AUTOROTATING PAYLOAD DELIVERY DEVICE
A payload delivery device configured to deliver an aircraft deployed payload along a flight path to a predetermined landing destination includes a support member configured to be removably attached to the payload, a flight control and navigation system module configured to control orientation of the plurality of control surfaces while the payload is travelling along the flight path to the predetermined landing destination, a control surface assembly module including a plurality of control surfaces, a rotor assembly including a plurality of rotor blades having a central axis of rotation, and a collective control assembly module including at least one collective servomotor configured to control a plurality of control linkages connected to the plurality of rotor blades.
1 . A payload delivery device configured to deliver an aircraft deployed payload along a flight path to a predetermined landing destination, the payload delivery device comprising:
a support member configured to be removably attached to the payload;
a flight control and navigation system module connected to the support member;
a control surface assembly module including a plurality of control surfaces, the control surface assembly module connected to the support member and in communication with the flight control and navigation module to receive commands to control orientation of the plurality of control surfaces while the payload is travelling along the flight path to the predetermined landing destination;
a rotor assembly including a plurality of rotor blades having a central axis of rotation; and
a collective control assembly module including at least one collective servomotor, the collective control assembly module connected between the support member and the rotor assembly and in communication with the flight control and navigation module configured to control a plurality of control linkages connected to the plurality of rotor blades.
2 . The payload delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the flight control and navigation system module comprises at least
a GPS receiver,
at least one servomotor controller,
an inertial navigation system (INS) sensor,
a magnetometer,
a navigation module, and
a multi-band transceiver configured to communicate with at least one of a master flight computer in the aircraft, a satellite communications network, a ground-based telemetry station and a weather station.
3 . The payload delivery device according to claim 2 , wherein at least a first portion of components of the flight control and navigation system module are disposed in a rotating frame of the rotor assembly.
4 . The payload delivery device according to claim 2 , wherein the flight control and navigation system module is fully disposed in a rotating frame of the rotor assembly.
5 . The payload delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the control surfaces, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, are configured to one of vertically stabilize and impart an axial moment of rotation about a longitudinal axis of the payload during a portion of the flight path.
6 . The payload delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of control surfaces, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, are configured to navigate the payload along a portion of the flight path to the predetermined landing destination.
7 . The payload delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the collective control assembly module, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, controls a collective motion imparted the rotor assembly to rotate the leading-edge of each blade of the plurality of rotor blades of the rotor assembly to a negative leading-edge angle with respect to the rotational plane of the rotor assembly in a fully deployed rotor position,
wherein the rotor assembly enters an autorotating motion to produce an upward vertical force on the payload during at least a portion of the flight path.
8 . The payload delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the collective control assembly module, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, controls the collective motion imparted to the rotor assembly to rotate a leading-edge of each of the rotor blades of the rotor assembly to a positive leading-edge angle with respect to a rotational plane of the rotor assembly in the fully deployed rotor position,
wherein the rotor assembly produces a positive vertical thrust force on the payload based on a moment of inertia of an autorotating motion during at least a portion of the flight path before the payload arrives at the predetermining landing destination.
9 . The payload delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotor assembly is further configured to rotate the plurality of rotor blades to
a folded position proximate a side of the payload,
an initial deployed position rotated away from the side of the payload, and
a fully deployed and locked position further rotated away from the side of the payload and perpendicular to the central axis of rotation of the rotor assembly.
10 . The payload delivery device according to claim 9 , wherein the rotor assembly is further configured to dampen the plurality of rotor blades during a blade deployment operation when each of the plurality of rotor blades nears the fully deployed and locked position.
11 . A payload delivery device configured to deliver an aircraft deployed payload along a flight path to a predetermined landing destination, the payload delivery device comprising:
a support member configured to be removably attached to the payload;
a flight control and navigation system module connected to the support member;
a control surface assembly module including a plurality of control surfaces, the control surface assembly module connected to the support member and in communication with the flight control and navigation module to receive commands to control orientation of the plurality of control surfaces while the payload is travelling along the flight path to the predetermined landing destination;
a gimbal assembly module including a plurality of gimbal servomotors, the gimbal assembly module connected to and configured to move relative to the support member and in communication with the flight control and navigation module to receive commands to control axial rotation of the gimbal assembly module with respect to the support member;
a rotor assembly including a plurality of rotor blades having a central axis of rotation; and
a collective control assembly module including at least one collective servomotor, the collective control assembly module connected between the gimbal assembly module and the rotor assembly and in communication with the flight control and navigation module configured to control a plurality of control linkages connected to the plurality of rotor blades.
12 . The payload delivery device according to claim 11 , wherein the gimbal assembly module, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, pivots the central axis of rotation the rotor assembly via at least one servomotor about a point located on a longitudinal axis of the payload to impart an axial thrust force away from the longitudinal axis of the payload.
13 . The payload delivery device according to claim 11 , wherein the collective control assembly module, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, controls, via at least one servomotor mounted on the gimbal assembly module, a collective motion imparted to the rotor assembly configured to simultaneously rotate a leading-edge of each blade of the plurality of rotor blades of the rotor assembly.
14 . A payload delivery device configured to deliver an aircraft deployed payload along a flight path to a predetermined landing destination, the payload delivery device comprising:
a support member configured to be removably attached to the payload;
a flight control and navigation system module;
a control surface assembly module including a plurality of control surfaces, the control surface assembly module connected to the support member and in communication with the flight control and navigation module to receive control surface commands to control orientation of the plurality of control surfaces;
a rotation bearing assembly connected to the support member; and
a rotor assembly including a plurality of rotor blades having a central axis of rotation and a plurality of rotor servomotors, the rotor assembly connected to the rotation bearing assembly and in communication with the flight control and navigation module to receive rotor rotation commands to control angular rotation of each of the plurality of rotor blades via co-planar aligned blade rotation shafts of each of the plurality of rotor blades, the co-planar aligned drive shafts coincident with a plane of rotation of the rotor assembly about the central axis of rotation.
15 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , further comprising a gimbal assembly module including a plurality of gimbal servomotors, the gimbal assembly module connected to and configured to move relative to the support member and in communication with the flight control and navigation module to receive gimbal rotation commands to control axial rotation of the gimbal assembly module with respect to the support member.
16 . The payload delivery device according to claim 15 , wherein the gimbal assembly module, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, pivots the central axis of rotation of the rotor assembly via at least one gimbal servomotor about a point located on a longitudinal axis of the payload to impart an axial thrust force produced by the rotor assembly away from the longitudinal axis of the payload.
17 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , further comprising a quick-release coupler connected between the rotation bearing assembly and the rotor assembly configured to allow detaching of the rotor assembly from the payload delivery assembly and attaching a second rotor assembly.
18 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein the flight control and navigation system module comprises at least
a GPS receiver,
at least one servomotor controller,
an inertial navigation system (INS) sensor,
a magnetometer,
a navigation module, and
a multi-band transceiver configured to communicate with at least one of a master flight computer in an aircraft, a satellite communications network, a ground-based telemetry station and a weather station.
19 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein at least one component of the flight control and navigation system module is disposed in a rotating frame of the rotor assembly.
20 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein the flight control and navigation system module is disposed in a rotating frame of the rotor assembly.
21 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of control surfaces, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, at least one of vertically stabilize and impart an axial moment of rotation about a longitudinal axis of the payload during a portion of the flight path to the predetermined landing destination.
22 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of control surfaces, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, are configured to navigate the payload along a portion of the flight path to the predetermined landing destination.
23 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein the rotor assembly, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, is configured to simultaneously rotate leading edges of each of the plurality of rotor blades of the rotor assembly.
24 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein the rotor assembly, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, is configured to independently rotate leading edges of each of the plurality of rotor blades of the rotor assembly.
25 . The payload delivery device according to claim 24 , wherein the rotor assembly, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, is configured impart a cyclic thrust force to the rotor assembly by cyclically rotating a leading-edge of at least one of the plurality of rotor blades of the rotor assembly.
26 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein the rotor assembly, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, rotates leading-edges of the plurality of rotor blades of the rotor assembly to a negative leading-edge angle with respect to a rotational plane of the rotor assembly in a fully deployed rotor position,
wherein the rotor assembly is configured to produce an autorotation motion to produce a vertical thrust force on the payload during a portion of the flight path to the predetermined landing destination.
27 . The payload delivery device according to claim 26 , wherein the rotor assembly, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, rotates leading-edges of the plurality of rotor blades of the rotor assembly to a positive leading-edge angle with respect to a plane of rotation of the rotor assembly in a fully deployed rotor position,
wherein the rotor assembly produces a vertical thrust force on the payload based on a moment of inertia produced from the autorotation motion during a second portion of the flight path before the payload arrives at the predetermining landing destination.
28 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein the rotor assembly, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, rotates leading-edges of the plurality of rotor blades of the rotor assembly perpendicular to a plane of rotation of the rotor assembly in a fully deployed rotor position,
wherein the rotor assembly minimizes an aerodynamic profile of the rotor assembly along a portion of the flight path to the predetermined landing destination.
29 . The payload delivery device according to claim 28 , wherein the rotor assembly, under control of the flight control and navigation system module, rotates a leading-edge of at least one of the plurality of rotor blades of the rotor assembly away from being perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotor assembly in the fully deployed rotor position to navigate the payload delivery device along a portion of the flight path to the predetermined landing destination.
30 . The payload delivery device according to claim 14 , wherein the rotor assembly is further configured to rotate the plurality rotor blades
to a folded position proximate at least one side of the payload,
to an initial deployed position rotated away from the at least one side of the payload, and
to a fully deployed and locked position further rotated away from the at least one side of the payload and perpendicular to the central axis of rotation of the rotor assembly.