, three rotors adjacent to an opposite side of the fuselage, and two rotors adjacent to the three rotors adjacent to the opposite side of the fuselage.

6. The multicopter of claim 4 , wherein the inner rotors comprise a middle rotor of the three rotors adjacent to the side of the fuselage and a middle rotor of the three rotors adjacent to the opposite side of the fuselage.

7. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein the inner rotors and the outer rotors are arranged for maximum disc area and maximum wing span.

8. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein the multicopter is optimized to fly over water.

9. The multicopter of claim 8 , wherein flotation devices are attached on either side of the fuselage.

10. The multicopter of claim 8 , wherein rotors are attached to the flotation devices.

11. The multicopter of claim 8 , wherein a height of the flotation devices is greater than a width of the flotation devices.

12. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein the multicopter is able to be driven by the inner rotors.

13. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein the inner rotors are tilted forwards.

14. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein the inner rotors and the outer rotors rotate in differing planes.

15. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein the tips of the inner rotors and the outer rotors are overlapped.

16. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein four rotors closest to the front of the multicopter are tilted backwards, four rotors adjacent to the four rotors closest to the front of the multicopter are tilted forwards, and two rotors closest to the back of the multicopter are tilted backwards.

17. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein the fuselage comprises an enclosed cabin.

18. The multicopter of claim 1 , comprising a steering mechanism.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2023
From: ONE AERO, LLC
To: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063713/0367 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2022
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 059503/0382 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2021
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 058029/0610 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 054206/0714 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2018
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 047739/0947 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 25, 2018
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 047308/0927 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 9, 2016
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ZEE.AERO INC.
Reel/Frame 040879/0228 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 9, 2016
From: ZEE.AERO INC.
To: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040879/0191 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2016
From: REICHERT, TODD; ROBERTSON, CAMERON
To: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040141/0782 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180057155A1 · Mar 1, 2018
Cited By (6)
US 12,202,595 US 12,240,596 US 12,391,377 US 12,510,907 US 12,524,022 US 12,559,233