Airborne vehicle with multi-airfoil tail
An airborne vehicle having a body section; a main wing extending from the body section configured to generate aerodynamic lift, the main wing having one or more main wing control surfaces; and a tail assembly extending from the body section aft of the main wing. The tail assembly having a first tail member and a second tail member substantially parallel to each other. The first tail member having one or more control surfaces and the second tail member having one or more flap surfaces selectively deployable between a retracted position and an extended position. The flap surfaces being configured to increase a surface area and/or camber of the second tail member in the extended position.
1 . An airborne vehicle comprising:
a body section;
a main wing extending from the body section configured to generate aerodynamic lift, the main wing comprising one or more main wing control surfaces; and
a tail assembly extending from the body section aft of the main wing, the tail assembly comprising:
(i) a first tail member horizontal stabilizer having a substantially uniform first chord length;
(ii) a second horizontal stabilizer having a substantially uniform second chord length, wherein the second chord length is substantially equal to the first chord length;
(iii) a first vertical stabilizer;
(iv) a second vertical stabilizer; and
(v) a third vertical stabilizer, the first horizontal stabilizer being substantially parallel to the second horizontal stabilizer, the first horizontal stabilizer having one or more control surfaces, the second horizontal stabilizer having one or more control surfaces that comprise one or more flap surfaces selectively deployable between a retracted position and an extended position, the one or more flap surfaces being configured to increase at least one of a surface area or camber of the second horizontal stabilizer in the extended position, and wherein each of the first, second, and third vertical stabilizers is connected to and extends between the first horizontal stabilizer and the second horizontal stabilizer.
2 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising:
a deployment mechanism operably coupled to the one or more flap surfaces of the second horizontal stabilizer, the deployment mechanism being configured to move the one or more flap surfaces between the retracted position and the extended position.
3 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the deployment mechanism comprises at least one actuator operably coupled to the one or more flap surfaces, the at least one actuator being disposed in the one or more of the first, second, and third vertical stabilizers or in the body section.
4 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third vertical stabilizers comprise one or more control surfaces.
5 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more control surfaces of the first, second, and third vertical stabilizers comprise one or more rudders.
6 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a blown-wing propulsion system that includes a plurality of electric motors propellor assemblies distributed across a leading edge of the main wing.
7 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the blow-wing propulsion system is configured to output an aerodynamic effect, and wherein the first horizontal stabilizer is positioned generally within the aerodynamic effect.
8 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the blow-wing propulsion system is configured to output an aerodynamic effect, and wherein the second horizontal stabilizer is positioned generally above the aerodynamic effect.
9 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more flap surfaces is configured as a flap system.
10 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more flap surfaces is configured to exert a pitch moment when the one or more flap surfaces is in the extended position.
11 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more flap surfaces is configured to generate a downward aerodynamic force in the extended position.
12 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a surface area of the first horizontal stabilizer to the surface area of the second horizontal stabilizer is in the range of 0.9 to 1.6.
13 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein a separation distance between the first horizontal stabilizer and the second horizontal stabilizer is in the range of 0.25 to 0.75 of a lower horizontal stabilizer span.
14 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first horizontal stabilizer is positioned horizontally below the second horizontal stabilizer.
15 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first horizontal stabilizer is positioned horizontally above the second horizontal stabilizer.
16 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more control surfaces of the first horizontal stabilizer comprises one or more elevators.
17 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the body section comprise a hull and the main wing comprises a pair of outriggers, the hull and the pair of outriggers configured to contact a water surface.
18 . The airborne vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a retractable hydrofoil system positioned below the tail assembly.
19 . The airborne vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the third vertical stabilizer is arranged between the first vertical stabilizer and the second vertical stabilizer, and wherein the third vertical stabilizer is substantially aligned with a central longitudinal axis of the body section.
20 . The airborne vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each of the first, second, and third vertical stabilizers comprises a control surface.