JP2024021118A - vertical takeoff and landing aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a vertical take-off and landing aircraft that can transition from vertical take-off to horizontal flight and from horizontal flight to vertical landing without the need to change the direction of thrust, and that can change the main wing mounting angle. [Solution] A vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 that is characterized by comprising a fuselage 10, main wings 20 for horizontal flight attached to the left and right of the fuselage 10 axis, three or more propulsion units 40 whose thrust can be controlled individually, and an arm 50 that attaches the propulsion units 40 to the fuselage 10 so that, when the fuselage 10 is made nearly perpendicular to the ground, the remaining one or more propulsion units 40 are not included in a plane parallel to the fuselage 10 axis that includes any two of the three or more propulsion units 40, and that is oriented to apply thrust upward in the axial direction of the fuselage 10. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that can take off and land vertically and fly horizontally at high speed.

Conventionally, the aircraft had multiple main wings for horizontal flight and a vertical tail, and a propeller for both upward and forward flight was fixed to the main wings for horizontal flight, and the main wings for horizontal flight were rotated so that they were oriented almost vertically when ascending and descending. There is a flying object that is characterized by ascending and descending, and when flying horizontally, it flies horizontally with a fixed angle of attack (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2022-16568 Publication

However, in such a flying vehicle, when transitioning from vertical takeoff to horizontal flight and from horizontal flight to vertical landing, the direction of the main wing to which the propeller that generates propulsive force is fixed must be changed.

As a result, a complicated mechanism is required to move the main wing, which requires time and effort for maintenance, increases the possibility of failure, and increases costs.
Furthermore, in such aircraft, the propellers that generate propulsion are fixed to the main wings, so the main wings cannot be moved back or extended, and there is a large space where the main wings do not interfere during takeoff and landing. There was a necessary issue.

The present invention was made in view of these problems, and it is possible to change the main wing mounting angle without having to change the direction of the propulsive force when transitioning from vertical takeoff to horizontal flight or from horizontal flight to vertical landing. The purpose is to provide a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

The present invention has been made to solve at least part of the above-mentioned problems, and can be realized as the following application examples. Note that the reference numerals and supplementary explanations in parentheses in this column indicate the correspondence with the embodiments described later to aid understanding of the present invention, and do not limit the present invention in any way. .

[Application example 1]
The invention described in Application Example 1 is
a torso (10);
main wings (20) attached to the left and right sides with respect to the axis of the fuselage (10);
three or more propulsion units (40) capable of individually controlling propulsive force;
Among the three or more propulsion sections (40), the remaining one or more propulsion sections (40) are not included in a plane parallel to the axis of the fuselage (10) that includes any two propulsion sections (40). In such a positional relationship, when the body (10) is made substantially perpendicular to the ground, the propulsion portion (40) is oriented so as to apply a propulsive force upward in the axial direction of the body (10). an arm (50) attached to the body (10);
This is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1) comprising:

Such a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (1) can take off vertically from a state in which the fuselage (10) is substantially perpendicular to the ground. During vertical takeoff, the main wings (20) do not contribute to vertical lift, and the main wings (20) are operated by a plurality of propulsion units (40) attached to the fuselage (10) via arms (50) so that the propulsion force is vertically upward. take off upwards.

Furthermore, by individually controlling the propulsive forces of the plurality of propulsion units (40), the attitude of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1) can be changed from a generally vertical direction to a generally horizontal direction solely by the propulsive force of the propulsion units (40). and can perform horizontal flight.
In horizontal flight, the main wings (20) generate lift, and the plurality of propulsion units (40) generate propulsive force to propel the vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (1) forward.

Similarly, by individually controlling the propulsive forces of the plurality of propulsion units (40) during horizontal flight, the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft can be changed from horizontal flight to a state where the fuselage (10) is almost perpendicular to the ground. (1) By changing the attitude, it is possible to gradually lower the altitude while remaining vertical and land.

In this way, the attitude of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (1) can be changed from vertical takeoff to horizontal flight and from horizontal flight to vertical landing without providing a mechanism for changing the direction of the propulsion force. The transition to flight becomes possible.

This eliminates the need for a complicated mechanism for moving the main wing (20) in order to change the direction of the propulsive force, making it possible to simplify maintenance, reduce the number of failure points, and reduce costs.

In addition, flight direction control and aircraft stabilization during flight are performed by individual control of multiple propulsion units (40) without using ailerons or elevators, thereby simplifying maintenance and locating failure points. It is possible to realize a reduction in the amount of energy and cost.

[Application example 2]
The vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1) according to Application Example 2 includes the vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1) according to Application Example 1,
The main feature is to include a main wing attachment angle drive unit (23) that can change the attachment angle of the main wing (20) with respect to the axis of the fuselage (10).

In such a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1, the angle of the main wing (20) with respect to the fuselage (10) axis can be changed by the main wing attachment angle drive unit (23).
As a result, during takeoff and landing, by narrowing the mounting angle of the main wing (20), that is, by moving the main wing (20) backward, even if the takeoff and landing place is a narrow space, the main wing (20) will not get in the way. Can take off and land.

In addition, during horizontal flight, by changing the attachment angle of the main wing (20) to the fuselage (10) and deploying the main wing (20) forward, the value of the aspect ratio of the main wing (20) is increased, and the horizontal flight Time cruise flight performance is improved.

Furthermore, during high-speed flight, the aspect ratio value of the main wing (20) can be reduced by changing the attachment angle of the main wing (20) to the fuselage (10) and moving the main wing (20) closer to the fuselage. , high-speed flight performance is improved.

1 is an external view showing the general shape of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the movable main wing section 22 is deployed forward and a state in which it is moved near the fuselage 10 in the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a method of three-axis control of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in the first embodiment. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic flight state of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is an external view showing the general shape of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is an external view showing the general shape of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in a third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a method of three-axis control of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in a third embodiment.

Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described below, and may take various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[First embodiment]
The configuration of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment will be described based on FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is an external view showing the general shape of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 according to the first embodiment (FIG. 1(A) is a front view, FIG. 1(B) is a right side view, and FIG. 1(C) is a plan view. ). FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment.

(Configuration of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 includes a fuselage 10, a main wing 20, a vertical stabilizer 30, a landing section 31, a propulsion section 40, an arm 50, a control section 60, a sensor section 70, and a power source 80. We are prepared.

The body 10 is formed into a cylindrical shape with a square cross section. Both ends of the cylindrical shape are sealed, and the cross-sectional area decreases from near the axial middle of the cylindrical shape toward one end (rear end). It is formed to gradually become smaller.

The main wing 20 is for obtaining the necessary lift during horizontal flight, and is formed in the shape of a delta wing as a whole, and includes a fixed main wing section 21, a movable main wing section 22, and a main wing angle drive section 23.

The fixed main wing section 21 is attached to the fuselage 10 and has a swept-back leading edge.
The movable main wing section 22 is attached to the fixed main wing section 21 via a main wing attachment angle drive section 23, which will be described later, and has a retreated leading edge similarly to the fixed main wing section 21, but the leading edge retreat angle is formed to be smaller than the leading edge recession angle of the fixed main wing portion 21.

The main wing mounting angle drive section 23 is provided in the fixed main wing section 21 and includes a main wing mounting angle sensor 24 and a main wing driving electric motor 25 .
The main wing attachment angle sensor 24 is a sensor that measures the attachment angle of the movable main wing section 22 with respect to the fixed main wing section 21, and uses a potentiometer.

The main wing drive electric motor 25 is driven according to a command from a control section 60, which will be described later, and changes the movable main wing section 22 to an arbitrary angle with respect to the fuselage 10 axis via a plurality of gears.

Next, based on FIG. 3, the movement function of the movable main wing section 22 with respect to the 10 axes of the fuselage will be explained.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the movable main wing section 22 is deployed forward and a state in which it is moved near the fuselage 10 in the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3(A) is a diagram showing a state in which the movable main wing section 22 is deployed toward the front of the fuselage, and FIG. 3(B) is a diagram showing a state in which the movable main wing section 22 is moved close to the fuselage 10. .

As shown in FIG. 3, the leading edge line L of the movable main wing part 22 is from a position (deployed position) where the leading edge line L thereof is at an angle θ1 with respect to a line perpendicular to the axis of the fuselage 10. It can be moved to a position (retracted position) at an angle θ2 (substantially perpendicular) to a line perpendicular to the axis of the body 10.

The vertical stabilizer 30 is formed in the shape of a wing, and is located near the attachment point of the movable main wing section 22 to the fixed main wing section 21, and is attached above and below the fixed main wing section 21 when the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 is in horizontal flight. It is installed almost vertically.
The vertical stabilizer 30 functions to stabilize the aircraft attitude angle in the aircraft yaw direction due to disturbances such as gusts of wind during horizontal flight.

The landing section 31 is formed into a rod shape, and is attached to the wing tip of each vertical stabilizer 30, one in total, in a direction along the fuselage axis. This is to prevent air resistance.
These four landing sections 31 allow the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 to be maintained in a substantially vertical state with its nose facing upward when the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 is installed on the ground.

The propulsion section 40 includes four propeller sections: a first propeller section 41 , a second propeller section 42 , a third propeller section 43 , and a fourth propeller section 44 .
The first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44 each include a duct cover 45, a propeller 46, a propeller driving electric motor 47, and an ESC (abbreviation for Electric Speed Controller) 48.

The duct cover 45 is attached to surround the propeller 46, and has a wing-shaped cross section.
The propeller 46 is a fixed pitch propeller that has two blades and whose blade angle is fixed at a constant angle.

The propeller drive electric motor 47 is directly connected to the propeller 46, and rotates the propeller 46 by rotation of the motor.
The ESC 48 controls the rotation of the propeller drive electric motor 47 to an arbitrary rotation speed, and controls the propeller drive electric motor 47 in response to a command from a control unit 60, which will be described later.

The first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44 are attached to the fuselage 10 by an arm 50, which will be described later, so that the direction of thrust generated by the rotation of the propeller 46 is in the axial direction of the fuselage 10 and in the direction of movement of the aircraft. There is.

The arm 50 is a member that separately supports the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44, and is attached to the body 10.
Its cross-sectional shape is wing-shaped.

When the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 is in horizontal flight, two arms 50 are located on the upper part of the fuselage 10 and two arms 50 are located on the lower part of the fuselage 10, with the main wings 20 as boundaries, when the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 is in horizontal flight. It is attached to the body 10 so as to form a letter.

The control unit 60 is a part that performs flight control of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1, and includes a CPU 61, a ROM 62, a RAM 63, an I/O 64, and an external storage medium 65.
The sensor unit 70 is a part that measures the attitude angle, position, etc. of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1, and includes a 3-axis acceleration sensor 71, a 3-axis gyro sensor 72, a GNSS receiver 73, and an airspeed meter 74.

The three-axis acceleration sensor 71 measures the acceleration of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in three axes (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis).
The 3-axis gyro sensor 72 measures the angular velocity around the 3 axes (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis) of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1, and uses a vibrating gyro sensor.

The GNSS receiver 73 receives signals from a satellite positioning system and measures the position of the vertical takeoff and landing vehicle 1, and uses a GPS receiver.
The airspeed meter 74 measures the relative speed of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 with respect to the air, and uses a pitot tube.

The power supply 80 is a part that supplies power to the main wing mounting angle sensor 24, the main wing drive electric motor 25, the propeller drive electric motor 47, the ESC 48, the control section 60, and the sensor section 70, and uses a lithium ion secondary battery. There is.

(Method of 3-axis control of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment)
Next, a method of three-axis control of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment will be described based on FIG. 4. FIG. 4(A) is a diagram showing a pitch control method, FIG. 4(B) is a diagram showing a yaw control method, and FIG. 4(C) is a diagram showing a roll control method.

In the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1, three-axis control of the aircraft is performed by the propulsive force of the propellers 46 of the first to fourth propeller parts 41 to 44.
Here, the propulsive force by the propeller 46 is determined by the rotational speed of the propeller 46, and the rotational speed of the propeller 46 is controlled by the ESC 48 controlling the rotational speed of a propeller drive electric motor 47 directly connected to the propeller 46. .
The three-axis control of the aircraft includes pitch control with the X-axis as the pitch axis, yaw control with the Z-axis as the yaw axis, and roll control with the Y-axis as the roll axis.

Note that the rotation direction of the propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 and the propeller 46 of the third propeller section 43 is counterclockwise when viewed from the front of the aircraft. The rotation direction of is controlled to rotate clockwise.

A pitch control method will be described based on FIG. 5(A).
In pitch control centered on the pitch axis (X-axis), the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 and the propeller 46 of the second propeller section 42 is the same as that of the propeller 46 of the third propeller section 43 and the propeller 46 of the fourth propeller section. The rotational speed S2 of the propeller 46 of No. 44 is controlled to be a different value (S1).

This creates a difference in thrust between the thrust by the first propeller part 41 and the second propeller part 42 and the thrust by the third propeller part 43 and the fourth propeller part 44, making it possible to rotate the aircraft in the pitch direction. can.

Next, a method of yaw control will be explained based on FIG. 4(B).
In yaw control centered on the yaw axis (Z-axis), the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 and the propeller 46 of the fourth propeller section 44 is the same as that of the propeller of the second propeller section 42 and the propeller of the third propeller section. The rotational speed S3 is controlled to have a value (S3) different from the rotational speed S4 of 46.

This creates a difference in thrust between the thrust by the first propeller part 41 and the fourth propeller part 44 and the thrust by the second propeller part 42 and the third propeller part 43, making it possible to rotate the aircraft in the yaw direction. can.

Next, a roll control method will be described based on FIG. 5(C).
In roll control centered on the roll axis (Y-axis), the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 and the propeller 46 of the third propeller section 43 is the same as that of the propeller 46 of the second propeller section 42 and the propeller 46 of the fourth propeller section. The rotational speed S6 of the propeller 44 is controlled to a value (S5) different from the rotational speed S6.

This creates a torque difference between the counter torque accompanying the rotation of the first propeller section 41 and the third propeller section 43 and the counter torque accompanying the rotation of the second propeller section 42 and the fourth propeller section 44, and the roll The aircraft can be rotated in any direction.

By combining such pitch control, yaw control, and roll control, the control section 60 can control each of the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44 even if movable wings such as ailerons, elevons, and rudders are not provided. By simply controlling the rotational speed of the propeller 46, it is possible to change the flight attitude angle of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1, change the flight course accordingly, and stabilize the aircraft during flight.

(Flight status of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1)
Next, based on FIG. 5, the flight state of the vertical take-off and landing vehicle 1 using the three-axis control of the vertical take-off and landing vehicle 1 in the first embodiment described above will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the flight state of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment.

(A) Vertical take-off flight state FIG. 5(A) is a diagram showing the vertical take-off flight state of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1.
The vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 is installed on the ground with the nose facing upward substantially vertically, and the rotational speed of each propeller 46 of the first propeller part 41 to the fourth propeller part 44 is made to be the same. By controlling it, it obtains a nearly vertical upward thrust and levitates and ascends.

In the vertical takeoff flight state, the propulsive force of each propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 to fourth propeller section 44 counteracts the gravity applied to the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1, thereby enabling vertical takeoff from the ground.

(A) First Transition Flight State FIG. 5(B) is a diagram showing the first transition flight state of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1.
When the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 reaches a predetermined altitude in a vertical take-off flight state, the control unit 60 changes the rotational speed S1 of the propeller 46 of the first propeller part 41 and the propeller 46 of the second propeller part 42 to the third propeller. The rotational speeds of the propellers 46 of the section 43 and the propellers 46 of the fourth propeller section 44 are controlled to be higher than the rotational speed S2.

As a result, the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 is rotated in the pitch axis direction, and its attitude is changed so that the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 is approximately horizontal to the ground.
Further, by controlling the main wing drive electric motor 25 and increasing the mounting angle of the movable main wing section 22, the movable main wing section 22 is deployed forward.

(C) Horizontal flight state FIG. 5(C) is a diagram showing a horizontal flight state of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1.
In the horizontal flight state, the control section 60 controls the rotational speeds of the propellers 46 of the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44 to be the same.

The propulsive force of the propellers 46 of the first propeller section 41 to fourth propeller section 44 counteracts the air resistance applied to the vertical takeoff and landing vehicle 1, and the main wings 20 maintain the vertical takeoff and landing vehicle 1 in flight. Generate the necessary lift.

(D) High-speed flight state FIG. 5(D) is a diagram showing a high-speed flight state of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1.
When the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 wants to fly at high speed during horizontal flight, the control unit 60 controls the main wing drive electric motor 25 to change the mounting angle of the movable main wing part 22, thereby controlling the movable main wing part 22. Move to the reverse position.

This reduces the aspect ratio of the main wing 20 and improves flight efficiency during high-speed flight.
Note that the mounting angle of the movable main wing portion 22 is changed by the control unit 60 in accordance with the airspeed measured by the airspeed meter 74.

(E) Turning Flight State FIG. 5(E) is a diagram showing the turning flight state of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1.
When a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft wants to make a turning flight in a certain airspace during horizontal flight or high-speed flight, by individually controlling the rotational speed of the propellers 46 of the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44, The attitude angle of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 is changed to maintain turning flight.

Note that when it is desired to make a turning flight after high-speed flight, the main wing drive electric motor 25 is controlled, the attachment angle of the movable main wing section 22 is changed, and the movable main wing section 22 is moved to the deployed position to increase lift. to maintain turning flight.
The turning radius and turning speed can be adjusted to any desired turning radius and turning speed by controlling the rotational speed of each propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 to fourth propeller section 44.

(F) Second Transition Flight State FIG. 5(F) is a diagram showing a second transition flight state of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1.
In the second transition flight state, contrary to the first transition flight state, the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 is brought into an attitude of approximately horizontal to the ground, with the nose facing upward, and approximately perpendicular to the ground. change the angle.

Specifically, the rotational speed S1 of the propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 and the propeller 46 of the second propeller section 42 is determined from the rotational speed S2 of the propeller 46 of the third propeller section 43 and the propeller 46 of the fourth propeller section 44. By controlling the pitch to become smaller, the aircraft is rotated in the direction of the pitch axis so that the nose points upward.

(g) Vertical Landing Flight State FIG. 5(G) is a diagram showing the vertical landing flight state of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1.
In a vertical landing flight state, the rotational speed of each propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 to fourth propeller section 44 is made the same, and the rotational speed is controlled to gradually decrease, so that the aircraft can fly in a substantially vertical upward direction. It is possible to land while maintaining the same condition.

In addition, in vertical landing flight states and vertical takeoff flight states, in order to prevent the aircraft from becoming unstable due to external forces such as crosswinds, the main wing mounting angle drive section 23 is controlled and the mounting angle of the movable main wing section 22 is changed. By moving the movable main wing section 22 to the retracted position, the influence of disturbances such as crosswinds is minimized.

In the vertical landing flight state, the propulsive force of the propellers 46 of the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44 counteracts the gravity applied to the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1, and gradually lowers the altitude toward the ground. enable.

(Characteristics of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1)
In such a vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1, mechanical control in the thrust direction and aerodynamic control by the rotor blades are performed by individually controlling the rotational speeds of the propellers 46 of the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44. It is possible to perform three-axis control of the aircraft through pitch control, yaw control, and roll control without having to worry about it.

In this way, the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 does not require a thrust changing mechanism to change the thrust direction or a complicated mechanism to provide rotor blades in order to perform three-axis control of the aircraft. It is possible to improve reliability and reduce costs.

Furthermore, even in a narrow space where the movable main wing section 22 would interfere if the movable main wing section 22 is left deployed, the wingspan of the main wing 20 can be adjusted by moving the movable main wing section 22 to the retracted position. It can be made small enough to take off and land.
This makes it possible to take off and land from, for example, a container or the bed of a truck, greatly expanding the range of use.

In addition, by moving the movable main wing section 22 to the retracted position during vertical takeoff and landing, it is possible to reduce the effect of wind hitting the main wings 20 during vertical takeoff and landing on the stabilization of the aircraft attitude, resulting in stable vertical takeoff and landing. becomes possible.

Further, since the propellers 46 of the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44 are provided with the duct cover 45, the propulsion efficiency due to the rotation of the propeller 46 is improved.
In addition, the duct cover 45 absorbs and shields noise generated by the rotation of the propeller 46, thereby reducing the noise level.
This allows the aircraft to be used without problems when flying near residential areas or in densely populated areas, where noise reduction is a major issue.

Further, the duct cover 45 is formed to have a wing-shaped cross section.
Thereby, during horizontal flight of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1, the duct cover 45 plays the role of a wing and generates the lift necessary for horizontal flight, so that flight efficiency can be improved.
In addition, the duct cover 45 prevents the rotating propeller 46 from being exposed in a dangerous manner, thereby ensuring safety for the user, surrounding people, and objects.

Furthermore, the propellers 46 of the first to fourth propeller parts 44 are connected to the aircraft via arms 50 so that the propellers 46 are oriented so that their propulsive force is in the nose direction of the aircraft axis. It is attached to the body 10 so as to form an X shape when viewed from the front.
In other words, none of the four propellers 46 are located on the same plane as the main wing 20.

That is, since the main wings 20 are not located behind the four propellers 46, the wake of the propellers 46 does not affect the main wings 20, and stable flight performance can be obtained.
Further, since each propeller 46 is disposed in front of the aerodynamic center of the main wing, the aerodynamic stability of the aircraft body can be improved.

[Second embodiment]
Based on FIG. 6, the configuration of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is an external view showing the general shape of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the second embodiment (FIG. 6(A) is a front view, FIG. 6(B) is a right side view, and FIG. 6(C) is a plan view. ).

Note that the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 in the second embodiment and the third embodiment described later have a similar structure to the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment, so the same components are given the same reference numerals. The explanation will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6, the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 according to the second embodiment has an arm 50 attached to the first propeller part 41 to the fourth propeller part 44 attached to the fuselage 10 so as to form an H-shape when viewed from the front of the aircraft. installed.

As a result, when the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 flies horizontally, the four arms 50 are attached in a direction substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the aircraft, so that the arms 50 are horizontal in the same way as the vertical stabilizer 30. It also has the effect of stabilizing the aircraft's attitude angle in the yaw direction due to disturbances such as gusts of wind during flight.

In the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 in the second embodiment, the attachment angle of the arm 50 to the fuselage 10 to which the first to fourth propeller parts 41 to 44 are attached is the same as in the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment. Although the angle at which the arm 50 is attached to the body 10 is different, the positional relationship of each of the propellers 46 of the first to fourth propeller parts 41 to 44 with respect to the body 10 is almost the same.

Therefore, the method of three-axis control of the aircraft by controlling the rotation speed of the propellers 46 of the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44 is the same as the method for the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment. Therefore, the explanation will be omitted.

[Third embodiment]
Based on FIG. 7, the configuration of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the third embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is an external view showing the general shape of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the third embodiment (FIG. 7(A) is a front view, FIG. 7(B) is a right side view, and FIG. 7(C) is a plan view. ).

As shown in FIG. 7, in the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 according to the third embodiment, an arm 50 to which a propeller portion is attached is attached to the fuselage 10 so as to form a cross when viewed from the front of the aircraft.
By attaching the four arms 50 in this manner, two of the arms 50 are on the same plane as the main wing 20, and the remaining two arms 50 are positioned substantially perpendicular to the main wing 20.

As a result, the two arms 50 that are on the same plane as the main wing 20 generate lift during horizontal flight like the main wing 20, and the remaining two arms 50 that are substantially perpendicular to the main wing 20 are used as vertical stabilizers. Similar to No. 30, the effect of stabilizing the aircraft against disturbances in the yaw direction can be obtained.

In the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 in the third embodiment, the positional relationship of each propeller 46 of the first propeller part 41 to the fourth propeller part 44 with respect to the fuselage 10 is different from that in the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. The positional relationship of each propeller 46 with respect to the fuselage 10 is different from that shown in FIG.

Therefore, a method different from the method of three-axis control of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 by controlling the rotation speed of each propeller 46 in the first embodiment and the second embodiment is required, and this method will be explained.

(Three-axis control of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the third embodiment)
Based on FIG. 8, a method of three-axis control of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the third embodiment will be described. FIG. 8(A) is a diagram showing a pitch control method, FIG. 8(B) is a diagram showing a yaw control method, and FIG. 8(C) is a diagram showing a roll control method.

Similar to the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 in the first embodiment, the rotation direction of each propeller is counterclockwise when viewed from the front of the aircraft. In addition, the rotation directions of the propeller 46 of the second propeller section 42 and the propeller 46 of the fourth propeller section 44 are controlled to rotate clockwise.

A pitch control method will be described based on FIG. 8(A).
Pitch control centered on the pitch axis (X-axis) makes the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the second propeller section 42 and the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the fourth propeller section 44 the same (S3), and the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the third propeller section 43 is The rotation speed of the propeller 46 is set to a value (S2) different from S3.

Then, the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 is controlled to a value (S1) different from S3 and S2.
This creates a difference in thrust between the thrust by the first propeller section 41 and the thrust by the third propeller section 43, making it possible to rotate the aircraft in the pitch direction.

The yaw control method will be explained based on FIG. 8(B).
Yaw control centered around the yaw axis (Z axis) makes the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 and the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the third propeller section 43 the same (S6).

Then, the rotation speed of the propeller 46 of the fourth propeller section 44 is set to a value different from S6 (S5), and the rotation speed of the propeller 46 of the second propeller section 42 is set to a value different from S6 and S5 (S4). to control.
This creates a difference in thrust between the thrust by the fourth propeller section 44 and the thrust by the second propeller section 42, making it possible to rotate the aircraft in the yaw direction.

A roll control method will be explained based on FIG. 8(C).
In the roll control centered on the roll axis (Y-axis), the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 and the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the third propeller section 43 are made the same (S7).

Then, the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the second propeller section 42 and the rotational speed of the propeller 46 of the fourth propeller section 44 are controlled to be the same and have a different value from S7 (S8).
This creates a torque difference between the counter torque accompanying the rotation of the first propeller section 41 and the third propeller section 43 and the counter torque accompanying the rotation of the second propeller section 42 and the fourth propeller section 44, and the roll The aircraft can be rotated in any direction.

By combining such pitch control, yaw control, and roll control, by simply controlling the rotational speed of each propeller 46 of the first propeller part 41 to fourth propeller part 44 by the control unit 60, the vertical It becomes possible to change the flight path of the takeoff and landing aircraft 1 and to stabilize the aircraft during flight.

[Other embodiments]
(1) In the above embodiment, the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 includes the vertical stabilizer 30, but the vertical stabilizer 30 may not be provided. Note that the vertical stabilizer 30 also served as a leg when installed on the ground, so if the vertical stabilizer 30 is not provided, a separate leg is required to maintain an approximately vertical position with the nose facing upward on the ground. It is necessary to prepare

(2) In the above embodiment, the duct cover 45 is provided for each propeller 46 of the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44, but the duct cover 45 may not be provided. In this case, propeller noise is no longer absorbed or blocked.

(3) In the above embodiment, the fixed main wing section 21, the movable main wing section 22, and the vertical stabilizer plate 30 are not equipped with moving blades other than the movable main wing section 22, and moving blades such as ailerons, rudders, elevators, etc. The attitude angle of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 is controlled by controlling the three axes of the aircraft by controlling the rotational speed of the propeller 46 without using the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1.

However, the fixed main wing section 21, the movable main wing section 22, and the vertical stabilizer plate 30 are equipped with moving blades such as ailerons, rudders, elevators, etc., and control by the moving blades is also added to the control of the rotational speed of the propeller 46, allowing vertical takeoff and landing flight. The posture angle of the body 1 may also be controlled.

(4) In the above embodiment, the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 is assumed to be an unmanned aircraft (and a drone), but it displays various sensor information from the human living space and the control unit 60, and controls the human will. It may be a manned flying vehicle equipped with a control device that converts commands to the control unit 60.

(5) In the above embodiment, the propulsion section 40 includes four propeller sections, the first propeller section 41 to the fourth propeller section 44, but the number of propeller sections may be three or five or more.
However, when using three or five or more propeller sections, it is necessary to ensure that all the propeller sections are not located on one plane that includes the 10 axes of the fuselage.

(6) In the above embodiment, only the movable main wing section 22 on the tip side of the main wing was able to change its attachment angle, but it is now possible to change the attachment angle of the entire main wing 20 including the fixed main wing section 21 to the fuselage 10. You can also do this.

(7) In the above embodiment, a GPS receiver is used as the GNSS receiver 73, but it is not limited to a GPS receiver, and is compatible with various positioning satellite systems such as the quasi-zenith satellite system, GLONASS, and Galileo. A receiver or a receiver compatible with multiple positioning satellite systems may be used.

(8) In the above embodiment, two sensors, the 3-axis acceleration sensor 71 and the 3-axis gyro sensor 72, are used, but the 6-axis sensor combines the 3-axis acceleration sensor function and the 3-axis gyro sensor function into one housing. Inertial sensors may also be used.

(9) In the above embodiment, the propeller 46 has two blades, but the number of blades is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

(10) In the above embodiment, when installing the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 on the ground, the vertical stabilizer 30 is attached to the vertical stabilizer 30 in order to maintain the vertical take-off and landing aircraft 1 in a substantially vertical state with the nose facing upward. An accretion section 31 is used.

On the other hand, by making the length of the vertical stabilizer 30 in the axial direction such that it protrudes rearward beyond the trailing edge of the fixed main wing section 21, four vertical stabilizers can be used without the landing section 31. 30, the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 1 may be held in a substantially vertical direction.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, 10... Fuselage, 20... Main wing, 21... Fixed main wing section, 22... Movable main wing section, 23... Main wing attachment angle drive section, 24... Main wing attachment angle sensor, 25... Main wing drive electric motor, 30... Vertical stabilizer plate, 31... Accretion part, 40... Propulsion part, 41... First propeller part, 42... Second propeller part, 43... Third propeller part, 44... Fourth propeller part, 45... Duct cover, 46 ...Propeller, 47...Electric motor for propeller drive, 48...ESC, 50...Arm, 60...Control unit, 61...CPU, 62...ROM, 63...RAM, 64...I/O, 65...External storage medium, 70... Sensor section, 71... 3-axis acceleration sensor, 72... 3-axis gyro sensor, 73... GNSS receiver, 74... airspeed meter, 80... power supply

Claims (2)

The torso and
main wings attached to the left and right sides with respect to the fuselage axis;
three or more propulsion units that can individually control propulsive force;
The body is placed against the ground in a positional relationship such that the remaining one or more propulsion units are not included in a plane parallel to the body axis that includes any two of the three or more propulsion units. an arm that attaches the propulsion unit to the fuselage in a direction that applies a propulsive force upward in the axial direction of the fuselage when the arm is oriented substantially vertically;
A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft characterized by comprising: The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to claim 1,
A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft characterized by comprising a main wing attachment angle drive unit that can change the attachment angle of the main wing with respect to the axis of the fuselage.