Multicopter with wide span rotor configuration and protective fuselage
A vertical takeoff and flying at a constant altitude are performed using an aircraft. The aircraft includes a fuselage, a left arm (attached to the fuselage), a right arm (attached to the fuselage), a left float (attached to the left arm), a right float (attached to the right arm), and a plurality of rotors. The plurality of rotors includes a left inner rotor and a right inner rotor (attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the left float and the right float, respectively) and a left outer rotor and a right outer rotor (attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the left arm and the right arm, respectively).
1. A method, comprising:
performing a vertical takeoff using an aircraft; and
flying at a constant altitude using the aircraft, wherein the aircraft includes:
a fuselage;
a left arm, wherein a proximal end of the left arm is attached to the fuselage;
a right arm, wherein a proximal end of the right arm is attached to the fuselage;
a left float, wherein the left float is attached to the left arm between the proximal end of the left arm and the distal end of the left arm;
a right float, wherein the right float is attached to the right arm between the proximal end of the right arm and the distal end of the right arm; and
a plurality of rotors, wherein:
the plurality of rotors includes a left inner rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the left float;
the plurality of rotors includes a right inner rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the right float;
the plurality of rotors includes a left outer rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the left arm; and
the plurality of rotors includes a right outer rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the right arm.
2. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the left float and the right float provide sufficient buoyancy for the aircraft to float; and
performing a vertical takeoff includes performing a vertical takeoff from water.
3. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein flying at a constant altitude includes hovering at a constant altitude.
4. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein flying at a constant altitude includes rotating about a vertical axis at a constant altitude.
5. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the left float and the right float provide sufficient buoyancy for the aircraft to float; and
the method further includes performing a vertical landing onto water using the aircraft.
6. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the left outer rotor is a left outer front rotor;
the left arm is a left front arm;
the right outer rotor is a right outer front rotor;
the right arm is a right front arm;
the aircraft further includes:
a left back arm, wherein a proximal end of the left back arm is attached to the fuselage; and
a right back arm, wherein a proximal end of the right back arm is attached to the fuselage; and
the plurality of rotors further includes:
a left outer back rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the left back arm; and
a right outer back rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the right back arm.
7. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the left outer rotor is a left outer front rotor;
the left arm is a left front arm;
the right outer rotor is a right outer front rotor;
the right arm is a right front arm;
the aircraft further includes:
a left back arm, wherein a proximal end of the left back arm is attached to the fuselage; and
a right back arm, wherein a proximal end of the right back arm is attached to the fuselage;
the plurality of rotors further includes:
a left outer back rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the left back arm; and
a right outer back rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the right back arm;
the left outer front rotor and the right outer back rotor rotate in a first direction; and
the right outer front rotor and the left outer back rotor rotate in a second direction that is opposite from the first direction.
8. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the left inner rotor is a left inner front rotor;
the right inner rotor is a right inner front rotor; and
the plurality of rotors further includes:
a left inner middle rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to the top surface of the left float; and
a right inner middle rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to the top surface of the right float.
9. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the left inner rotor is a left inner front rotor;
the right inner rotor is a right inner front rotor;
the plurality of rotors further includes:
a left inner middle rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to the top surface of the left float; and
a right inner middle rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to the top surface of the right float;
the left inner front rotor and the right inner middle rotor rotate in a first direction; and
the right inner front rotor and the left inner middle rotor rotate in a second direction that is opposite from the first direction.
10. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
performing a vertical takeoff using an aircraft; and
flying at a constant altitude using the aircraft, wherein the aircraft includes:
a fuselage;
a left arm, wherein a proximal end of the left arm is attached to the fuselage;
a right arm, wherein a proximal end of the right arm is attached to the fuselage;
a left float, wherein the left float is attached to the left arm between the proximal end of the left arm and the distal end of the left arm;
a right float, wherein the right float is attached to the right arm between the proximal end of the right arm and the distal end of the right arm; and
a plurality of rotors, wherein:
the plurality of rotors includes a left inner rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the left float;
the plurality of rotors includes a right inner rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the right float;
the plurality of rotors includes a left outer rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the left arm; and
the plurality of rotors includes a right outer rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the right arm.
11. The computer program product recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the left float and the right float provide sufficient buoyancy for the aircraft to float; and
performing a vertical takeoff includes performing a vertical takeoff from water.
12. The computer program product recited in claim 10 , wherein flying at a constant altitude includes hovering at a constant altitude.
13. The computer program product recited in claim 10 , wherein flying at a constant altitude includes rotating about a vertical axis at a constant altitude.
14. The computer program product recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the left float and the right float provide sufficient buoyancy for the aircraft to float; and
the computer program product further includes computer instructions for performing a vertical landing onto water using the aircraft.
15. The computer program product recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the left outer rotor is a left outer front rotor;
the left arm is a left front arm;
the right outer rotor is a right outer front rotor;
the right arm is a right front arm;
the aircraft further includes:
a left back arm, wherein a proximal end of the left back arm is attached to the fuselage; and
a right back arm, wherein a proximal end of the right back arm is attached to the fuselage; and
the plurality of rotors further includes:
a left outer back rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the left back arm; and
a right outer back rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the right back arm.
16. The computer program product recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the left outer rotor is a left outer front rotor;
the left arm is a left front arm;
the right outer rotor is a right outer front rotor;
the right arm is a right front arm;
the aircraft further includes:
a left back arm, wherein a proximal end of the left back arm is attached to the fuselage; and
a right back arm, wherein a proximal end of the right back arm is attached to the fuselage;
the plurality of rotors further includes:
a left outer back rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the left back arm; and
a right outer back rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the right back arm;
the left outer front rotor and the right outer back rotor rotate in a first direction; and
the right outer front rotor and the left outer back rotor rotate in a second direction that is opposite from the first direction.
17. The computer program product recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the left inner rotor is a left inner front rotor;
the right inner rotor is a right inner front rotor; and
the plurality of rotors further includes:
a left inner middle rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to the top surface of the left float; and
a right inner middle rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to the top surface of the right float.
18. The computer program product recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the left inner rotor is a left inner front rotor;
the right inner rotor is a right inner front rotor;
the plurality of rotors further includes:
a left inner middle rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to the top surface of the left float; and
a right inner middle rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to the top surface of the right float;
the left inner front rotor and the right inner middle rotor rotate in a first direction; and
the right inner front rotor and the left inner middle rotor rotate in a second direction that is opposite from the first direction.