Granted Patent B2

US 12,358,634 · App. 18/301,429 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Inventors: Dane Michael Chantrill (Irvine, CA); Gregory Joseph Toland (Escondido, CA)

Assignee: Anduril Industries, Inc.

B64D29/02B23P19/04B64C1/063B64C3/56B64C29/00B64C29/02B64F5/10B64F5/50B64U80/50B64U20/50

Abstract

Claims (58)

1. A method of assembling an aircraft, comprising:

mounting a first engine nacelle to a first wing;

mounting a second engine nacelle to a second wing;

causing the first wing to be extended relative to a center wing or to a fuselage mount;

causing the second wing to be extended relative to the center wing or to the fuselage mount;

causing a first landing module coupled to the first engine nacelle to be configured in an extended state when the first wing is extended relative to the center wing or to the fuselage mount; and

causing a second landing module coupled to the second engine nacelle to be configured in an extended state when the second wing is extended relative to the center wing or to the fuselage mount.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the first wing to be extended relative to the center wing comprises rotating the first wing around an axis defined by a first hinge that mounts the first wing to the center wing or to the fuselage mount.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein when the first wing is in an extended state, the first wing is fixedly mounted to the center wing or to the fuselage mount.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein fixedly mounting the first wing to the center wing or to the fuselage mount includes bolting the first wing to the center wing while the first wing is in an extended state.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

moving a first nacelle support structure of a cart that carries the aircraft in a disassembled state,

wherein:

the first nacelle support structure is moved from a disassembled position to a nacelle assembly position;

the first engine nacelle is mounted to the first nacelle support structure; and

the nacelle assembly position corresponds to a first engine nacelle orientation at which the first engine nacelle is mounted to the first wing.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

aligning the first wing with the first engine nacelle in response to the first nacelle support structure being moved to the nacelle assembly position; and

inserting a first nacelle support member of the first wing to a cavity defined by the first engine nacelle, wherein mounting the first engine nacelle to the first wing includes bolting the first nacelle support member to a first nacelle-wing mount on the first engine nacelle.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising: detaching the first engine nacelle from the first nacelle support structure of the cart to allow the first wing and first engine nacelle to be moved to an extended state in which the first wing extends horizontally from the center wing or the fuselage mount.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein aligning the first wing and the first engine nacelle comprises causing one or more wing support members to raise at least the first wing to a height at which the first nacelle support member is aligned with the cavity defined by the first engine nacelle.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing a fuselage to be moved from a disassembled state to a fuselage assembly state; and

mounting the fuselage to the center wing or to the fuselage mount when the fuselage is in the fuselage assembly state.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

causing the fuselage to be moved from the disassembled state to the fuselage assembly state includes actuating a center support member of a cart that carries the aircraft in the disassembled state;

the fuselage is mounted to the center support member; and

actuating the center support member moves the fuselage relative to the center wing or the fuselage mount.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein moving the fuselage from the disassembled state to the fuselage assembly state includes causing the fuselage to be rotated around an axis defined by a hinge that mounts the fuselage to the center wing or to the fuselage mount.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fuselage is moved from the disassembled state to the fuselage assembly state before the first engine nacelle is mounted to the first wing and the second engine nacelle is mounted to the second wing.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing the aircraft to be lowered to the ground such that the aircraft is supported by the first landing module and the second landing module.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein causing the aircraft to be lowered includes actuating an actuating member on a cart that carries the aircraft in a disassembled state.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the aircraft is lowered to the ground after (i) a fuselage, the first wing, and the second wing are fixedly mounted to the center wing or to the fuselage mount, (ii) the first engine nacelle is mounted to the first wing, and (iii) the second engine nacelle is mounted to the second wing.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising installing a set of proprotor blades to a first proprotor of the first engine nacelle and a second proprotor of the second engine nacelle.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein installing a first proprotor blade to the first proprotor comprises (i) pushing the first proprotor blade towards a first proprotor hub of the first proprotor until the first proprotor hub is inserted into a cavity defined by the first proprotor blade, (ii) twisting the first proprotor blade relative to the first proprotor hub, and (iii) releasing the first proprotor blade.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first proprotor hub comprises a biasing element that applies a biasing force on the first proprotor blade in a direction opposite an installation direction.

19. A method of assembling an aircraft, comprising:

mounting a first engine nacelle to a first wing;

mounting a second engine nacelle to a second wing;

causing the first wing to be extended relative to a center wing or to a fuselage mount;

causing the second wing to be extended relative to the center wing or to the fuselage mount;

causing a fuselage to be moved from a disassembled state to a fuselage assembly state; and

mounting the fuselage to the center wing or to the fuselage mount when the fuselage is in the fuselage assembly state;

wherein:

causing the fuselage to be moved from the disassembled state to the fuselage assembly state includes actuating a center support member of a cart that carries the aircraft in the disassembled state;

the fuselage is mounted to the center support member; and

actuating the center support member moves the fuselage relative to the center wing or the fuselage mount.

20. A method of assembling an aircraft, comprising:

mounting a first engine nacelle to a first wing;

mounting a second engine nacelle to a second wing;

causing the first wing to be extended relative to a center wing or to a fuselage mount;

causing the second wing to be extended relative to the center wing or to the fuselage mount; and

installing a set of proprotor blades to a first proprotor of the first engine nacelle and a second proprotor of the second engine nacelle,

wherein installing a first proprotor blade to the first proprotor comprises:

(i) pushing the first proprotor blade towards a first proprotor hub of the first proprotor until the first proprotor hub is inserted into a cavity defined by the first proprotor blade;

(ii) twisting the first proprotor blade relative to the first proprotor hub; and

(iii) releasing the first proprotor blade.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (87)

Cited By (1)

US 12,583,599