A control system for a vehicle 100 having means to induce a flow of an ambient fluid. Preferably the vehicle is a V/STOL aircraft with a planar body 101 and having one or more ducted fans 120 to direct an airflow downwards to generate lift. Ducted fans each comprise a duct 121 and include a fan 123. The control system comprises two or more arrays of vanes 130 arranged in proximity to the thrust axis of a means to induce fluid flow. Each array of vanes has two or more vanes and a vane supporting structure and is arranged to interact with flow of fluid from the means to induce fluid flow in order to influence the forces and moments acting on the vehicle. An array of vanes is rotatable by means of an actuator 132 independently of another of the arrays of vanes about an axis 133 which is not substantially parallel to the thrust axis of the means to induce fluid flow.
Control system for fluid borne vehicles
2019-04-10
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
IPC: | B64C AEROPLANES , Flugzeuge |