WO2017052396A1

WO2017052396A1 - Vertical take-off and landing aircraft

Info

Publication number: WO2017052396A1
Application number: PCT/PL2016/000107
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edward MARGAŃSKI
Original assignee: IZDEBSKI, Andrzej
Priority date: 2015-09-23
Filing date: 2016-09-21
Publication date: 2017-03-30
Also published as: PL414124A1; EP3365227A1

Abstract

The object of the invention is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the manned or unmanned version powered by one or more electric motors which rotate two contra-rotating, fixed-pitch or variable-pitch propellers located at the front. To control the aircraft during vertical and horizontal flights auxiliary horizontal and vertical control and trim surfaces (5) and (7), located in the slipstream of contra-rotating propellers (1) in front of the aircraft's centre of gravity are used, whereas the control and trim surfaces (5) and (7) are suspended in relation to the aircraft on axles (6) and (8) that are located in front of the centre of aerodynamic forces created by them, owing to which the aerodynamic surfaces place themselves in the direction of the flowing control air of the aircraft, while the lift force created by them depends directly on the moments exerted on their axes of rotation (6) and (8), created with the use of linear or angular magneto-dynamic hoists (10) or with the aerodynamic method through auxiliary control tabs (12) installed on the control and trim surfaces (5) and (7).

Description

VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFT

The object of the invention is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft in manned or unmanned version, powered by one or more electric motors which rotate two contra-rotating, fixed-pitch or variable-pitch propellers located at the front.

It is commonly known that combination of positive characteristics of an airplane and a helicopter in one flying machine is extremely difficult and complicated. Out of numerous solutions proposed in the 950s and the 1960s, many of which were tested during prototype stages, it was actually only the concept of an aircraft with rotating propeller and motor units materialised in V- 22 Osprey aircraft that after several decades reached practical application and thus serial production. Another concept standing a chance of wider application is the idea of a helicopter with the auxiliary drive system whose thrust is directed towards the direction of the helicopter's movement that allows a limited but significant increase of the helicopter's airspeed. Such a solution is implemented by the company Sikorsky, which aims for practical application of the idea of a helicopter with a contra-rotating main rotor and an auxiliary pusher propeller at the back of the fuselage.

However, the technical advancement of the last several decades allows to implement ideas that, after development and completion, may prove to be quite rational. In this case these are designs of vertical take-off fighter aircrafts developed in the US in the 1950s. Airplanes which were then created as prototypes were Convair XFY-1 and Lockheed turbojets and Ryan X-13 jet. All of them reached their destiny at the stage of more or less advanced flight tests. Problems with sufficiently precise control of the aircraft during vertical flight just above the ground, problems with precise and sufficiently fast drive unit thrust control of satisfactory reliability, difficulties in controlling the phase of transition from the horizontal flight to the vertical flight and vice versa resulting to a large extent from the above, and unacceptable position of the pilot in the cockpit and related problems with visibility from the cockpit proved to be the major flaws which disqualified the idea according to which they were constructed.

It is also worth mentioning that drive units in the form of a turboprop engine with a propeller without periodical propeller pitch variability or a jet engine without thrust vector change applied at that time substantially impeded, and even prevented achievement of intended goals. At the same time, new construction and technological solutions as well as new applications allowing to take a fresh look at the old ideas have appeared since then. Such solutions and applications may include appearance in aviation of an electric drive with a high potential for development, appearance and increasing practical application of unmanned aircraft and helicopters, new solutions in the field of aerodynamics, including a new method of aircraft controlling and balancing without changing its stability.

The vertical take-off and landing aircraft whose longitudinal axis during take-off and landing is in vertical position, and during parking on the ground it is propped on it with the back of the fuselage equipped with a proper shock absorbing system, while during the flight the longitudinal axis is close to being horizontal, is characterised according to the invention by that additional horizontal and vertical control and trim surfaces located in the slipstream of the contra-rotating propellers in front of the aircraft's centre of gravity are used for control during vertical and horizontal flight, whereas the control and trim surfaces are suspended in relation to the aircraft on axles located in front of the centre of aerodynamic forces created by them, owing to which the aerodynamic surfaces place themselves in the direction of the flowing control air of the aircraft, and the lift force created by them depends directly on the moments exerted on their rotation axes, created with linear or angular magneto-dynamic hoists or with the aerodynamic method through auxiliary control tabs installed on the control and trim surfaces. The aircraft is powered by at least one electric motor rotating two contra-rotating, fixed-pitch or variable-pitch propellers located at the front.

The advantage of the application of the electric-powered aircraft according to the invention is its construction that is significantly simpler than those applied currently and enables practically immediate and clear reaction to the change of parameters set by the pilot or the control system, which influences greater reliability and simplicity of operation due to the fact that in the electric drive control system complete elimination of movable mechanical elements is possible that reduces construction and operation costs. Owing to the application of variable target frequency inverters it is possible to optimise propellers rotations for particular flight parameters, and thus to apply much simpler, lighter and cheaper fixed-pitch propellers.

The object of the invention is presented in the drawing, where Fig. 1 presents the vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the top view, Fig. 2 presents the vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the side view, Fig. 3 presents the vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the take-off position, Fig. 4 presents the vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the axonometric view during horizontal flight, and Fig. 5 presents the vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the front view during horizontal flight.

As it is presented in the drawing, the vertical take-off aircraft, in manned or unmanned version, is powered by one or more electric motors 2 which rotate two contra-rotating fixed-pitch or variable-pitch propellers 1 located at the front. The aircraft, customarily called an airplane, of the relatively large diameter of the propeller Λ similar to the diameter of the helicopter rotor, during take-off, landing and parking stands propped on the tail part of the fuselage vertically nose up with the use of intermediary elements 9 - fixed or retractable. The feature distinguishing this airplane from previous solutions, apart from the application of electric drive and the following consequences, is the fact of application of auxiliary horizontal 5 and vertical 7 control and trim surfaces located in the front part of the airplane in the slipstream in front of the main lifting surface - the horizontal surface, and stabilising surfaces - the vertical surface. These surfaces, individually or in cooperation with classical control surfaces such as elevator, rudder provide fast and precise movement of the airplane hovering just above the ground, both in the back-front direction and sideways.

The essence of the invention is the fact that the direction of forces created by the auxiliary control and trim surfaces 5 and 7 matches the expected and implemented movement of the airplane in contrast to previous solutions, in which to obtain the forward movement of the airplane the nose of the airplane needed to be leant forward, tilting the back of the airplane backwards with the controls, in this case the effect of the forward movement of the airplane is obtained owing to the horizontal component of the drive unit thrust created by leaning the nose of the airplane forward. To obtain the above, force in the direction opposite to the planned movement direction needs to be created for some time on the back controlled surfaces. The final effect of the above is a delay in time of response to control signals/deflections, and with the dynamics of the whole system taken into consideration - including time of response and the human pilot's learned habits - practical impossibility of controlling the airplane by the pilot in this flight condition. In the proposed solution the forces created by the horizontal and vertical control and trim surfaces 5 and 7 create during hovering a horizontal forward or sideward force, deflecting the slipstream in such a way that the airplane moves in the direction consistent with their deflection without unnecessary delays. During horizontal flight the airplane without the auxiliary control and trim surfaces 5 and 7 is stable, while auxiliary surfaces, owing to the fact that the aerodynamic centre of pressure is located behind axes of their rotation 6 and 8, practically do not affect its stability.

The same units without change to their configuration and purpose are used to control and balance the airplane during the whole flight - vertical, but also horizontal. To this end, to the axis of rotation of the control and trim surfaces a moment, constant but controlled and changed by the pilot or a relevant control system, is exerted. This moment is independent of the condition/configuration of the plane and deflections of the control and trim surfaces. This moment can be created by aerodynamic or magneto-dynamic forces and pneumatic or hydraulic controllers.

The application of linear or rotating magneto-dynamic hoists 10 to deflect the control and trim surfaces 5 and 7 seems to be most promising.

In this solution immediate reaction to a control signal occurs. Change of intensity of the current powering the hoist 10 by the controller 11. controlled by the pilot results in the change of the moment deflecting the control and trim surfaces, and thus their deflection and creation of additional lift (or side) force. In the unmanned airplane applications the problem of visibility from the cockpit is actually irrelevant, while in the manned version, which can be for example applied for recreational and sports purposes, it is planned that in the vertical flight during take-off and landing the pilot shall be standing, whereas in the horizontal flight the pilot shall be in a horizontal position.

Independently of the aerodynamic control with ailerons, contra-rotating propellers applied in the airplane propulsion enable control of its rotation around the axis of the plane. This could be done through differentiation of moments rotating particular propellers that can be obtained by variable arrangement of their blades, which is compiicated, or in case of more than one electric motor by electric differentiation of their power with a controller 13 essential for their correct functioning.

In some solutions in which diameters of the propellers are proportionally very large, implementation of emergency landing process with the use of the authorization phenomenon can be possible. In this case it is possible through the application of propellers with two- position pitch blades without the need to apply their smooth adjustment.

Claims

1. A vertical take-off and landing aircraft whose longitudinal axis during take-off and landing is in vertical position, while during parking on the ground it is propped on it with the back of the fuselage equipped with a shock absorbing system, whereas during flight the longitudinal axis is close to a horizontal position, characterised by that auxiliary horizontal and vertical control and trim surfaces (5) and (7) located in the slipstream of the contra-rotating propellers (1) in front of the gravity centre of the aircraft are used for control during vertical and horizontal flights, while the control and trim surfaces (5) and (7) are suspended in relation to the aircraft on axles (6) and (8), which are located in front of the centre of aerodynamic forces created by them, owing to which the aerodynamic surfaces place themselves in the direction of the flowing control air of the aircraft, and the lift force created by them depends directly on the moments exerted on their rotation axes (6) and (8), created with linear or angular magneto-dynamic hoists (10) or with the aerodynamic method through auxiliary control tabs (12) installed on the control and trim surfaces (5) and (7).

2. Aircraft according to claim 1 , characterised by that it is powered by at least one electric motor (2) which rotates two contra-rotating, fixed-pitch or variable- pitch propellers (1) located at the front.