Efficient UAV Flight Mechanism with Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Capability

Abstract

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a new flight mechanism that offers vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability and cruising speeds comparable with fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

Full Description

Quadcopters lack adequate aerodynamic efficiency to sustain long range flights due to their hover flight oriented design. In addition, they sit close to the ground, decreasing any vertical advantage in grounded mode. A proposed solution to increase quadcopter operating range is to use a fixed wing aircraft. Fixed wing aircrafts, however, are not VTOL capable and are difficult to use where landing space is limited.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a new flight mechanism offering vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability as well as cruising speeds comparable with fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles. This new mechanism takes advantage of the offset angle between the engine and nacelle to switch into a horizontal flight (cruise) mode when the aircraft is pitched below the offset angle. This also allows for a faster cruising speed as the engines are tilted by the offset angle from vertical. In addition, the aircraft’s propeller thrust governing system (PTGS) offers a simple solution to variable pitch propellers and allows the aircraft to maintain a constant rotational speed.

Applications

• Long range missions
• VTOL capability

Features/Benefits

• Efficient
• Relies solely on engines for keeping itself in the air
• During horizontal flight (cruising operations) the wings generate the lift
• Landing pitched up to allow extended reach for mechanized probe
• Extended operating time
• Ability to deploy the probe in hover flight

Patent Status