A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.
B64C 27/22 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft
B64C 27/26 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft characterised by provision of fixed wings
B64D 31/00 - Power plant control systemsArrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft
B64C 11/48 - Units of two or more coaxial propellers
B64C 27/82 - RotorcraftRotors peculiar thereto characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting-rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.
B64C 27/14 - Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
B64C 27/22 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft
B64C 27/26 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft characterised by provision of fixed wings
B64D 31/00 - Power plant control systemsArrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
B64C 27/82 - RotorcraftRotors peculiar thereto characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting-rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
B64D 27/24 - Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants using steam or spring force
A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.
B64C 27/14 - Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
B64C 27/22 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft
B64C 27/26 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft characterised by provision of fixed wings
B64D 31/00 - Power plant control systemsArrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
B64C 11/48 - Units of two or more coaxial propellers
B64C 27/82 - RotorcraftRotors peculiar thereto characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting-rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
B64D 27/24 - Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants using steam or spring force
A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.
B64C 27/22 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft
B64C 27/26 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft characterised by provision of fixed wings
B64D 31/00 - Power plant control systemsArrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft
B64C 11/48 - Units of two or more coaxial propellers
B64C 27/82 - RotorcraftRotors peculiar thereto characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting-rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thnist to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.
B64C 27/22 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft
B64C 27/26 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft characterised by provision of fixed wings
B64D 31/00 - Power plant control systemsArrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft
B64C 11/48 - Units of two or more coaxial propellers
B64C 27/82 - RotorcraftRotors peculiar thereto characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting-rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.
An aircraft includes at least one propulsion engine, coupled to a fuselage, and configured to provide forward thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight. Each of at least two of multiple rotors coupled to the fuselage is coupled to a motor configured to supply power to that rotor and/or to draw power from that rotor. At least two of the rotors are configured to operate during forward flight to provide at least some lift to the aircraft along a second vector. A flight control system is configured to control the rotors that are configured to operate during forward flight in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of the sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system.
B64C 27/54 - Mechanisms for controlling blade adjustment or movement relative to rotor head, e.g. lag-lead movement
B64D 45/00 - Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for
B64C 27/22 - Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft
B64C 27/82 - RotorcraftRotors peculiar thereto characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting-rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
B64D 27/02 - Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants
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