High speed multi-rotor vertical takeoff and landing aircraft

Abstract

This disclosure is generally directed to a High Speed vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that includes fixed wing flight capabilities. The High Speed VTOL aircraft may include at least two thrust producing rotors located equidistant from a longitudinal axis of the aircraft on a main wing, and at least two thrust producing rotors located equidistant from a longitudinal axis of the aircraft on a vertical wing. The rotors may be driven by electric motors. However, other power sources may be used such as combustion or hybrid engines. By adjusting the speed and/or the pitch of the rotors, the aircraft can transition from a vertical flight configuration to a horizontal flight configuration and back.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:
 a plurality of wings ;   a plurality of propulsion systems coupled to the plurality of wings, the plurality of propulsion systems configured to produce vertical lift while the aircraft is in the hover regime, longitudinal thrust when the aircraft is in the forward flight regime, thrust vectoring, and thrust control ; and   a control management system configured to direct the thrust control to adjust the orientation of the aircraft.   
     
     
         2 . The aircraft as  claim 1  recites, at least one of the plurality of propulsion systems comprising:
 a power system; and 
 a rotor coupled to the power system, the rotor being a variable speed rotor. 
 
     
     
         3 . The aircraft as  claim 2  recites, wherein the power system comprises:
 an electric motor; and 
 a power source to provide power to the electric motor. 
 
     
     
         4 . The aircraft as  claim 3  recites, wherein the power source comprises at least one of:
 a battery; 
 a solar panel; 
 a fuel cell; or 
 a wind turbine generator. 
 
     
     
         5 . The aircraft as  claim 2  recites, wherein the power system comprises one of a combustion engine or a hybrid engine. 
     
     
         6 . The aircraft as  claim 2  recites, wherein the aircraft is configured to transition between the hover and the forward flight regime by adjusting a speed of at least one of the variable speed rotors of the plurality of propulsion systems. 
     
     
         7 . The aircraft as  claim 2  recites, wherein the rotor is a variable pitch rotor. 
     
     
         8 . The aircraft as  claim 7  recites, wherein the aircraft is configured to transition between the hover and the forward flight regime by adjusting a pitch of at least one of the variable pitch rotors. 
     
     
         9 . The aircraft as  claim 1  recites, wherein the thrust control from the plurality of propulsion systems adjusts at least one of the pitch, roll, and yaw of the aircraft. 
     
     
         10 . The aircraft as  claim 1  recites, wherein the plurality of wings includes a first wing and a second wing, the second wing being coupled to the first wing at a 90-degree angle, wherein the second wing has a smaller wingspan than the first wing, the aircraft being configured to fly:
 with the first wing producing lift in the forward flight regime; or 
 with the second wing producing lift in the forward flight regime. 
 
     
     
         11 . The aircraft as  claim 1  recites, further comprising at least one of:
 an elevon; and 
 a rudder; 
 wherein the control management system is further configured to adjust the at least one elevon and the at least one rudder. 
 
     
     
         12 . The aircraft as  claim 1  recites, the control management system further comprising one or more of:
 an accelerometer; 
 a gyro; 
 a magnetometer; 
 a GPS receiver; or 
 an optical sensor, wherein the accelerometer, the gyro, the magnetometer, the GPS receiver, and the optical sensor provide input to the control management system to allow autonomous flight. 
 
     
     
         13 . The aircraft as  claim 1  recites, wherein the plurality of propulsion systems further comprise:
 a first propulsion system; 
 a second propulsion system; 
 a third propulsion system coupled to the plurality of wings; and 
 a fourth propulsion system coupled to the plurality of wings; 
 wherein the first, second, third, and fourth propulsion systems each comprises an engine and at least one rotor, and each of the first, second, third and fourth propulsion systems being configured to operate independently. 
 
     
     
         14 . The aircraft as  claim 13  recites, wherein the rotors of the first, second, third, and fourth propulsion systems are pusher-type rotors. 
     
     
         15 . The aircraft as  claim 1  recites, further comprising a passenger compartment configured to hold at least one person. 
     
     
         16 . The aircraft as  claim 1  recites, further comprising a storage pod, the storage pod housing at least one camera configured to transmit imagery to at least an operator of the aircraft. 
     
     
         17 . A method for flying a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:
 independently rotating a first plurality of variable speed rotors, the first plurality of variable speed rotors coupled to a main wing;   independently rotating a second plurality of variable speed rotors, the second plurality of variable speed rotors coupled to a vertical wing;   inducing a hover mode by rotating the first and second plurality of variable speed rotors at a rate sufficient to create lift to overcome a weight of the aircraft;   transitioning from the hover mode to a forward flight mode by adjusting the speed of at least the second plurality of variable speed rotors;   and upon approaching the forward flight mode, adjusting the speed of at least of the second plurality of variable speed rotors to substantially match the speed of the first plurality of variable speed rotors.   
     
     
         18 . The method as  claim 17  recites, further comprising:
 transitioning from the forward flight mode to the hover mode by adjusting the speed of at least one of the second plurality of speed rotors; and 
 landing the aircraft by reducing the speed of the first and second plurality of variable speed rotors when the aircraft is in the hover mode. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method as  claim 17  recites, further comprising:
 inducing a yaw motion by varying the speed of at least one of the first plurality of variable speed rotors; and 
 inducing a pitch motion by varying the speed of at least one of the second plurality of variable speed rotors. 
 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)