MULTI-ROTOR HIGH PERFORMANCE DESCENT METHOD AND SYSTEM
A high-performance descent system for a multi-rotor aircraft includes a flight control computer comprising a processor, a propulsion system communicatively coupled to the flight control computer and configured to allow a direction of thrust relative to a vertical z-axis to be selected by the flight control computer. The processor is operable to implement a method including preparing the multi-rotor aircraft for a high-performance descent, instructing, via a flight control system, a proprotor to reduce an amount of vertical thrust produced by the proprotor by tilting the proprotor away from a vertical axis, and reducing an altitude of the multi-rotor aircraft.
1 . A high-performance descent method for a multi-rotor aircraft, the high-performance descent method comprising:
preparing the multi-rotor aircraft for a high-performance descent;
instructing, via a flight control system, a first proprotor to tilt;
tilting the proprotor away from a vertical axis; and
wherein, responsive to the tilting, an altitude of the multi-rotor aircraft is reduced.
2 . The high-performance descent method of claim 1 , wherein the preparing the multi-rotor aircraft comprises setting a speed of the first proprotor to its minimum operating speed.
3 . The high-performance descent method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-rotor aircraft comprises the first proprotor, a second proprotor, a third proprotor, and a fourth proprotor.
4 . The high-performance descent method of claim 3 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises:
tilting the first and second proprotors toward the third and fourth proprotors; and
tilting the third and fourth proprotors toward the first and second proprotors.
5 . The high-performance descent method of claim 3 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises:
tilting the first and second proprotors toward the third and fourth proprotors; and
tilting the third and fourth proprotors away from the first and second proprotors.
6 . The high-performance descent method of claim 3 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises tilting the first and second proprotors away from the third and fourth proprotors.
7 . The high-performance descent method of claim 3 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises tilting the first, second, third, and fourth proprotors away from each other.
8 . The high-performance descent method of claim 3 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises tilting the first, second, third, and fourth proprotors toward a common focal point.
9 . The high-performance descent method of claim 3 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises tilting the first, second, third, and fourth proprotors in the same direction.
10 . The high-performance descent method of claim 1 , wherein thrust generated by the multi-rotor aircraft is horizontally unbalanced.
11 . The high-performance descent method of claim 1 , wherein thrust generated by the multi-rotor aircraft is horizontally balanced.
12 . The high-performance descent method of claim 3 , wherein, during landing, thrust from the first, second, third, and fourth proprotors is vectored away from a vertical axis to reduce an up-spout effect to improve landing stability.
13 . A high-performance descent system for a multi-rotor aircraft, the system comprising:
a flight control computer comprising a processor;
a propulsion system communicatively coupled to the flight control computer and configured to allow a direction of thrust relative to a vertical z-axis to be selected by the flight control computer;
wherein the processor is operable to implement a method comprising:
preparing the multi-rotor aircraft for a high-performance descent;
instructing, via a flight control system, a first proprotor to reduce an amount of vertical thrust produced by the proprotor by tilting the proprotor away from a vertical axis; and
reducing an altitude of the multi-rotor aircraft.
14 . The high-performance descent system of claim 13 , wherein the multi-rotor aircraft comprises the first proprotor, a second proprotor, a third proprotor, and a fourth proprotor.
15 . The high-performance descent system of claim 14 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises:
tilting the first and second proprotors toward the third and fourth proprotors; and
tilting the third and fourth proprotors toward the first and second proprotors.
16 . The high-performance descent system of claim 14 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises:
tilting the first and second proprotors toward the third and fourth proprotors; and
tilting the third and fourth proprotors away from the first and second proprotors.
17 . The high-performance descent system of claim 14 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises tilting the first and second proprotors away from the third and fourth proprotors.
18 . The high-performance descent system of claim 14 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises tilting the first, second, third, and fourth proprotors away from each other.
19 . The high-performance descent system of claim 14 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises tilting the first, second, third, and fourth proprotors toward a common focal point.
20 . The high-performance descent system of claim 14 , wherein the tilting the proprotor comprises tilting the first, second, third, and fourth proprotors in the same direction.