Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Facebook, Inc.

Nicholas Hampel Roberts

Ricky Dean Welsh

Brian C Beckman

Jack Erdozain, Jr

Berk Ozturk

Louis LeRoi LeGrand, Iii

Robert Roy Champagne, Jr

Gur Kimchi

Dominic Timothy Shiosaki

Dorian Frederic Marie Colas

Vishvas Samuel Suryakumar

Louis Leroi Legrand Iii

Jr Robert Roy Champagne

This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle ('UAV'), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.

Aerial vehicle with failure recovery

This disclosure is directed to an unmanned aerial vehicle ('UAV') that transitions in-flight between vertical flight configuration and horizontal flight configuration by changing an orientation of the UAV by approximately ninety degrees. The UAV may include propulsion units that are coupled to a wing. The wing may include wing segments rotatably coupled together by pivots that rotate to position the propulsion units around a center of mass of the UAV when the fuselage is oriented perpendicular with the horizon. In this vertical flight configuration, the UAV may perform vertical flight or hover. During the vertical flight, the UAV may cause the wing to extend outward via the pivots such that the wing segments become positioned substantially parallel to one another and the wing resembles a conventional fixed wing. With the wing extended, the UAV assumes a horizontal flight configuration that provides upward lift generated from the wing.

In-flight reconfigurable hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle

In-flight reconfigurable hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle with swing arm for engaging or disengaging items

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media are disclosed for automatically generating aircraft models by modifying quantitative design variables based on joint analysis of aerodynamic, structural, and/or energy performance. For example, in one or more embodiments, disclosed systems iteratively modify ailerons and a propulsion system based on performance criteria until a balancing metric converges. The disclosed systems then determine performance metrics corresponding to the aircraft model with the modified ailerons and propulsion system, such as stresses and deflections under performance load, a measure of aeroelastic stability, and a battery performance metric. The disclosed systems can then modify design variables based on the determined performance metrics to explore the design space and generate a new aircraft model.

Automatic aircraft design optimization based on joint aerodynamic, structural, and energy performance

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media are disclosed for automatically generating an improved aircraft wing by modifying quantitative design variables of one or more airfoils based on joint analysis of aerodynamic and structural performance. In particular, the disclosed systems determine cross-sectional aerodynamic and structural performance metrics for identified airfoils. Based on cross-sectional metrics, the disclosed systems iteratively determine wing aerodynamic performance and deformation metrics across a span of the wing until arriving at an equilibrium deformation and corresponding aerodynamic metric. The disclosed systems can repeatedly analyze the aero-structural metrics for different quantitative design variables to explore a design space and generate an improved wing design while improving aerodynamic and structural performance.

Automatic airfoil and wing design based on dynamic modeling of structural and aerodynamic performance

Six degree of freedom aerial vehicle

This disclosure is directed to an unmanned aerial vehicle ('UAV') that transitions in-flight between vertical flight configuration and horizontal flight configuration by changing an orientation of the UAV by approximately ninety degrees. The UAV may include propulsion units that are coupled to a fuselage or wing. The UAV may include a tail and/or a swing arm that is rotatably coupled to the fuselage and that rotate between different positions. The swing arm may be selectively coupled to cargo. The wing may include wing segments rotatably coupled together by pivots that rotate to position the propulsion units around a center of mass of the UAV when the fuselage is oriented perpendicular with the horizon.

Six degree of freedom aerial vehicle with offset propulsion mechanisms

Multiple propeller blades may be joined by tip connectors to form a closed propeller apparatus. The tip connectors may create continuous structure between adjacent tips of a first propeller and a second propeller. Use of the tip connectors may reduce vortices created near the tips of the propeller blades, which cause drag and slow the rotation of the propeller blades. The tip connectors may also reduce noise caused by rotation of propeller blades. Further, the tip connectors reduce or eliminate deflection of the propeller blades by creating a support structure to counteract forces that would otherwise cause deflection of the propeller blades, thereby improving propeller blade loading. In some embodiments, the tip connectors may be formed of a malleable material and/or include one or more joints that enable at least one of the propellers to modify a pitch of blades of the propeller.

Redundant aircraft propulsion system using co-rotating propellers joined by tip connectors

Multiple motors may drive (rotate) a single shaft coupled to a propeller. The motors may be selected such that a first motor is capable of rotating the drive shaft in an event of a failure of a second motor coupled to the drive shaft. A one-way clutch bearing, or similar device, may interface between a motor and the drive shaft to enable free rotation of the drive shaft in an event of the motor becoming inoperable, such as the motor freezing or locking in a position due to failure caused by overheating or caused by other conditions or events. Use of the second motor may secure a position of the drive shaft which may support the propeller in radial eccentric loading.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Nicholas Hampel Roberts