Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft with Vectored Thrust for Control and Continuously Variable Pitch Attitude in Hover
INSTITUTION
NASA Langley Research Center
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
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FUNDING
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YEAR
2018
MOONBASE SCORE
LOADING MOONBASE SCORE
Abstract
The aircraft operates by vectoring the thrust of three independent rotors (propellers). In addition, the vehicle can operate with only thrust vectoring and motor speed control to maintain vehicle attitude in hover and forward (wing born) flight. No other means of vehicle attitude control is required (i.e. ailerons, elevators, rudder), however these additional control surfaces could be added if vehicle control is desired in gliding (non-thrust) conditions. Most fixed wing VTOL UAVs takeoff vertically, then transition to horizontal flight. This is new type of UAV which has unique capability. It can vary its hover position from "nose up" (tailsitter) to "nose forward" (non-tailsitter) incrementally and continuously, and even hold a position at any angle in between.
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