IP Library Granted Patent US 10,870,485
Granted Patent B2
US 10,870,485 · App. 16/115,427 · Granted Dec 22, 2020

Multicopter with wide span rotor configuration

Inventors: Todd Reichert (Mountain View, CA); Cameron Robertson (San Mateo, CA)
Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
B64C29/0025B64C35/00B64D27/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,870,485
App. No.
16/115,427
Granted
Dec 22, 2020
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 (21)

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,

wherein the plurality of rotors are arranged to provide an overall width to length ratio ranging from 1.7 to 3 for the multicopter, wherein a first flotation device is attached to a first side of the fuselage and a second flotation device is attached to a second side of the fuselage, wherein at least a first inner rotor is attached to the first flotation device and at least a second inner rotor is attached to the second flotation device, and wherein the inner rotors alone are used during lift off of the multicopter.

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 4 , 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 multicopter is optimized to fly over water.

8. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer rotors is attached to the first or second flotation devices.

9. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein a corresponding height of the first and second flotation devices is greater than a corresponding width of the first and second flotation devices.

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

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

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

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

14. The multicopter of claim 1 , wherein four rotors closest to a 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 a back of the multicopter are tilted backwards.

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

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

Assignments (6)
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 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15249077 · Aug 26, 2016
Related Publication 20180370622A1 · Dec 27, 2018
Cited By (4)
US 12,441,467 US 12,591,245 US 12,600,470 US 12,649,572