Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Sebastian Fischer

Louis LeRoi LeGrand, Iii

Gur Kimchi

Ricky Dean Welsh

Omri Rand

Marco Antonio De Barros Ceze

David Friedman

Louis Leroi Legrand

Various reconfigurations of propellers, propeller blades, and/or blade sections of propulsion mechanisms of an aerial vehicle are described. For example, responsive to a fault or failure of a propulsion mechanism, propellers, propeller blades, and/or blade sections of the remaining propulsion mechanisms may be modified to maintain control and safety of the aerial vehicle. In example embodiments, angular orientations, positions, and/or lengths of one or more propellers, propeller blades, and/or blade sections of propulsion mechanisms may be modified to maintain control and safety in either a horizontal, wingborn flight orientation, or a vertical, VTOL flight orientation.

Six degree of freedom aerial vehicle having reconfigurable propellers

Systems and methods to control aerial vehicles in degraded operational states are described. For example, for an aerial vehicle having six propulsion mechanisms arranged around a fuselage, one or more modified control schemes may be implemented to maintain control and navigation of the aerial vehicle responsive to a motor out situation, such as a failure of one propulsion mechanism. The modified control schemes may seek to emulate normal operation of a quadcopter, and/or may seek to utilize all remaining propulsion mechanisms to maintain controllability of the aerial vehicle in all six degrees of freedom of movement.

Six degree of freedom aerial vehicle control methods responsive to motor out situations

Various reconfigurations of propulsion mechanisms of an aerial vehicle are described. For example, responsive to a fault or failure of a propulsion mechanism, the remaining propulsion mechanisms may be modified to maintain control and safety of the aerial vehicle. In example embodiments, cant angles, toe angles, positions, and/or orientations of one or more propulsion mechanisms may be modified to maintain control and safety in either a horizontal, wingborn flight orientation, or a vertical, VTOL flight orientation.

Six degree of freedom aerial vehicle having reconfigurable motors

Systems and methods to improve stability and control of an aerial vehicle are described. For an aerial vehicle having a ring wing around a fuselage and a plurality of propulsion mechanisms, one or more sections of the ring wing may be pivotable to reduce vibrations and forces transferred to the aerial vehicle, and to prevent stall and minimize turbulence experienced by the aerial vehicle. The pivotable sections of the ring wing may be freely pivotable, may include locking elements to prevent or allow pivoting, may include bias elements or dampening elements to partially control the free pivoting, or may include actuators to effect desired pivoting.

Six degree of freedom aerial vehicle having pivoting wing sections

Various reconfigurations of wing sections of a ring wing of an aerial vehicle are described. For example, responsive to a fault or failure of a propulsion mechanism, one or more wing sections may be modified to maintain control and safety of the aerial vehicle. In example embodiments, positions, angular orientations, and/or pitches of one or more wing sections may be modified to maintain control and safety in either a horizontal, wingborn flight orientation, or a vertical, VTOL flight orientation.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Sebastian Fischer