Banked yet straight flight
In one embodiment, an aircraft includes one or more first wings configured to produce lift in a first direction when the aircraft is moving in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The first wings may also produce a centripetal force when the aircraft is banking while moving in the second direction. The aircraft may also include one or more second wings affixed and oriented substantially perpendicular to the first wings and configured to produce a counter force in a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction. The counter force may reduce the centripetal force when the aircraft is banking.
1. An aircraft comprising:
one or more first wings configured to produce lift in a first direction when the aircraft is moving in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first wings also produce a centripetal force when the aircraft is banking while moving in the second direction; and
one or more second wings affixed and oriented substantially perpendicular to the first wings and configured to produce a counter force in a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, wherein the counter force reduces the centripetal force when the aircraft is banking;
one or more sensors configured to track a position of the Sun;
a real time computer system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to automatically orient the aircraft at a bank angle, wherein the bank angle is based on the position of the Sun, wherein the bank angle is further based on a ratio of a surface area of the one or more second wings and a surface area of the one or more first wings.
2. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second wings rotate with respect to a vertical axis associated with the aircraft.
3. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second wings remain fixed with respect to both a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis associated with the aircraft.
4. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein a horizontal component of the counter force is substantially equal to the centripetal force.
5. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein a horizontal component of the counter force and the centripetal force act on the aircraft in opposite directions.
6. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein one or more solar panels are mounted to the first wings or to the second wings.
7. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein each of one or more of the second wings comprises a symmetrical airfoil.
8. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the second wings are further configured to increase an angle between the first wings and a line of sunlight.
9. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first wings and the second wings are configured to enable the aircraft to fly in a banked orientation while moving in the second direction.
10. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein one of the bank angle of the plurality of bank angles is 14 degrees.
11. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein a positive bank angle relative to the Sun results in a power absorption by one or more solar panels affixed to the first wings that is greater than a power absorption by the one or more solar panels when the bank angle is 0 degrees.
12. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the counter force in the third direction is produced when the aircraft rotates with respect to a vertical axis while moving in the second direction.
13. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the ratio is an inverse tangential relation between the surface area of the one or more second wings and the surface area of the one or more first wings.