WO2024234033A1

WO2024234033A1 - A compact form aircraft

Info

Publication number: WO2024234033A1
Application number: PCT/AU2024/050453
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alexander Barak
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2023-05-18
Filing date: 2024-05-09
Publication date: 2024-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-18

Abstract

A compact form aircraft (100) including: a fuselage (101) and, a plurality of rotor assemblies (102) operatively associated with the fuselage (101). The aircraft (100) is configurable in: an operative configuration in which the rotor assemblies (102) operatively extend from the fuselage (101); and a stowed configuration in which each of the rotor assemblies (102) are substantially received by respective bays (104) of the fuselage (101). An assembly (136) including the compact form aircraft (100) and one or more flight accessories (112) is also disclosed along with a related method.

Description

A Compact form Aircraft

Related Applications

[001] This application claims priority from Australian provisional patent application no. 2023901540 filed on 18 May 2023, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.

Technical Field

[002] The invention relates generally to a compact form aircraft. More specifically, invention relates to a compact form aircraft in the form of a compact and reconfigurable drone.

Background

[003] Compact aircraft may be provided in the form of drones which are typically remotely controlled, or semi or fully autonomous. Such drones may include a body and a series of motor driven propellers that are supported by arms which extend from the body, usually in a quadcopter arrangement.

[004] One such drone is configurable between a folded state in which the arms fold inwardly toward the body to make the drone more compact, and a deployed state in which the arms extend outward of the body so as to be operational. Problems which such drones relate to the compactness and form of the drone in the folded state, robustness, and also the ability to reconfigure the drone such as by adding functional accessories.

[005] The invention disclosed herein seeks to overcome one or more of the above identified problems or at least provide a useful alternative. Summary

[006] Examples of a compact form aircraft are disclosed which include an arrangement of a fuselage and a plurality of rotor assemblies which allow the aircraft to assume a small form factor i n a stowed configuration suitable for stowage, transportation and the like. Miniaturised versions of the aircraft may even be small enough to fit within a wallet. However, larger forms may fit within a backpack or the like.

[007] In an example shown, the fuselage includes an upper surface with a plurality of bays from which rotor assemblies pivot to an operative configuration in which the aircraft may assume flight.

[008] In a further example form, different types of flight accessories are attachable to the fuselage to provide different flight capabilities. These accessories may include controller and/or battery pack accessories, wing accessories (both fixed and retractable), turbofan thrust accessories, cargo bay accessories and or the like.

[009] The electrical and/or data connections may interconnect between the fuselage and the accessories to convey data and/or electrical power therebetween.

[0010] The flight controller may dynamically sense which accessories have been attached so as to selectively enable flight capabilities provided thereby.

[0011] In the examples provided, winged, turbofan and cargo bay accessories may be attached to the fuselage for ad hoc long-distance cargo delivery flight capabilities.

[0012] In some examples, during take-off, the rotor assemblies may be deployed whereafter horizontal flight is achieved by stowing the rotor assemblies and employing the turbofan thrust accessory. When subsequently landing, the rotor assembly may be again deployed. [0013] The fixed wings may be simple type wings but wherein the flight controller includes a thrust vector controller which controls the rotational speeds and/or angles of the rotor assemblies to control the pitch, yaw or roll of the aircraft without the need for flaps and/or ailerons.

[0014] In some examples, the compact form aircraft may be provided as part of a modular kit or assembly in which the aircraft may be reconfigurable by adding or removing flight accessories. In use, selected ones of the flight accessories may be added to form a functional stack.

[0015] It is noted that in some examples, the rotor assemblies may be permanently deployed, and the fuselage may still be configured to function with one or more of the flight accessories so as to be reconfigured into different functional stacks.

[0016] In accordance with a first main aspect there is provided, a compact form aircraft, including: a fuselage; and, a plurality of rotor assemblies operatively associated with the fuselage, wherein the aircraft is configurable in: an operative configuration in which the rotor assemblies operatively extend from the fuselage; and, a stowed configuration in which each of the rotor assemblies are substantially received by respective bays of the fuselage.

[0017] In an aspect, each rotor assembly includes an electric motor turning a rotor and each bay includes a motor accommodation portion and an orthogonal blade accommodation portion.

[0018] In another aspect, the fuselage includes an upper surface and wherein the bays are formed in the upper surface.

[0019] In yet another aspect, each rotor assembly is engaged by a slide out member slidable out from sides of the fuselage and wherein, in the stowed configuration, the slide out member is retracted and, in the operative configuration slide out member is extended. [0020] In yet another aspect, each rotor assembly includes an electric motor turning a straight dual bladed rotor and each bay includes a motor accommodation portion and an orthogonal blade accommodation portion and wherein each slide out member slides within the motor accommodation portion.

[0021] In yet another aspect, each slide out member includes a motor position biasing mechanism.

[0022] In yet another aspect, the motor position biasing mechanism includes a clip having rounded arms which engage around a body of a respective elected motor.

[0023] In yet another aspect, in the stowed configuration, each rotor assembly is concealed within each bay beneath an upper surface of the fuselage.

[0024] In yet another aspect, each rotor assembly is pivotally coupled so that each rotor assembly pivots from the bay from the stowed to the operative configuration.

[0025] In yet another aspect, the aircraft includes four rotor assemblies.

[0026] In yet another aspect, the fuselage is rectangular.

[0027] In yet another aspect, further including a flight accessory attachable to an undersurface of the fuselage.

[0028] In yet another aspect, the fuselage and the flight accessory include at least one of electrical and data connections which interconnect when the flight accessory attaches to an undersurface of the fuselage.

[0029] In yet another aspect, the flight accessory and the fuselage magnetically attract. [0030] In yet another aspect, aircraft includes a flight controller which dynamically sensors the type of the flight accessory when attached to the fuselage to determine flight capabilities thereof.

[0031] In yet another aspect, the aircraft further includes a further flight accessory attachable to an undersurface of the flight accessory.

[0032] In yet another aspect, the flight accessory and the further flight accessory include at least one of electrical and data connections which interconnect when the further flight accessory attaches to an undersurface of the fuselage.

[0033] In yet another aspect, the flight accessory includes a battery and wherein the rotor assemblies draw power from the battery via electrical connections.

[0034] In yet another aspect, flight accessory includes a flight controller and wherein the rotor assemblies are controlled from signals received from the flight controller via data connections.

[0035] In yet another aspect, flight accessory includes a periphery substantially conforming to that of the fuselage.

[0036] In yet another aspect, the flight accessory includes an upper planar surface corresponding to a lower planar surface of the fuselage.

[0037] In yet another aspect, the flight accessory includes wings.

[0038] In yet another aspect, the wings are extendable between a stowed configuration wherein the wings are concealed within the flight accessory and an operative configuration wherein the wings extend from the flight accessory.

[0039] In yet another aspect, in the stowed configuration, the wings overlap within the flight accessory. [0040] In yet another aspect, the wings are fixed and lack flaps or ailerons and wherein the aircraft includes a flight controller comprising a flight vector thrust controller which controls the rotor assemblies to control one of the pitch, yow or roll of the aircraft when flying with the wings.

[0041] In yet another aspect, the flight thrust controller controls the rotational speeds of the rotor assemblies differentially.

[0042] In yet another aspect, at least one rotor assembly includes an actuator attached thereto to adjust the angle of the rotor assembly with respect to the fuselage and wherein the flight thrust vector controller controls the angle of the rotor assembly using the actuator.

[0043] In yet another aspect, the flight accessory includes a turbofan thrust accessory comprising a horizontal orientation of forward inlets and rearward outlets and one or more turbofans therebetween.

[0044] In yet another aspect, the flight controller is configurable to stow the rotor assemblies when operating the turbofan thrust accessory.

[0045] In yet another aspect, the flight accessory includes a cargo bay accessory comprising an interior storage void and a cargo bay door.

[0046] In accordance with a second main aspect there is provided, a modular stackable assembly or kit that allows for the reconfiguration of the compact form aircraft described above. The modular stackable assembly including the compact form aircraft and a series of interchange flight accessory modules that couple to the one or both upper and lower surfaces of the fuselage of the compact form aircraft.

[0047] In accordance with a third main aspect there is provided, a method of configuring a compact form aircraft for flight, the method including one or more the steps of deploying rotor assemblies from bays in the fuselage to an operational state extending from the fuselage; and, selecting one or more interchangeable flight accessories which are arranged to fit adjacent at least one or an upper or lower surface of the fuselage to form an operational stacked assembly capable of flight.

[0048] In accordance with a fourth main aspect there is provided, a method of configuring a compact form aircraft for flight, the method including one or more the steps of: providing rotor assemblies in an operational state extending from the fuselage; and, selecting one or more interchangeable flight accessories which are arranged to fit and operatively couple adjacent at least one or an upper or lower surface of the fuselage to form an operational stacked assembly capable of flight.

[0049] Other examples and aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Figures

[0050] The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, by reference to the accompanying figures, in which;

[0051] Figure 1 is a top perspective view illustrating a first example of a compact form aircraft in an operative configuration;

[0052] Figure 2 is a top perspective view illustrating the compact form aircraft in a stowed condition;

[0053] Figure 3 is a top view illustrating the compact form aircraft in the operative configuration;

[0054] Figure 4 is a top view illustrating the compact form aircraft in the stowed configuration;

[0055] Figure 5 is a side view illustrating the compact form aircraft in the stowed configuration;

[0056] Figure 6 is an end view illustrating the compact form aircraft in the stowed configuration;

[0057] Figure 7 is a bottom view illustrating the compact form aircraft in the stowed configuration;

[0058] Figure 8 is a bottom view illustrating a second example of the compact form aircraft in the stowed configuration, noting the flight accessory shown in Figure 9 is removed to reveal the internal configuration;

[0059] Figure 9 is a perspective bottom view illustrating a flight accessory of the second example of the compact form aircraft;

[0060] Figure 10 is a perspective bottom view illustrating the second example of the compact form aircraft in the stowed configuration, noting the flight accessory shown in Figure 9 is removed to reveal the internal configuration;

[0061] Figure 11 is a top view illustrating the second example of a compact form aircraft in the operational configuration;

[0062] Figure 12 a perspective bottom view illustrating the flight accessory of the second example of the compact form aircraft, shown as removed from the fuselage shown in Figure 13;

[0063] Figure 13 is a perspective bottom view illustrating the second example of the compact form aircraft in the operational configuration with the flight accessory shown in Figure 12 removed to reveal the internal configuration;

[0064] Figure 14 is atop view illustrating a third example of the compact form aircraft in an operational configuration;

[0065] Figure 15 is a side view illustrating the third example of the compact form aircraft in the operational configuration; [0066] Figure 16 is a top view illustrating the third example of the compact form aircraft in an operational configuration with one set of the rotor assemblies facing perpendicular to the other set of the rotor assemblies;

[0067] Figure 17 is a top view illustrating the third example of the compact form aircraft in an operational configuration with one set of the rotor assemblies operational and the other set of the rotor assemblies being stowed;

[0068] Figure 18 is top exploded parts perspective view illustrating the compact form aircraft with flight accessories attached thereto to form a winged assembly;

[0069] Figure 19 is top perspective view illustrating the compact form aircraft with the flight accessories attached thereto forming the winged assembly.

[0070] Figure 20 is top perspective view illustrating the compact form aircraft in the winged assembly with the flight accessories attached thereto and with the rotor assemblies stowed;

[0071] Figure 21 is a front view illustrating the compact form aircraft in the winged assembly with the flight accessories attached thereto and with the rotor assemblies stowed;

[0072] Figure 22 is a top view illustrating the winged assembly stack in which includes two of the compact form aircraft modules and flight accessories, with topside and underside rotor assemblies and showing front rotors being perpendicular to the rear rotors;

[0073] Figure 23 is a front view illustrating the winged assembly of Figure 22;

[0074] Figure 24 is a side view illustrating the winged assembly of Figure 22;

[0075] Figure 25 is a top view illustrating the winged assembly stack in which includes two of the compact form aircraft modules and flight accessories, with topside and underside rotor assemblies and showing front rotors stowed and the rear rotors being operation;

[0076] Figure 26 is a side view illustrating the winged assembly shown Figure 25;

[0077] Figure 27 is a side view illustrating the winged assembly shown Figure 25;

[0078] Figure 28 is a top view illustrating another flight accessory in the form of a jet or fan unit with deployable wings in a deployed state;

[0079] Figure 29 is a front view illustrating the flight accessory in the form of the jet or fan unit with the deployable wings in a deployed state;

[0080] Figure 30 is a top view illustrating the flight accessory in the form of the jet or fan unit with deployable wings in a stowed state;

[0081] Figure 31 is a side view illustrating the flight accessory in the form of the jet or fan unit with the deployable wings in the stowed state; and,

[0082] Figure 32 is an end view illustrating the flight accessory in the form of the jet or fan unit with the deploy able wings in the stowed state.

Detailed Description

[0083] Referring to Figures 1 to 7 there is shown a first example of compact form aircraft 100 includes a main fuselage or body 101 and a plurality of rotor assemblies

102 operatively associated with the main fuselage or body 101.

[0084] The aircraft 100 is configurable in the operative configuration shown in Figure 1 wherein the rotor assemblies operatively extend up from an upper surface

103 of the fuselage 101. [0085] Furthermore, the aircraft 100 is configurable in the stowed configuration shown in Figure 2 wherein the upper surface 103 of the fuselage 101 includes a plurality of bays or recesses 104 to accommodate respective rotor assemblies 102 therein. The bays or recesses 104 are shaped to receive the respective rotor assemblies 102 generally flush with the upper surface 103. The fuselage 101 thereby generally conceals and protects the rotor assemblies 102 in the stowed configuration.

[0086] Each rotor 102 may include an electric motor 105 turning a straight dual bladed rotor 106. Furthermore, each bay 104 may include a motor accommodation portion 107 and an orthogonal blade accommodation portion 108. As such, as shown in Figure 2, in the stowed configuration, the electric motor 105 fits within the motor accommodation portion 107 and the blades 106 lie orthogonally across within the orthogonal blade accommodation portion 108.

[0087] The fuselage 101 may include meshing in the form of apertures 130 to allow air flow therethrough.

[0088] Each rotor assembly 1 02 may be engaged by a slide out member 109 slidable out from sides of the fuselage 101. As shown in Figure 2, in the stowed configuration, the slide out members 109 retracted and, in the operative configuration shown in Figure 1, slide out members 109 the slide out members 109 extend from sides of the fuselage 101.

[0089] Each slide out member 109 may include a U-shaped piece 110 forming a space therein for the electric motor 105.

[0090] The slide out member 109 may slide within a respective motor accommodation portion 107. In this regard, the motor accommodation portion 107 may include side channels or rails 111 to guide each slide out member 109 in and out from the motor accommodation portion 107.

[0091] As shown in Figure 2, in the stowed configuration, each rotor assembly 102 may be concealed within each bay 104 beneath the upper surface 103 of the fuselage 101, thereby forming a ruggedised small form factor aircraft 100.

[0092] In the example shown, the aircraft 100 preferably includes four rotor assemblies 102. In other words, in a preferred example, the aircraft 100 is a quadcopter.

[0093] In the example shown, each rotor assembly 102 is pivotally coupled with respect to the fuselage 101 so that each rotor assembly 102 pivots from the bay 104 from the stowed to the operative configuration. Each motor 105 may be connected by a pivot point 116. The slide out member 109 may include the pivot point 116 so that the electric motor 105 pivots from the slide out member 109.

[0094] In examples provided, the motors 105 may be held by a biasing mechanism. In examples shown, each slide out member 109 includes a biasing mechanism in the form of a clip 117 having rounded side arms which engage around a cylindrical body of the electric motor 105. As such, in this configuration, the clip 117 holds each motor upright 105.

[0095] Furthermore, the fuselage 101 is preferably rectangular and preferably includes at least one of a planar upper surface 103 and a planar lower or underside surface 122. As such, the fuselage 101 is generally in flat in shape so it can be attached to other components and be stacked as is further detailed below. [0096] The fuselage 101 may be attachable to one or more flight accessories 112. The flight accessory 112 may be attachable to an under surface 122 of the fuselage 101. T h e flight accessory 112 is shown attached to the under surface 122 in Figure 1 may be, but not limited to, a battery and control accessory 112A that provides power and control functions to each of the electric motors 105. It is noted that in some examples, the battery and control accessory 112A may be integrated with the fuselage 101. And, in other examples, the fuselage 101 itself may include a controller (not shown) and the accessory 112A may simply be a removeable battery. All such example configurations are contemplated herein.

[0097] The flight accessory 112 may include a periphery 114 substantially conforming to the periphery 115 of the fuselage 101. In the example shown, the peripheries 114, 115 are rectangular and when the flight accessory 112 is attached to the fuselage 101, the peripheries 114, 115 are substantially coplanar.

[0098] In this example, the fuselage 101 and each flight accessory 112 may include at least one respective electrical and data connection 113, shown for example in Figure 8 and Figure 18, which interconnect when the flight accessory 112 attaches to an underside 112 of the fuselage 101. The matching peripheries 114, 115 may assist in the alignment of the electrical and/or data connections 113.

[0099] The flight accessory 112 and the fuselage 101 may magnetically attract. Alternatively, the connections 113 may include magnets 134 therein, as shown in Figure 10. The connections 113 may include coaxial electrical connectors which align coaxially to make electrical connections therebetween.

[00100] In the second example shown in Figures 8 to 13, in which like numerals denote like parts, the flight accessory 112 and the fuselage 101 include couplings 132 in the form of magnets 134. However, such couplings 132 may take other forms such as mechanical locks, spigot and socket connections, or the like. The couplings 132 assist to locate the flight accessory 112 and the fuselage 101 relative to one another. Figures 9 and 12 show the flight accessory 112 removed from the underside 112 of the fuselage.

[00101] The aircraft 100 may include a plurality of flight accessories 112 which can be stacked together to form an assembly 136 as further shown below in relation Figure 18 which includes, for example, a winged accessory 112B. The plurality of flight accessories 112 may be modular, plug-and-play and interchangeable.

[00102] At least one of the flight accessories 112 may include the data and/or electrical connections 113 on both upper and lower surfaces thereof so as to be able to electrically connect with the fuselage 101 or another accessory 112 there above and/or a further flight accessory 112 there underneath.

[00103] The flight accessory 112 may include a battery pack accessory 112A comprising a battery therein. The electric motors 105 may draw electric power from the battery by the electrical connections 113. The flight accessory 112 may include a flight controller accessory 112B having a flight controller therein. The operation of the rotor assemblies m ay b e controlled by data signals received via the data connections 113.

[00104] The flight accessory 112A includes both a flight controller and battery pack so that the rotor assemblies 102 draw power and are controlled by data signals transmitted via the data and electrical connections 113 therebetween. The accessory 112A may include navigational lights 118, user input control such as a power button 120 and the like.

[00105] The accessory 112A may include a recharging port for recharging the battery therein. In alternative examples, the accessory 112 A includes inductive pickups for wireless recharging.

[00106] Referring now to Figures 14 to 17, there is shown a third example of the compact aircraft 100 in which like numerals denote like parts as such all parts are not again described again here. In this example, the plurality of rotor assemblies 102 are configured differently with the motors 105 are pivotally connected to a support 140 and the support is pivotally connected to the fuselage 101 adjacent to the respective bays 104.

[00107] In this example, the support 140 may pivoted outwardly to the operational condition and locked in place by a locking means 142 actuated by a sliding button 144. The motors 105 may be pivoted relative to the support 140 which allows, for, example, some of the motors 105 to be relatively facing upwardly and some of the motors 105 parallel to the fuselage being rear or forward, and in some instances stowed, facing as shown in Figures 16 and 17. This allows the direction and operational configuration of the motors 105 to be adjusted.

[00108] It is noted the pivoting of the motors 105 relative to the support 140 may be a manual pivot or be actuated by an actuator (not shown). Similarly, the pivoting of the support 140 relative to the fuselage 101 may be a manual pivot or be actuated by an actuator (not shown). Both example configurations are contemplated herein. [00109] The pivoting of the support 140 may be through 180 degrees and in the stowed configuration the motor 105 is located within the support 140 as shown in Figure 17. A brace 146 may be provided between rotor assemblies 102 on each side of the fuselage 102 for support and also to lock movement together and the fuselage 101 may include a brace receiving portion 148 to receive the brace 146 in the in the stowed configuration.

[00110] Referring now to Figures 18 to 23, examples of the assembly 136 in the form of a winged assembly 138 are shown. In these examples, the accessory 112 may include a winged accessory 112B having wings 121. In the example shown, the wings 121 are fixed wings 121. The wings 121 may include raised wingtips 122.

[00111] The fixed wings 121 of Figure 18 may be devoid of ailerons and/or flaps but wherein the flight controller may include a thrust vector controller which controls the rotor assemblies 102 to apply thrust in a way which negates the need for the flaps and/or ailerons.

[00112] For example, the thrust vector controller may control the rotational speeds of the blades 106 differently to adjust the pitch, yaw or roll of the aircraft 100.

[00113] In further examples, each rotor assembly 102 includes an actuator which can adjust the angle of the rotor assembly 102 with respect to the fuselage 101. In accordance with this example, the thrust vector controller may control the actuators to make adjustments to the angle of the rotor assemblies to apply thrust in different directions as desired. [00114] When using the winged flight accessory 112B, the rotor assemblies 102 may be stowed in the stowed configuration. In accordance with this configuration, the aircraft 100 may glide. However, in alternative examples, rearward rotor assembly 102 may be pivoted rearwardly to provide horizontal thrust.

[00115] Additionally, or alternatively, the accessory 112 may include a turbofan accessory 112C comprising a plurality of turbofan inputs leading to one or more turbofans 123 therein which generate thrust emanating from rearward outlets to propel the aircraft 100 horizontally.

[00116] In accordance with this example, the controller may use the rotor assemblies 102 to lift the aircraft 100 whereafter the rotor assemblies 102 may be stowed wherein the turbofan is simultaneously engaged to thrust the aircraft 100 forward to fly using the wings 121. When subsequently landing, the rotor assemblies 102 may subsequently be deployed.

[00117] The accessory 112C may further include an image sensor 124. Imagery captured by the image sensor 124 may be transmitted wirelessly to a ground controller (not shown).

[00118] The accessory 112 may further include a cargo accessory 112 D. The cargo accessory 112D may be substantially hollow and include a cargo bay door 125 shown in Figure 18.

[00119] The aircraft flight controller may sense which accessory 112 is attached to the fuselage 101 to selectively enable functionality thereof. In this regard, each accessory 112 may include an accessory type identifier encoded therein, such as within computer readable media which is read by the flight controller to determine which accessories 112 have been attached the fuselage 101 and therefore which flight capabilities are available for enablement.

[00120] In alternative examples, shown in Figures 28 to 32, the wings 121 are stowable. Specifically, Figure 28 shows the wings 112 extending out from opposite sides or the accessory 112 when in an operative configuration. However, Figure 30 shows the wings 121 stowed within the accessory 112B when in a stowed configuration. In a preferred example, the stowed configuration, the wings 121 are entirely concealed within the perimeter 114 of the accessory 112B.

[00121] Furthermore, as is shown in Figure 28, the accessory 112B may include more than one wing 121 extending from each side of the accessory 112B. Specifically, the wings 121 may take the form of a pair of narrow blade-type wings extending from each side of the accessory 112B.

[00122] With reference to Figure 30, in the stowed configuration, the wings 121 may overlap, thereby allowing for longer wings 121 within the confines of the accessory 112B.

[00123] Advantageously, there has been described a compact form aircraft with a fuselage that is arranged to receive and protect the rotor assembly in a stowed condition and allow simple support deployment of the rotor assembly into various flight configurations including a quadcopter configuration typically used by drones. The fuselage has one or both sides that allow various accessories to be coupled thereto by magnetic or mechanical means so that a functional stacked assembly is provided. The accessories may include control and battery modules, cargo modules, sensor module, winged modules and jet or turbofan modules. Each module may be

“plug and play” and simply need to located relative to the fuselage in which it is recognised and becomes part of the functional stacked assembly.

[00124] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

[00125] The reference in this specification to any known matter or any prior publication is not, and should not be taken to be, an acknowledgment or admission or suggestion that the known matter or prior art publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the field to which this specification relates.

[00126] While specific examples of the invention have been described, it will be understood that the invention extends to alternative combinations of the features disclosed or evident from the disclosure provided herein.

[00127] Many and various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed or evident from the disclosure provided herein.

Claims

The claims defining the Invention are as follows:

1. A compact form aircraft, including: a fuselage; and, a plurality of rotor assemblies operatively associated with the fuselage, wherein the aircraft is configurable in: an operative configuration in which the rotor assemblies operatively extend from the fuselage; and a stowed configuration in which each of the rotor assemblies are substantially received by respective bays of the fuselage.

2. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein each rotor assembly includes an electric motor turning a rotor and each bay includes a motor accommodation portion and an orthogonal blade accommodation portion.

3. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuselage includes an upper surface and wherein the bays are formed in the upper surface.

4. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein each rotor assembly is engaged by a slide out member slidable out from sides of the fuselage and wherein, in the stowed configuration, the slide out member is retracted and, in the operative configuration slide out member is extended.

5. The aircraft as claimed in claim 4, wherein each rotor assembly includes an electric motor turning a straight dual bladed rotor and each bay includes a motor accommodation portion and an orthogonal blade accommodation portion and wherein each slide out member slides within the motor accommodation portion.

6. The aircraft as claimed in claim 4, wherein each slide out member includes a motor position biasing mechanism.

7. The aircraft as claimed in claim 6, wherein the motor position biasing mechanism includes a clip having rounded arms which engage around a body of a respective elected motor.

8. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the stowed configuration, each rotor assembly is concealed within each bay beneath an upper surface of the fuselage.

9. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein each rotor assembly is pivotally coupled so that each rotor assembly pivots from the bay from the stowed to the operative configuration.

10. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aircraft includes four rotor assemblies.

11. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuselage is rectangular.

12. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein further including a flight accessory attachable to an undersurface of the fuselage.

13. The aircraft as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fuselage and the flight accessory include at least one of electrical and data connections which interconnect when the flight accessory attaches to an undersurface of the fuselage.

14. The aircraft as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flight accessory and the fuselage magnetically attract.

15. The aircraft as claimed in claim 13, wherein the aircraft includes a flight controller which dynamically sensors the type of the flight accessory when attached to the fuselage to determine flight capabilities thereof.

16. The aircraft as claimed in claim 12, wherein further comprising a further flight accessory attachable to an undersurface of the flight accessory.

17. The aircraft as claimed in claim 16, wherein the flight accessory and the further flight accessory include at least one of electrical and data connections which interconnect when the further flight accessory attaches to an undersurface of the fuselage.

18. The aircraft as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flight accessory includes a battery and wherein the rotor assemblies draw power from the battery via electrical connections.

19. The aircraft as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flight accessory includes a flight controller and wherein the rotor assemblies are controlled from signals received from the flight controller via data connections.

20. The aircraft as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flight accessory includes a periphery substantially conforming to that of the fuselage.

21. The aircraft as claimed in claim 13, wherein the flight accessory includes an upper planar surface corresponding to a lower planar surface of the fuselage.

22. The aircraft as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flight accessory includes wings.

23. The aircraft as claimed in claim 22, wherein the wings are extendable between a stowed configuration wherein the wings are concealed within the flight accessory and an operative configuration wherein the wings extend from the flight accessory.

24. The aircraft as claimed in claim 23, wherein, in the stowed configuration, the wings overlap within the flight accessory.

25. The aircraft as claimed in claim 24, wherein the wings are fixed and lack flaps or ailerons and wherein the aircraft includes a flight controller comprising a flight vector thrust controller which controls the rotor assemblies to control one of the pitch, yow or roll of the aircraft when flying with the wings.

26. The aircraft as claimed in claim 25, wherein the flight thrust controller controls the rotational speeds of the rotor assemblies differentially.

27. The aircraft as claimed in claim 26, wherein at least one rotor assembly includes an actuator attached thereto to adjust the angle of the rotor assembly with respect to the fuselage and wherein the flight thrust vector controller controls the angle of the rotor assembly using the actuator.

28. The aircraft as claimed in claim 27, wherein the flight accessory includes a turbofan thrust accessory comprising a horizontal orientation of forward inlets and rearward outlets and one or more turbofans therebetween.

29. The aircraft as claimed in claim 28, wherein the flight controller is configurable to stow the rotor assemblies when operating the turbofan thrust accessory.

30. The aircraft as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flight accessory includes a cargo bay accessory comprising an interior storage void and a cargo bay door.