Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft
View Patent ↗An aircraft has a fuselage, and pivot wings pivotally connected with the fuselage, the pivot wings pivoting between a vertical orientation for vertical takeoff, and a horizontal orientation for horizontal flight. Ailerons on each of the pivot wings provide roll control for the aircraft in all phases of flight. A gimbal motor assembly is mounted on the fuselage to adjustably support a motor. An upper rotary pivot free wing is mounted on a mast driven by the motor. A vectored thrust mechanism is provided for forward movement of the aircraft.
1. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage;
pivot wings pivotally connected with the fuselage;
ailerons on each of the pivot wings for providing roll control for the aircraft in all phases of flight;
a gimbal motor assembly having a pitch servo and a yaw servo mounted on the fuselage to adjustably support a pair of upper rotary pivot free wings, each mounted on a mast driven by a motor, so that thrust generated by the pair of upper rotary pivot free wings may be vectored as required for various stages of flight;
wherein each of the pair of upper rotary pivot free wings is mounted on the mast via a pivot mounting mechanism that leaves each of the pair of upper rotary pivot free wings completely free to rotate about a span wise axis of rotation without mechanical constraints between a rotating state and a stationary state, wherein the axis of rotation that is located forward of an aerodynamic center of the respective wing, such that when the upper rotary pivot free wing rotates in a powered mode the upper rotary pivot free wing is in the rotating state that provides vertical thrust during takeoff or horizontal thrust in vertical flight, and
when the upper rotary pivot free wing is in an unpowered mode the upper rotary pivot free wing is in the stationary state wherein the upper rotary pivot free wing functions as a lifting free wing for horizontal flight; and
a means for providing vectored thrust for forward movement of the aircraft.
2. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the means for providing vectored thrust for forward movement of the aircraft comprises a second motor that is connected via a drive shaft to a propeller, wherein the drive shaft is coaxially aligned with the mast and also mounted on the gimbal motor assembly.
3. The aircraft of claim 2 , wherein the propeller is coaxially aligned with the upper rotary pivot free wing.
4. The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein the motor driving the pair of upper rotary pivot free wings, and the second motor that drives the propeller, are in the form of contra rotating coaxial motors, and wherein the mast extends coaxially through the drive shaft of the propeller.