A fixed wing flight vehicle has wing, a center-mounted propulsion unit and a pod that is moveable between a center of the wing and a displaced position at or near one end of the wing. When the pod is at or near the center of the wing, that is, having a center of mass at or near a thrust vector of the propulsion unit, the flight vehicle flies with the characteristics of a regular fixed wing aircraft. However, when the pod is translated to the position at or near an end of the wing, an overall center of mass of the flight vehicle is substantially offset from the thrust vector of the propulsion unit. This causes the flight vehicle to spin like a samara, e.g., a maple seed, so that the flight vehicle can take off or land in a very limited space, much like a helicopter.
Dual mode flight vehicle
23.02.2016
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
IPC: | B64C AEROPLANES , Flugzeuge |