Freewing Aerial Robotics Corporation

Other

Hugh J Schmittle

Elbert L Rutan

A mechanism for quickly removing and installing the free wings and/or the tail booms of a freewing aircraft to the fuselage. The fuselage includes a free wing cross tube extending transversely through the fuselage at the spanwise axis, and each of the left and right free wings includes a support tube disposed therein, also along the spanwise axis, with a portion of the wing structural tube being received within the fuselage cross tube. A quick-release pin is insertable in holes disposed in both the structural tube and the cross tube when the holes are placed in alignment. A second cross tube extends transversely through the rear end of the fuselage at the tail boom pivot axis. At least a portion of each tail boom member is disposed in surrounding relationship to the cross tube. In a preferred embodiment, a quick-release pin is insertable in holes disposed in both the tail boom member portion and the cross tube when the holes are placed in alignment.

STOL/VTOL free wing aircraft with modular wing and tail

An improved VTOL/STOL free wing aircraft providing damping and absorption of shock landing loads upon landing. A pair of resilient struts is provided, projecting forwardly from the trailing edge of either side of the fuselage when the fuselage is tilted. Preferably, the aircraft includes a pair of articulated tail booms, the strut being a portion of the tail boom extending forward from the pivot axis of the tail boom. Landing wheels are disposed on the strut in tandem spaced relationship. The resiliency of the strut causes the strut to act as a leaf spring and thus dampen shock landing loads. Operatively secured to the bottom surface of the fixed wing portions and the forward portion of the landing gear struts is a pair of dashpots for absorbing the shock landing loads.

STOL/VTOL free wing aircraft with improved shock dampening and absorbing

A VTOL/STOL free wing aircraft includes a free wing having wings on opposite sides of a fuselage connected to one another respectively for free rotation about a spanwise access. Improved control upon landing of the aircraft is achieved by utilizing a variable pitch propulsion system, enabling the pitch of the propeller to be varied corresponding to the speed of the aircraft and angle of approach upon descent.

STOL/VTOL free wing aircraft with variable pitch propulsion means

Apparatus and method for recovering and arresting an aircraft on a floating platform is disclosed. The aircraft has a fuselage, a wing, and a source of propulsion for propelling the aircraft in flight. During landing approach, an inflatable cushion attached to the fuselage is deployed below the fuselage via inflation. In the inflated condition, a fastening material disposed on a downward facing surface of the cushion is thereby adapted to adhesively contact the floating platform deck so that the forward motion of the aircraft is slowed and arrested. In the preferred embodiment, the fastening material is one of male or female VELCRO.RTM. which is adapted to mate with corresponding VELCRO.RTM. material covering the platform deck.

Recovery system and method for capturing and securing an air vehicle to

A free wing aircraft including a free wing pivotally supported about a spanwise axis for flight in a free wing mode of operation with respect to the fuselage is disclosed. The free wing is capable of being deflected into a nose down configuration sufficient to create an aerodynamic braking effect to decrease air speed after landing upon roll-out. This aerodynamic braking effect can also be sufficient to create negative lift that plants the aircraft firmly down, increasing the coefficient of friction and allowing the aircraft brakes to be more effective relative to a fixed wing aircraft at touchdown.

Free wing aircraft having a free wing used as an air brake to shorten

A VTOL/STOL free wing aircraft includes a free wing having wings on opposite sides of a fuselage connected to one another respectively adjacent fixed wing inboard or center root sections fixedly attached to the fuselage for free rotation about a spanwise access. Horizontal and vertical tail surfaces are located at the rear end of a boom assembly rotatably connected to the fuselage. A gearing or screw rod arrangement controlled by the pilot or remote control operator selectively relatively pivots the fuselage in relation to the tail boom assembly to enable the fuselage to assume a tilted or nose up configuration to enable VTOL/STOL flight.

STOL/VTOL free wing aircraft with articulated tail boom

The VTOL aircraft includes a free wing having wings on opposite sides of the fuselage connected to one another for joint free rotation and for differential pitch settings under pilot, computer or remote control. On vertical launch, pitch, yaw and roll control is effected by the elevators, rudder and the differential pitch settings of the wings, respectively. At launch, the elevator pitches the fuselage nose downwardly to alter the thrust vector and provide horizontal speed to the aircraft whereby the free wing freely rotates relative to the fuselage into a generally horizontal orientation to provide lift during horizontal flight. Transition from horizontal to vertical flight is achieved by the reverse process and tile aircraft may be gently recovered in or on a resilient surface such as a net.

Thrust vectoring free wing aircraft

The aircraft includes a free wing freely pivotally supported about a spanwise axis for flight in a free wing mode and lockable in selected predetermined, fixed angles of incidence with respect to a fuselage for flight in a fixed wing mode. The predetermined angle of incidence in the fixed wing flight mode is selected to provide sufficient lift for flying the aircraft at low speeds as necessary for takeoff and landing. The aircraft can be converted in flight between the free wing or conventional fixed wing aircraft flight modes. A control system is provided for selectively enabling or disabling the elevators on the horizontal stabilizer and the wing flaps.

Lockable free wing aircraft

An ultralight aircraft of lightweight minimal construction includes a collapsible Rogallo type wing from which a hang cage is suspended by a main hinge assembly. The wing includes a longitudinal keel of lightweight tubular construction, leading edge members and a cross brace. A flexible lifting panel is secured along and between the wing members to define a lifting surface. The hinge includes a pitch hinge bracket having an upper longitudinal sleeve in which the keel is clamped. A ball joint connection secured to the bracket is connected to upwardly extending hang cage struts by means of hinge connecting plates to permit free rotation of the wing about a spanwise axis extending longitudinally through the cross brace. Rotation of the wing without pilot intervention induced by positive or negative wind gusts striking the flexible wing panel causes the angle of incidence between the wing and hang cage to vary so that the wing presents a relatively constant angle of attack to relative wind enabling the aircraft to be essentially stall free during flight. A cable and spreader tube arrangement interconnecting forward and trailing ends of the keel to the cross brace undergoes tension and compression loading to distribute bending stress acting on the keel during excessive wind loading to other parts of the aircraft.

Ultralight aircraft with freely rotating wing

An ultra-light aircraft of light-weight minimal construction includes a rigid wing from which a hang cage is suspended by a main hinge assembly. Rotation of the wing without pilot intervention induced by positive or negative wind gusts striking the wing causes the angle of pitch between the wing and hang cage to vary via the hinge so that the wing presents a relatively constant angle of attack to relative wind enabling the aircraft to be essentially stall free during flight. Twist and/or dihedral of the wing is maintained by first and second sets of tensioned cables or landing wires connecting leading and trailing wing edges to a kingpost projecting upward from the wing, and by first and second sets of flying wires connecting the wing to the hang cage. Each first and second set of flying wires is a stress distributing arrangement including a pair of tubes respectively connected at upper ends thereof to leading and trailing wing edges and at lower ends to a plate suspended between the wing and hang cage. A pair of tensioned cables in each set connect the plate to the hang cage. The point of attachment of the cables to the plate establishes a pivot point located collinear with the hinge axis. The tubes are free to rotate about the pivot point during co-rotation of the wing while maintaining proper dihedral and wing twist as well as tension transmitting bending stress acting on the wing to the hang cage.

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Severn, MD, United States of America

Hugh J Schmittle