A mission configurable aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array is attached to the airframe. The thrust array including a plurality of inboard propulsion assemblies coupled to first and second inboard nacelle stations of the first and second wings. The thrust array also includes a plurality of outboard propulsion assemblies coupled to first and second outboard nacelle stations of the first and second wings. A flight control system is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A payload is coupled to the airframe. The inboard propulsion assemblies have a thrust type that is different from the thrust type of the outboard propulsion assemblies.
Mission configurable aircraft having VTOL and biplane orientations
2020-04-14
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
Mission Configurable Aircraft having VTOL and Biplane Orientations
European Patent Office | 2019
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