Скачать или смотреть Taming VTOL with Unique Folding Wings

As they say, ‘a thing designed to do two functions does neither well’. The ideal aircraft that can land on a dime yet cruise like a plane hasn’t been invented yet, or at least hasn’t been perfected yet. This invention acknowledges the trials and errors of past designs, and the inventors seem to understand the art.

The patent is a good summary of the pros and cons of previous VTOL plus airplane approaches. For example, craft with rotating wings such as the Osprey have inherent problems: “long fixed wings can be difficult to maneuver during STOL or VTOL operation due to a large moment of inertia created by their mass being extended away from a center of gravity of the aircraft. Such aircraft often exhibit bimodal operation envelopes and cannot stably or indefinitely operate at any speed between the takeoff or landing realm and the high-speed forward flight realm.”

What this invention offers is an aircraft with “versatile performance by employing a unique configuration of tilting wings and propulsion units that enable a large flight envelope encompassing both hovering and forward flight at a range of speeds.” The aircraft has unique folding wings that pivot on a diagonal, and fold inwards. The aircraft becomes very streamlined and less affected by cross-winds. As the wings fold out for forward flight, the aircraft is in complete control at every stage of the transition.

Currently, the design is in UAV form, but the patent discloses a full-scale passenger model. You can see the drone in action here:    • PteroDynamics - The Future of Flight