US 11,932,387 B2
Adaptive transition systems for VTOL aircraft
John Robert Wittmaak, Jr., Newark, TX (US); Russell C. Peters, Fort Worth, TX (US); William Alexander Dean, Dallas, TX (US); and Spencer Hancock, Irving, TX (US)
Assigned to Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed on Dec. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/540,539.
Prior Publication US 2023/0174230 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. B64C 29/02 (2006.01); B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64C 39/08 (2006.01); B64D 9/00 (2006.01); B64U 10/20 (2023.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01); B64U 101/60 (2023.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64D 27/02 (2006.01); B64D 27/24 (2006.01); H01M 50/249 (2021.01)
CPC B64C 29/02 (2013.01) [B64C 29/0033 (2013.01); G05D 1/0858 (2013.01); G05D 1/102 (2013.01); B64C 39/08 (2013.01); B64D 9/00 (2013.01); B64D 27/026 (2024.01); B64D 27/24 (2013.01); B64U 10/20 (2023.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01); B64U 2101/60 (2023.01); H01M 50/249 (2021.01); H01M 2220/20 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tailsitter aircraft comprising:
an airframe;
a thrust array attached to the airframe, the thrust array including a plurality of propulsion assemblies configured to transition the airframe from a forward flight orientation having a horizontal attitude for wing-borne lift to a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation having a vertical attitude for thrust-borne lift at a conversion rate for an approach to a target ground location in a forward flight-to-VTOL transition phase; and
a flight control system configured to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies, the flight control system implementing an adaptive transition system comprising:
a transition parameter monitoring module configured to monitor a plurality of parameters associated with the transition from the forward flight orientation to the VTOL orientation; and
a transition adjustment determination module configured to adjust the conversion rate of the airframe from the forward flight orientation to the VTOL orientation based on at least some of the parameters of the plurality of parameters monitored by the transition parameter monitoring module such that the airframe is substantially vertically aligned with the target ground location in the VTOL orientation of the forward flight-to-VTOL transition phase;
wherein, the parameters used by the transition adjustment determination module to adjust the conversion rate of the airframe consist of a ground speed and a distance to the target ground location.