A dual-mode vehicle, wheels for the vehicle, and a method of transitioning the vehicle from a land mode to a flight mode. In the land mode, the method includes rotating a pair of spaced wheel arms about a central pivot to lower a body of the dual-mode vehicle to a ground surface. Each wheel arm extends from the central pivot to a wheel. The method also includes rotating the central pivot about a longitudinal vehicle axis to raise the wheel arms and the wheels above the ground surface. After raising the wheel arms and wheels above the ground surface, the method includes rotating the wheel arms about the central pivot to position the wheels for use as rotors in the flight mode. In the flight mode, the method includes rotating the wheels in order to extract rotor blades positioned within the wheels to extend beyond the wheels.

Hydraulic systems for shrinking landing gear shrink are described. An example apparatus includes a landing gear strut, a transfer cylinder, aircraft hydraulics, a pressure vessel, and a pressure-operated check valve. The landing gear strut has an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder movable relative to the outer cylinder between a first position and a second position. The landing gear strut has a first length when the inner cylinder is in the first position and a second length less than the first length when the inner cylinder is in the second position. The transfer cylinder exchanges hydraulic fluid with the landing gear strut. The aircraft hydraulics exchange hydraulic fluid with the transfer cylinder. The pressure vessel exchanges gas with the landing gear strut. The pressure-operated check valve controls an exchange of gas between the pressure vessel and the landing gear strut based on hydraulic fluid received from the aircraft hydraulics.

An aircraft include a landing gear is disclosed. The landing gear comprises a main strut and an inboard stay assembly connected to the aircraft fuselage such that landing gear loads can be transferred from the inboard stay assembly into the fuselage. The landing gear also comprises a sidestay connected to the wing such that landing gear loads can be transferred from the sidestay into the wing and a link assembly connected to the aircraft such that landing gear loads can be transferred via the link assembly into the aircraft. The landing gear is arranged such that, in use, when the landing gear is extended, substantially all the landing gear loads are transferred from the landing gear to the aircraft via one or more of the inboard stay assembly, the sidestay and the link assembly.

An aircraft include a landing gear is disclosed. The landing gear comprises a main strut and an inboard stay assembly connected to the aircraft fuselage such that landing gear loads can be transferred from the inboard stay assembly into the fuselage. The landing gear also comprises a sidestay connected to the wing such that landing gear loads can be transferred from the sidestay into the wing and a link assembly connected to the aircraft such that landing gear loads can be transferred via the link assembly into the aircraft. The landing gear is arranged such that, in use, when the landing gear is extended, substantially all the landing gear loads are transferred from the landing gear to the aircraft via one or more of the inboard stay assembly, the sidestay and the link assembly.

A method for operating a landing gear. The method includes extending an actuator to apply a force to a crank link of a toggle lock mechanism causing a mechanical unlocking of a second lock link from a fully extended position, retracting the actuator to rotate the toggle lock mechanism about a toggle lock pivot axis of a first lock link, causing rotation of the second lock link that is rotatably coupled to the first lock link so that the second lock link folds relative to the first lock link in a second rotation direction, and a toggle link of the toggle lock mechanism rotates relative to the second lock link, in the first rotation direction opposite the second rotation direction, to rotate the second lock link to a fully retracted position of the second lock link relative to the first lock link.

A method for operating a landing gear. The method includes extending an actuator to apply a force to a crank link of a toggle lock mechanism causing a mechanical unlocking of a second lock link from a fully extended position, retracting the actuator to rotate the toggle lock mechanism about a toggle lock pivot axis of a first lock link, causing rotation of the second lock link that is rotatably coupled to the first lock link so that the second lock link folds relative to the first lock link in a second rotation direction, and a toggle link of the toggle lock mechanism rotates relative to the second lock link, in the first rotation direction opposite the second rotation direction, to rotate the second lock link to a fully retracted position of the second lock link relative to the first lock link.

The utility model relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle and an undercarriage thereof. The undercarriage includes: a power assembly disposed within a fuselage, the power assembly including a first connecting member and a drive apparatus configured to drive the first connecting member to perform a reciprocating linear motion; and an undercarriage body connected to the power assembly, the undercarriage body including a first connecting rod hinged on the first connecting member, and a second connecting rod of which one end is hinged on the power assembly and the other end is hinged on the first connecting rod. When the first connecting member performs the reciprocating linear motion, the undercarriage body is driven to be unfolded or folded into the fuselage. The utility model further relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle. For the foregoing unmanned aerial vehicle and the undercarriage thereof, the power assembly may be used to drive the undercarriage body to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state. When aerial photography is required, the undercarriage body may be at least partially folded into the fuselage, to avoid blocking an aerial photography device on the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of aircrafts, and provide an undercarriage and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having the undercarriage. The undercarriage includes a power assembly and an undercarriage body. The power assembly includes a connecting member and a drive apparatus for driving the connecting member to reciprocate. The undercarriage body includes a plurality of hinged connecting rods, the plurality of hinged connecting rods constituting at least one parallelogram mechanism, and projections of at least two of the hinged connecting rods on a side face of the fuselage are staggered. The undercarriage body is connected to the connecting member, and when the connecting member reciprocates, the undercarriage body is driven to be folded or unfolded. In the foregoing manner, driven by the reciprocating motion of the connecting member, the undercarriage body may be retracted and folded on two sides or in an interior of the fuselage, so that the undercarriage may be retracted and folded during flight of the UAV, thereby avoiding unnecessary resistance in the air.

Aerial vehicles may be configured to control their attitudes by changing one or more physical attributes. For example, an aerial vehicle may be outfitted with propulsion motors having repositionable mounts by which the motors may be rotated about one or more axes, in order to redirect forces generated by the motors during operation. An aerial vehicle may also be outfitted with one or more other movable objects such as landing gear, antenna and/or engaged payloads, and one or more of such objects may be translated in one or more directions in order to adjust a center of gravity of the aerial vehicle. By varying angles by which forces are supplied to the aerial vehicle, or locations of the center of gravity of the aerial vehicle, a desired attitude of the aerial vehicle may be maintained irrespective of velocity, altitude and/or forces of thrust, lift, weight or drag acting upon the aerial vehicle.

Aerial vehicles may be configured to control their attitudes by changing one or more physical attributes. For example, an aerial vehicle may be outfitted with propulsion motors having repositionable mounts by which the motors may be rotated about one or more axes, in order to redirect forces generated by the motors during operation. An aerial vehicle may also be outfitted with one or more other movable objects such as landing gear, antenna and/or engaged payloads, and one or more of such objects may be translated in one or more directions in order to adjust a center of gravity of the aerial vehicle. By varying angles by which forces are supplied to the aerial vehicle, or locations of the center of gravity of the aerial vehicle, a desired attitude of the aerial vehicle may be maintained irrespective of velocity, altitude and/or forces of thrust, lift, weight or drag acting upon the aerial vehicle.