UAV with in-flight adjustable wings
An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has a fuselage, a rotor system, and a wing configured for selective positioning during flight of the UAV to a deployed position, a stowed position, and to positions between the deployed position and the stowed position. The UAV has a flexible wing skin at least partially carried by a leading arm and the leading arm is rotatable relative to the fuselage.
1. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a fuselage;
a rotor system;
a wing comprising a leading arm carried by the fuselage, the leading arm being movable relative to the fuselage, and the wing being configured for selective positioning during flight of the UAV to a deployed position, a stowed position, and to positions between the deployed position and the stowed position; and
a flexible wing skin at least partially carried by the leading arm;
wherein the leading arm is rotatable relative to the fuselage.
2. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the flexible wing skin comprises a sack-like structure and wherein the leading arm is disposed within the flexible wing skin.
3. The UAV of claim 1 , the wing further comprising:
an extension arm carried by the leading arm, wherein the extension arm is movably connected to the leading arm.
4. The UAV of claim 1 , the wing further comprising:
a spar carried by the fuselage and movable relative to the fuselage.
5. The UAV of claim 4 , wherein the spar is rotatable relative to the fuselage about a same axis of rotation about which the leading arm is rotatable relative to the fuselage.
6. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the flexible wing skin comprises latex or natural rubber.
7. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the leading arm is spring biased toward at least one of a fully deployed position, a fully stowed position, and a position between the fully deployed position and the fully stowed position.
8. A method of operating an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), comprising:
providing a UAV with a wing configured for selective positioning during flight of the UAV to a deployed position, a stowed position, and to positions between the deployed position and the stowed position; and
operating the UAV in a helicopter mode of operation while the wing is not fully deployed.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
launching the UAV with the wing in a deployed position;
operating the UAV in an airplane mode of operation; and
while flying the UAV, moving the wing from the deployed position toward a stowed position.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
launching the UAV with the wing in at least one of the stowed position and a position between the deployed position and the stowed position;
operating the UAV in a helicopter mode of operation; and
while flying the UAV, moving the wing from the at least one of the stowed position and a position between the deployed position and the stowed position toward the deployed position.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
operating the UAV in an airplane mode of operation while the wing is in at least one of the deployed position and a position between the deployed position and the stowed position.
12. A method of operating an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), comprising:
providing a UAV with a wing configured for selective positioning during flight of the UAV to a deployed position, a stowed position, and to positions between the deployed position and the stowed position;
launching the UAV at a first geographic location;
operating the UAV in an airplane mode of operation to move the UAV from the first geographic location to a second geographic location; and
during flight of the UAV, changing a position of the wing and operating the UAV in a helicopter mode of operation to hover near the second geographic location;
wherein the wing is in a deployed position during at least a portion of flight in the airplane mode of operation and wherein the wing is in a stowed position during at least a portion of flight in the helicopter mode of operation.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
performing an operation associated with a payload of the UAV while hovering near the second geographic location.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
during flight of the UAV, changing a position of the wing and operating the UAV in the airplane mode of operation to move the UAV from the second geographic location to a third geographic location.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the third geographic location is the same as the first geographic location.