US 11,891,170 B2
Autonomous multi-purpose heavy-lift VTOL
Ellande Tang, Pasadena, CA (US); Patrick Spieler, Pasadena, CA (US); Matthew J Anderson, Pasadena, CA (US); and Soon-Jo Chung, La Cañada, CA (US)
Assigned to California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US)
Filed by California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/451,895.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/104,237, filed on Oct. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0126994 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64C 3/56 (2006.01); B64C 5/06 (2006.01); B64U 10/20 (2023.01); B64U 30/12 (2023.01); B64U 101/58 (2023.01)
CPC B64C 29/0025 (2013.01) [B64C 3/56 (2013.01); B64C 5/06 (2013.01); B64U 10/20 (2023.01); B64U 30/12 (2023.01); B64U 2101/58 (2023.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An air transport vehicle comprising:
a fuselage having an outer surface that defines an upper section, a bottom section, a leading and trailing surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface defines an inner cavity,
an airfoil disposed near the upper section, where the airfoil has an elongated body that extends outwardly from the outer surface of the fuselage and wherein the airfoil is disposed about a center of mass of the fuselage;
a plurality of boom elements connected to a lower surface of the airfoil, each of the plurality of boom elements has an elongated body with a first end and a second end, where the first end is in a direction similar to the leading surface of the body and the second end is in a direction similar to the trailing surface;
a plurality of rotors connected to the plurality of booms, where at least one of the plurality of rotors is connected to the first end and at least another of the plurality of rotors is connected to the second end;
a tail element connected to at least a subset of the plurality of boom elements wherein the subset of the plurality of boom elements is disposed on the wings near the fuselage and wherein the tail element is disposed on a rearward portion of the subset of the plurality of boom elements;
wherein the airfoil is foldable between an open and closed configuration, the airfoil having a folding axis that is located outward from the plurality of boom elements; and
wherein the plurality of rotors can control the movement of the vehicle when the airfoil is in an open configuration and the plurality of rotors can control the movement of the vehicle when the airfoil is in a closed configuration.