VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFT

Abstract

A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft is disclosed having a fuselage ending with a tail, a first wing fixedly attached to the fuselage, and a second wing fixedly attached to the fuselage and located between the first wing and the tail. The first wing is provided with four tilting propulsion units forwards of the first wing and attached to the first wing. There may be four tilting propulsion units forwards of the second wing or two tilting propulsion units forwards of the second wing and two non-tilting propulsion units behind the first wing. Each propulsion unit is provided with propeller blades. The propeller blades forwards of the first wing are at least 10% longer than the propeller blades on the second wing and/or behind the first wing and the propeller blades of the tilting propulsion units have variable pitch.

Claims

1. A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft having a fuselage (1) ending with a tail (11), a first wing (2) fixedly attached to the fuselage (1), a second wing (3) fixedly attached to the fuselage (1) and located between the first wing (2) and the tail (11), wherein the first wing (2) is provided with four tilting propulsion units (21) forwards of the first wing and attached to the first wing; wherein the second wing (3) is provided with four tilting propulsion units (31) forwards of the second wing and attached to the second wing; or the second wing (3) is provided with two tilting propulsion units (311) forwards of the second wing and attached to the second wing, and additional two non-tilting propulsion units (312) are provided behind the first wing; wherein each propulsion unit is provided with propeller blades and wherein the propeller blades forwards of the first wing are at least 10% longer than the propeller blades on the second wing and/or behind the first wing; and wherein the propeller blades of the tilting propulsion units have variable pitch.

2. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the second wing (3) has a smaller surface area than the first wing (2).

3. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion unit (21, 31, 311, 312) is an open propeller.

4. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion units (21, 31) are attached to the wing (2, 3) via pylons (22, 32), wherein each pylon (22, 32) carries one propulsion unit (21, 31) mounted on the tip of the pylon (22, 32) forwards of a leading edge of the wing.

5. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 4, wherein the pylons (22, 32) extend only aft of the wing (2, 3) to which they are attached.

6. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion units (21, 311, 312) are attached to the wing (2, 3) via pylons (221, 222, 32), wherein two pylons (222) attached to the first wing carry each two propulsion units (21, 312), one propulsion unit (21) being mounted on the tip of the pylon forwards of a leading edge of the wing and one propulsion unit (312) being mounted on the pylon behind the wing; and the remaining pylons (221, 32) carry each one propulsion unit (21, 311) mounted on the tip of the pylon (221, 32) forwards of a leading edge of the wing.

7. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 6, wherein the two pylons (222) carrying each two propulsion units (21, 312) are outer pylons of the first wing.

8. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion units (21, 31, 311, 312) are driven by electric motors.

9. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 8, wherein the electric motors are embodied as separate units powered and controlled by a central control system, or as separate units controlled by separate control units linked to a primary control unit.

10. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 8, wherein a propulsion unit (21, 31, 311, 312) includes an assembly comprised of two or more electric motors powering one propeller.

11. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 8, wherein the aircraft carries an electricity generator installed onboard the aircraft.

12. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 11, wherein the electricity generator comprises a gas turbine for converting mechanical and/or thermal energy of flowing gases into mechanical work for rotating a shaft of an alternator, or the electricity generator comprises an engine, preferably an internal combustion engine, for rotating a shaft of an alternator, or the electricity generator is a fuel cell, fueled by hydrogen or methanol.

13. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the tilting of the tilting propulsion units (21, 31, 311) is controlled by servomotors and/or by hydraulic units.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0085] FIG. 1 shows an aircraft according to a first example of the invention, in an axonometric view, with the tiltable propulsion units tilted into a vertical flight position.

[0086] FIG. 2 shows the aircraft of FIG. 1 in an axonometric view, with the tiltable propulsion units tilted into a cruise flight position.

[0087] FIG. 3 shows an aircraft according to a second example of the invention, in an axonometric view, with the tiltable propulsion units tilted into a vertical flight position.

[0088] FIG. 4 shows the aircraft of FIG. 3 in an axonometric view, with the tiltable propulsion units tilted into a cruise flight position.

EXAMPLE

[0089] The invention is further illustrated by way of two examples which should not be construed as limiting the scope of the protection, and with reference to the attached drawings.

[0090] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a first example of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft having a fuselage 1 ending with a tail 11, a first wing 2 fixedly attached to the fuselage 1, a second wing 3 fixedly attached to the fuselage 1 and located between the first wing 2 and the tail 11, wherein the first wing 2 is provided with four tilting propulsion units 21 attached to the first wing and forwards of the first wing and the second wing 3 is provided with four tilting propulsion units 31 attached to the second wing 3 and forwards of the second wing. The second wing 3 has a smaller surface area than the first wing 2 and the propeller blades of the propulsion units 31 are shorter than the propeller blades of the propulsion units 21. The propulsion units 21, 31 are open propellers and have variable pitch.

[0091] The propulsion units 21, 31 are attached to the wing via pylons 22, 32, respectively. The pylons 22, 32 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are located in the plane of the wing and extend aft of the wing to which they are attached.

[0092] The propulsion units are driven by electric motors. Any of commutator DC (direct current) motors, universal AC (alternating current) and DC motors, brushless DC motors, AC single-phase motors, AC three-phase induction motors (asynchronous), and synchronous motors can be used in this embodiment.

[0093] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a second example of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft having a fuselage 1 ending with a tail 11, a first wing 2 fixedly attached to the fuselage 1, a second wing 3 fixedly attached to the fuselage 1 and located between the first wing 2 and the tail 11, wherein the first wing 2 is provided with four tilting propulsion units 21 attached to the first wing and forwards of the first wing. The first wing is also provided with two non-tilting propulsion units 312 attached to the first wing and located behind the first wing. The second wing 3 is provided with two tilting propulsion units 311 attached to the second wing 3 and forwards of the second wing. The second wing 3 has a smaller surface area than the first wing 2 and the propeller blades of the propulsion units 311 and 312 are shorter than the propeller blades of the propulsion units 21. The propulsion units 21, 311 and 312 are open propellers.

[0094] The propulsion units 21, 311 and 312 are attached to the wing via pylons 221, 222, 32, respectively. The pylons 221 and 32 are located in the plane of the wing and extend aft of the wing to which they are attached. The pylons 222 are located in the plane of the wing and extend both aft and behind the first wing to which they are attached.

[0095] The propulsion units are driven by electric motors. Any of commutator DC (direct current) motors, universal AC (alternating current) and DC motors, brushless DC motors, AC single-phase motors, AC three-phase induction motors (asynchronous), and synchronous motors can be used in this embodiment.

[0096] In both examples, two rotors are located in each quadrant wherein the quadrants are determined by the longitudinal (roll) axis and lateral (pitch) axis.