WO2025154127A1 - Flying vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a flying vehicle capable of improving fuel efficiency when in a forward attitude that is mainly used by a flying vehicle for transportation. [Solution] According to the present disclosure, provided is a flying vehicle configured so that one of the horizontal directions is a navigation direction, and that comprises: a frame; a plurality of propellers provided to the frame; a suspension member that can suspend and move a load in a vertical direction; a winch that is provided to the frame and that controls the expansion and contraction movement of the suspension member; load is inclined downward from the front to the rear in the navigation direction when the load is positioned at the upper end in the vertical direction by the suspension member.

Description

Aircraft

The present invention relates to an aircraft.

In recent years, efforts are underway to commercialize delivery services using drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and other flying objects (collectively referred to as "flying objects" below). Flying objects equipped with multiple propellers, commonly referred to as multicopters (collectively referred to as multicopters below), do not require runways for takeoff and landing like typical fixed-wing aircraft, making them suitable for providing transportation services such as delivery services, as they can be operated on relatively small areas of land.

　It is known that aircraft equipped with rotors are prone to becoming unstable when landing due to the ground effect. In addition, compared to the sky, there are many obstacles such as buildings, power lines, and plants near the ground, making it less suitable space for aircraft to fly. However, if a parcel is detached from the sky and allowed to fall freely, this can lead to a deterioration in the quality of the contents and inaccuracies in the location where it falls. In consideration of this situation, Patent Document 1 discloses an aircraft and delivery system in which the aircraft remains in the sky and is able to lower to the ground only parcels attached to a suspension member (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

US Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0207474

Patent Document 1 discloses an aircraft that is connected to a load by a suspension member and is capable of detaching the load at a specified location at a specified speed without the aircraft descending to near the ground.

　In transport operations, there are cases where flights of longer distances are required. In such cases, it is necessary to improve the fuel efficiency of the aircraft in order to increase the flight range.

Furthermore, in recent years, there are cases where it is desirable to increase the size and weight of the goods carried on each flight while also improving the flight range. When the size and weight of the goods increase, the drag and motor load during the flight of the aircraft increase, which can lead to a decrease in fuel efficiency.

In particular, when an item is suspended from an aircraft by a wire or the like, the item often flies with the item positioned below the aircraft. Compared to an aircraft in which the item is placed in the center of the main body, the frontal projection area of the aircraft tends to increase, which can make it difficult to improve the flight range.

In light of this situation, one objective of the aircraft disclosed herein is to provide an aircraft that can improve fuel efficiency in the forward orientation that is primarily used by aircraft used for transportation.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an aircraft having a navigation direction in one of the horizontal directions, the aircraft comprising: a frame, a plurality of propellers attached to the frame, a suspension member capable of moving a payload in the vertical direction, a winch attached to the frame for controlling the movement of the suspension member, and a fixing member attached to the frame for fixing the payload so that it is tilted downward from front to rear in the navigation direction when the payload is positioned at the upper end in the vertical direction by the suspension member.

Other problems and solutions disclosed in this application will be made clear in the description of the embodiments of the invention and the drawings.

The present disclosure can provide an aircraft capable of transporting goods and improving fuel efficiency.

1 is a schematic side view of an aircraft according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram of the aircraft of FIG. 1 when the payload is fixed. FIG. 2 is a diagram of the aircraft of FIG. 1 in a cruising attitude. 1 is a schematic side view of an aircraft according to the present invention; FIG. 5 is a diagram of the aircraft of FIG. 4 in a cruising attitude. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the flying vehicle of FIG. 4 as seen from above. FIG. 5 is a diagram of the aircraft of FIG. 4 when the payload is not fixed. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the aircraft of FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an existing aircraft. FIG. 10 is a diagram of the aircraft of FIG. 9 in a cruising attitude. FIG. 2 is a side view of an existing flying object during lifting and lowering of a payload. FIG. 12 is a side view showing an example of the position of the center of gravity of the load in FIG. 11 . FIG. 12 is a side view showing an example of the position of the center of gravity of the load in FIG. 11 . FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a method for suspending an object. FIG. 16 is a side view of the load in FIG. 15 when it is raised or lowered. FIG. 16 is a side view of the payload of FIG. 15 when fixed to the aircraft. FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a method for suspending an object. FIG. 18 is a side view of the payload of FIG. 17 when fixed to the aircraft. FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a method for suspending an object. FIG. 20 is a side view of the payload of FIG. 19 when fixed to the aircraft. FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a method for suspending an object. FIG. 22 is a side view of the payload of FIG. 21 when fixed to the aircraft. FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a method for suspending an object. FIG. 24 is a side view of the payload of FIG. 23 when fixed to the aircraft. FIG. 24 is a side view of the mounted object of FIG. 23 when rotated. FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a mounting position of an object; FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a mounting position of an object; FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a mounting position of an object; FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a mounting position of an object; FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a mounting position of an object; FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of a mounting position of an object;

The contents of the embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The flying object according to the embodiment of the present invention has the following configuration.
(Item 1)
An aircraft whose flight direction is one of the horizontal directions,
A frame,
A plurality of propellers provided on the frame;
A suspension member capable of suspending and moving the load in the vertical direction;
a winch provided on the frame for controlling the extension and contraction movement of the suspension member;
a fixing member provided on the frame and configured to fix the load so as to incline downward from the front to the rear in the navigation direction when the load is positioned at the upper end in the up-down direction by the suspension member;
An aircraft equipped with the above.
(Item 2)
The suspension member maintains the load so as to incline downward from the front to the rear in the navigation direction when the fixed member and the load are separated from each other.
Item 1. The flying object described in item 1.
(Item 3)
The center of the load in the fore-aft direction as seen from a width direction that is horizontal and perpendicular to the navigation direction is located forward of the center in the fore-aft direction as seen from the width direction when the front and rear ends of the frame are taken as both ends, respectively.
3. The flying object according to item 1 or 2.
(Item 4)
In a grounded state, the center of the load in the vertical direction as viewed from a width direction that is horizontal and perpendicular to the navigation direction is located below any one of the multiple propellers.
4. The flying object according to any one of items 1 to 3.
(Item 5)
In a grounded state, the center of the mounted object in the vertical direction as viewed from the width direction is located below any of the multiple propellers.
5. The flying object described in item 4.
(Item 6)
The load is held by a holder that holds luggage.
The flying object according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

<Details of the embodiment of the present invention>
Hereinafter, an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Details of the first embodiment>

As illustrated in Figs. 1-3, the aircraft 100 is an aircraft capable of taking off, landing, and flying with a payload 11 mounted thereon. The payload 11 is connected to the aircraft by a suspension member, and the payload 11 can be raised and lowered by the winch 10 unwinding and retracting the suspension member 13. That is, the suspension member 13 is provided to allow the payload 11 to move up and down. A frame 120 that constitutes the structure of the aircraft 100 is provided with a plurality of propellers 110 and motors 111 corresponding to each propeller 110. An angle adjustment member 16 may be provided at the bottom of the frame 120 to fix the payload 11 so that it is tilted downward from the front to the rear along the navigation direction (negative Y-axis direction). The angle adjustment member 16 is an example of a fixing member, and may be, for example, a block-shaped structure as shown in Figs. 1-3, or may be a member having an angle change mechanism with a plane parallel to the navigation direction as a rotation plane, as described below.

The aircraft 100 takes off from a takeoff point and flies to its destination. For example, when the aircraft is making a delivery, once it has reached its destination, it slows down or hovers above the delivery destination space, port, etc., and then descends the cargo, after which it detaches the cargo to complete the delivery. After detaching the cargo, the aircraft moves on, for example, to another destination.

The work performed by the flying object is not limited to deliveries. The payload 11 is not limited to delivery luggage. For example, if the payload 11 is equipped with information gathering equipment including sensors such as cameras and microphones, it is possible to lower the payload 11 into the air, gather information at a specified altitude, and then retrieve it by reeling it in to collect the information.

As shown in Figures 4 to 7, an aircraft 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a flight section including at least a plurality of rotor sections consisting of propellers 110 and motors 111 for flight, as well as elements such as a motor mount and frame 120 that support the rotor sections, and it is desirable for the aircraft to be equipped with energy (e.g., secondary batteries, fuel cells, fossil fuels, etc.) to operate these components.

The illustrated flying object 100 is depicted in a simplified manner to facilitate explanation of the structure of the present invention, and detailed configuration of, for example, the control unit, etc. is not shown.

The forward direction of the flying object 100 is the direction of arrow D in the figure (-Y direction) (more details will be given later).

In the following explanation, terms may be used according to the following definitions: forward/backward direction: +Y direction and -Y direction, up/down direction (or vertical direction): +Z direction and -Z direction, left/right direction (or horizontal direction): +X direction and -X direction, forward direction (forward): -Y direction, backward direction (rearward): +Y direction, upward direction (upward): +Z direction, downward direction (downward): -Z direction

The propeller 110 rotates by receiving output from the motor 111. The rotation of the propeller 110 generates a thrust force for causing the flying object 100 to take off from a departure point, move, and land at a destination. The propeller 110 can rotate to the right, stop, and rotate to the left.

The propeller 110 of the aircraft of the present invention has one or more blades. There can be any number of blades (rotors) (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or more blades). The blades can be flat, curved, twisted, tapered, or any combination thereof. The blade shape can be variable (e.g., expandable, collapsible, bent, etc.). The blades can be symmetric (having identical upper and lower surfaces) or asymmetric (having upper and lower surfaces with different shapes). The blades can be formed into airfoils, wings, or any geometry suitable for generating aerodynamic forces (e.g., lift, thrust) as the blade moves through the air. The blade geometry can be selected to optimize the blade's aerodynamic properties, such as increasing lift and thrust and reducing drag.

The propellers of the aircraft of the present invention may be fixed pitch, variable pitch, or a combination of fixed pitch and variable pitch, but are not limited to these.

The motor 111 generates the rotation of the propeller 110, and the drive unit can include, for example, an electric motor or an engine. The blades can be driven by the motor and rotate around the motor's rotation axis (e.g., the motor's long axis).

The blades can all rotate in the same direction, or they can rotate independently. Some blades rotate in one direction and others in the other direction. The blades can all rotate at the same RPM, or they can each rotate at a different RPM. The RPM can be determined automatically or manually based on the dimensions of the moving object (e.g., size, weight) and the control state (speed, direction of movement, etc.).

The flying object 100 determines the rotation speed of each motor and the flight angle according to the wind speed and direction using the flight controller 1001, ESC 112, transceiver (radio transmitter) 1006, etc. This allows the flying object to move by ascending and descending, accelerating and decelerating, and changing direction.

The flying object 100 can fly autonomously according to routes and rules set in advance or during flight, or can fly by maneuvering it using the transmitter/receiver (radio transmitter) 1006.

The above-mentioned flying object 100 has the functional blocks shown in FIG. 8. The functional blocks in FIG. 8 are an example of a minimum reference configuration. The flight controller 1001 is a so-called processing unit. The processing unit may have one or more processors, such as a programmable processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)). The processing unit has a memory (not shown) and is accessible to the memory. The memory stores logic, code, and/or program instructions that the processing unit can execute to perform one or more steps. The memory may include, for example, a separable medium such as an SD card or a random access memory (RAM) or an external storage device. Data acquired from the sensors 1002 may be directly transmitted to and stored in the memory. For example, still image and video data captured by a camera or the like is recorded in an internal memory or an external memory.

The processing unit includes a control module configured to control the state of the rotorcraft. For example, the control module controls the rotorcraft's propulsion mechanisms (e.g., motors) to regulate the rotorcraft's spatial configuration, speed, and/or acceleration, which has six degrees of freedom (translational motions _x , y, and z, and rotational motions θ _x , θ y, and θ _z ). The control module can control one or more of the onboard and sensor states.

The processing unit can communicate with a transceiver 1005 configured to transmit and/or receive data from one or more external devices (e.g., a terminal, a display device, or other remote controller). The transceiver 1006 can use any suitable communication means, such as wired or wireless communication. For example, the transceiver 1005 can utilize one or more of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), infrared, radio, WiFi, a point-to-point (P2P) network, a telecommunications network, cloud communication, etc. The transceiver 1005 can transmit and/or receive one or more of data acquired by the sensors 1002, processing results generated by the processing unit, predetermined control data, user commands from a terminal or a remote controller, etc.

The sensors 1002 in this embodiment may include inertial sensors (accelerometers, gyro sensors), GPS sensors, proximity sensors (e.g., lidar), or vision/image sensors (e.g., cameras).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the plane of rotation of the propeller 110 equipped on the flying object 100 is tilted forward toward the direction of travel when traveling. The forward-tilted plane of rotation of the propeller 110 generates upward lift and thrust in the direction of travel, which propels the flying object 100 forward.

The flying body 100 may have a main body that can house a processing unit, battery, etc. to be mounted on the flying section, which includes a motor, propeller, frame, etc. and generates lift and thrust. The main body optimizes the shape of the flying body 100 in its cruising attitude, which is expected to be maintained for a long time while the flying body 100 is moving, and can improve flight speed, thereby efficiently shortening flight time.

It is desirable for the main body to have an outer skin that is strong enough to withstand flight and takeoff and landing. For example, plastic, FRP, etc. are suitable materials for the outer skin because they are rigid and waterproof. These materials may be the same as the frame 120 (including the arms) included in the flight section, or they may be different materials.

The motor mount, frame 120, and main body of the flying unit may be constructed by connecting the individual parts, or may be molded as a single unit using a monocoque structure or one-piece molding (for example, the motor mount and frame 120 may be molded as a single unit, or the motor mount, frame 120, and main body may all be molded as a single unit, etc.). By integrating the parts, it is possible to make the joints between the parts smooth, which is expected to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency, as is the case with flying bodies such as blended wing bodies and lifting bodies.

The shape of the flying object 100 may be directional. For example, the shape may be a streamlined body that creates less drag when the flying object 100 is cruising in no wind, or a shape that improves flight efficiency when the nose of the flying object faces the wind directly.

In particular, when delivering luggage, there is a need for efficient movement to the destination. Instead, there are many cases where the omnidirectional movement performance and reaction speed required is not as high as for aircraft for photography or hobby use. For this reason, it is not necessary for the aircraft to be symmetrical front to back, up to down, or left to right, and it is desirable to have a shape and arrangement of the cover and frame 120 that is specialized for improving flight efficiency while propelling forward, for example.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flying object 100 is equipped with a winch 10, to which one end of a suspension member 13 is connected. The winch 10 is a device for controlling the vertical movement (expansion and contraction) of the suspension member 13. Movement of the suspension member 13 causes the load 11 to move vertically. The other end of the suspension member 13 is connected to the load 11. The suspension member 13 and the load 11 may be connected directly or indirectly via a holder 12. The holder 12 may be held by a holder that holds luggage.

The suspension member 13 is made of a material that can be easily wound around a spool, such as a cable, wire, chain, or string. There are no particular limitations on the material. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the suspension member 13 can be unwound or wound up using a winch 10.

The suspension member 13 and the mounted object 11 may be directly connected by respective connection means, or the holder 12 may be connected through them as an intermediate member. In the following, the configuration of the holder 12 will be omitted from each figure, but this does not exclude specifications that use a holder 12 that is not shown.

Furthermore, the mount 11 or the holder 12 connected to the suspension member 13 may be equipped with a suspension movement means 14 (e.g., a propeller or an air blowing device that applies thrust to the mount 11 or the holder 12). The suspension member 13 and the mount 11 can move independently of the operation of the flying object 100 by the suspension movement means 14. The suspension movement means 14 may be provided only on one side of the mount 11, but this is not limited thereto, and may be provided in at least two directions so as to be freely movable in the XY direction. For example, in FIG. 1, a suspension movement means 14 may be provided on the front side of the paper, and the thrust directions of the multiple suspension movement means 14 may be arranged with a 90 degree shift. The movement direction of the suspension movement means 14 may be only horizontal (XY direction), only vertical (Z direction), or any direction. However, by applying a thrust force so that the movement direction of the suspension movement means 14 is horizontal, the accuracy of positioning the load 11 or holder 12 can be improved.

The holder 12 is configured to hold the payload 11, for example. The form of the holder 12 is not particularly limited, but more preferably, it can be configured to contain the payload 11. For example, the holder 12 may be a case or basket that stores the payload 11, or a base to which the payload 11 can be attached or detached. In this embodiment, the holder 12 is described as an example of a shipping box that is a package or its packaging material, but the present technology is not limited to such an example. The payload 11 may include, for example, daily necessities, books, food, and other deliveries delivered from a store to an ordering user (directly or via a receiving location such as a retail store, agency, or temporary storage location), as well as cameras, devices such as sensors and actuators for inspecting structures, and other objects that can be mounted on the flying section.

The winch 10 is fixedly installed so as not to be unintentionally detached from the flying body 100, and pays out and reels in the connected suspension member. With reference to Figures 1 and 3, the position of the center of rotation of the winch 10 according to this embodiment is not particularly limited. It is preferable that the position of the center of rotation of the winch 10 is located inside the lift generation region L1 or near the lift generation center point L2 in the landing or hovering state (see Figure 4), but the position may be changed depending on the installation location relative to other members.

When the payload 11 is mounted on the aircraft, the payload 11 is connected to the suspension member 13 so that it will not be unintentionally detached from the suspension member 13. When winding of the connected suspension member 13 is complete, the payload 11 is fixed to the aircraft.

4, the flying object 100 according to this embodiment is configured to support the payload 11 such that, when viewed along the longitudinal direction D in the landing state, the center position B1 of the payload 11 is located forward of the longitudinal center position C1 of the flying object 100, and the payload 11 is tilted downward from front to rear along the longitudinal direction D. For example, in this embodiment, it is desirable that the center B1 of the payload 11 according to this embodiment is provided on the flying object 100 such that, when viewed from the side (+X direction and -X direction) with respect to the traveling direction (front-rear direction) D in the landing state or hovering state, the center B1 is near the longitudinal center position C1 of the flying object 100, and is at least one of the following (1) to (3), or near at least one of these:
(1) Lift generating region L1
(2) The center position C2 of the flying object 100 in the vertical direction
(3) Center of gravity G1 of the flying object 100

The same or similar effect can also be achieved by mounting the payload 11 on the flying object 100 so that the center of gravity G2 of the payload 11 is forward of the center position C1 of the flying object 100 and lower than any of the aforementioned (1) to (3) when viewed from the side (+X and -X directions) with respect to the direction of travel (forward/backward direction) D in the landing or hovering state.

Here, the center of gravity G1 of the flying object 100 according to this embodiment means the center of gravity determined by the elements that make up the flying object 100 (the propeller 110, the motor 111, the frame 120, the winch 10, the suspension member 13, the angle adjustment member 16, the flight controller (not shown), the battery, and other heavy objects). The center of gravity G3 means the center of gravity of the flying object 100 and the payload 11 (including the holder 12, if any). The lift generating region L1 is an area included in the width of the blades of each propeller 110 (the length along the height direction Z in FIG. 1) in the rotorcraft 1 according to this embodiment. In this lift generating region L1, a lift generating center point (lift center) L2 may exist based on the position of each propeller 110 in a planar view. When the output of each propeller 110 is approximately the same, the lift generating center point L2 exists at the geometric center position of each propeller 110 in a planar view.

For example, if each of the propellers 110 is a combination of push and pull types, or is staggered, the lift generation region L1 can be defined as follows. First, the positions of the upper and lower ends of the blades of the propellers 110 in the width direction (height direction H in the rotorcraft 1) on each rotating shaft of the motor 111 are obtained. The space between the least squares plane obtained by the point cloud corresponding to each of the upper end positions on each rotating shaft and the least squares plane obtained by the point cloud corresponding to each of the lower end positions on each rotating shaft can be defined as the lift generation region L1. The position of the lift center L2 in this case is the same as in the case described above.

Furthermore, the central position C1 of the flying section refers to the position that is in the middle between the front end and the rear end in the fore-and-aft direction D of the frame 120 of the flying body 100. The central position C2 of the flying body 100 refers to the position that is in the middle between the upper end and the lower end in the up-down direction of the flying body.

9 and 10, the payload 11 fixed to the aircraft 900 is generally horizontally mounted at the lower center of the aircraft 900 in the landing or hovering state. In this description, the case where the holder 12 holds the payload 11 will also be described as the payload 11. In other words, in this case, the center of gravity of the payload 11 is the center of gravity of a rigid body consisting of the payload 11 and the holder 12. Therefore, the center of gravity G2 of the payload 11 is likely to be lower than the center of the payload 11. In other words, by setting the center point B1 of the payload 11 lower than any of the above-mentioned (1) to (3), in many cases the center of gravity G2 of the payload 11 can also be lower than any of (1) to (3). In this case, in the landing or hovering state of the aircraft, the center of gravity G3 is forward (+Y) and lower (-Z) compared to the center of gravity G1 of the aircraft.

In a conventional flying object 900 in which the position of the center of gravity G3 is arranged as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the flying object 900 needs to be tilted in order to obtain horizontal thrust during cruising. Then, in order to move forward, the rear of the flying object 900 needs to be raised and the front needs to be lowered. In this case, the lift of the rear propeller needs to be greater than the lift of the front propeller. Then, while moving forward, the rotation speed of the rear motor continues to be greater than that of the front rotor. In this way, there may be a variation in the rotation speed of the motors that rotate the respective propellers between the front and rear propellers. Furthermore, since the payload is connected to the central lower part of the flying object 900, the center of gravity G3 moves rearward during cruising, so it is necessary to obtain a large thrust from the rear propeller in an attempt to cancel the moment. Therefore, the difference in rotation speed between the front and rear motors becomes large.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the flight mode of the flying body 100 according to this embodiment during cruising. The flying body 100 shown in FIG. 5 is inclined with respect to the traveling direction D and flying along the traveling direction D. At this time, the center of gravity G3 of the flying body 100 is closer to the center of lift L2 compared to the conventional flying body 900 shown in FIG. 10 (for example, lower and further in the traveling direction than the conventional aircraft).

When cruising in this attitude, the positional relationship between the lift center L2, which is the center that generates lift in the height direction Z, and the center of gravity G3 reduces the variation in the load on the motor 111 that may occur with the flying object 100. As a result, when the rotorcraft 1 is tilted with respect to the direction of travel F, there is less difference between the lift F1 generated by the front propeller 110 and the lift F2 generated by the rear propeller 110, compared to a conventional rotorcraft in a similarly tilted state. This also reduces the difference in rotation speed between the front motor 111 and the rear motor 111.

In the flying body 100 of this embodiment, the center of gravity G2 of the payload 11 is located near any one of the following (1) to (3), so that when the flying body 100 is tilted in the direction of travel D during cruising, the difference in rotation speed between the front motor 111a and the rear motor 111b can be reduced.
(1) Lift generation region L1 (lift generation center point L2)
(2) The center position C2 of the flying object 100 in the vertical direction
(3) Center of gravity G1 of the flying object 100

This makes it possible to reduce the variation in battery consumption (i.e. energy consumption) caused by differences in motor rotation speed during cruising. This makes it possible, for example, to further extend cruising time. In addition, the load on the motor can be made uniform, allowing the motor to be operated more efficiently. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of rotorcraft operation during cruising.

In this way, by positioning the flying object and the center of gravity G2 as described above, the rotation speed of each motor 111 can be averaged while the flying object 100 is cruising. This makes it possible to reduce variation in the output of the motor 111 and the associated effects. This makes it possible to more efficiently operate the flying object 100 during long-distance flights, etc.

In recent years, there has been a demand for larger payloads to be transported by aircraft. For example, when delivering multiple items to remote islands or villages rather than to individual homes, transport efficiency can be increased by loading the items together.

However, as the amount of payload 11 increases (the volume of payload 11 increases), the drag of the aircraft 100 when flying forward may increase. For example, when large-sized cardboard boxes are used for general transport, the aircraft may be more susceptible to the effects of increased drag.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9, when the payload 11 is attached to the flying body 900 at an angle such that it is tilted forward during cruising attitude and is approximately horizontal during landing and hovering, the frontal projection area of the payload 11 when the flying body 900 is tilted forward (the area of the payload 11 when viewed from the front of the aircraft) increases compared to when landing or hovering, as shown in FIG. 10. In the illustrated example, when comparing the overall height H3 of the payload 11 during landing or hovering with the overall height H4 of the payload 11 during cruising attitude, H4 is larger.

In the aircraft of this embodiment, by mounting the payload 11 or holder 12 at a predetermined angle, it is possible to suppress an increase in the frontal projection area of the aircraft in a cruising attitude and suppress a decrease in flight efficiency. The predetermined angle is when the aircraft lands. Specifically, it is desirable for the angle to be such that the frontal projection area of the aircraft during cruising is smaller than when it lands or when it is hovering.

As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, if the payload is mounted on the aircraft so that the payload 11 is tilted backward in the fore-and-aft direction when landing or hovering, and the payload is angled horizontally or nearly horizontally when cruising compared to when landing or hovering, the frontal projected area of the payload when the aircraft is tilted forward is reduced compared to the frontal projected area of the payload when landing or hovering. For example, comparing the total height H1 of the payload when landing or hovering with the total height H2 of the payload 11 when in a cruising attitude, H2 is smaller. Here, tilting backward refers to a tilt such that the bottom end surface of the payload is configured to slope downward toward the rear.

Next, a method for suspending the payload 11 will be described. Figures 11 to 13 are diagrams illustrating an example of conventional technology. When the payload 11 is suspended by the suspension members 13 in the manner shown in Figures 11 to 13, the payload 11 may tilt in an unexpected direction depending on the position of the center of gravity. If the suspension members 13 are reeled in by the winch 10 in this state, it may be difficult to lift the payload 11 in the intended attitude (e.g., tilted backward) relative to the aircraft 100.

In this embodiment, when the payload 11 suspended by the suspension member 13 is wound up and mounted on the aircraft, it is wound up so that it is at a suitable angle.

As illustrated in Figures 14 to 16, by dividing the tip of the suspension member 13 into two or more directions and further varying the length, it is possible to determine the tilt direction of the mounted object 11 without being affected by the position of the center of gravity of the mounted object 11. For example, in the example shown in Figures 14 to 16, the front side of the tip of the suspension member 13 facing the mounted object 11 is made shorter and the rear side is made longer so that the mounted object 11 tilts backward, and as shown in Figures 17 to 18, the connection position of the suspension member 13 is offset forward from the center of the mounted object 11, making it possible to tilt the mounted object 11 backward.

Also, as shown in Figures 19 to 22, the payload 11 or the holder 12 may be provided with an angle adjustment member 16, or a guide member may be provided on the aircraft 100, so that the payload can be fixed at a predetermined angle. For example, in the example shown in Figures 19 and 20, an angle adjustment member 16a is provided on the payload 11, and the angle adjustment member 16a is connected to the suspension member 13. The payload 11 is suspended at a rearward inclination from the horizontal by the angle adjustment member 16a provided on the payload itself, and the payload 11 can be kept in a rearward inclined state even when the suspension member 13 is reeled in. In this way, the payload 11 may be maintained at a downward inclination from front to rear in the navigation direction, even when it is separated from the angle adjustment member 16 provided on the frame 120. 21 and 22, a guide member 16A may be provided in front of the angle adjustment member 16 (the negative side in the Y-axis direction) so that the payload 11 comes into contact with the angle adjustment member 16 and is more likely to tilt backward when the payload 11 is wound up from a suspended state. The form of the guide member 16A is not particularly limited, and the guide member 16A may be provided, for example, on the main body of the flying object 120.

In addition, if it is difficult to provide the payload 11 or the holder 12 with a member for restricting the tilt direction, as illustrated in Figures 23 to 25, the payload 11 can be wound up on the suspension member 13 and fixed to the flying body 100, and the angle adjustment member 16 can be provided with a rotation mechanism for rotating the payload 11 in this state, allowing the payload 11 to tilt backward in the fore-and-aft direction when landing or hovering.

The payload 11 may be tilted backward when being raised or lowered by the winch 10, or may only be tilted backward at a specified position (for example, a position where it is wound up and fixed to the flying object 100, or a position where it is hung and fixed by the suspension member 13). For example, in the example shown in Figures 21 and 22, when the payload 11 is suspended from the suspension member 13, the payload 11 can take any posture, but when it comes into contact with a guide member provided on the flying object 100 and is fixed to the angle adjustment member 16, the tilt angle of the payload 11 changes (i.e., the payload 11 tilts backward).

The method of fixing the air vehicle 100 and the payload 11 is not particularly limited as long as it is a method that does not cause the payload 11 to be unintentionally detached. For example, the payload 11 may be fixed using an opening and closing member for holding and releasing the bottom surface of the payload 11, or a method of locking the rotation of the spool to prevent hook magnetization, suction, or unwinding of the suspension member 13, but is not limited to these.

<Details of the second embodiment>

In the details of the second embodiment of the present disclosure, components that overlap with the first embodiment perform similar operations, so a repeated explanation will be omitted.

In the above embodiment, from the viewpoint of center of gravity control, a configuration in which the payload 11 or the payload 11 is disposed forward and below the center of the aircraft 100 is exemplified, but this is not limiting. For example, in order to maintain the angle of the payload 11 or the payload 11 horizontal during cruising, even configurations such as those shown in Figures 26 to 31 have the effect of reducing the frontal projection area of the payload 11. In other words, if the payload 11 is held by the aircraft 100 so that it is tilted backward relative to the extension direction of the frame 120, the air resistance of the payload 11 or the payload 11 during cruising of the aircraft 100 can be reduced. This makes it possible to improve flight efficiency.

The position of the payload 11 when the aircraft 100 is in a landing or hovering state in each figure will be described. In FIG. 26, the center B1 of the payload 11 may be rearward of the center position of the aircraft 100 in the fore-aft direction. The center B1 of the payload 11 may also be located lower than any of the above-mentioned (1) to (3). In this case, the center of gravity G3 is rearward (-Y) and lower (-Z) compared to the center of gravity G1 of the aircraft 100 in the landing or hovering state. The center B1 of the payload 11 is, in the horizontal direction, the center in the fore-aft direction of the payload 11 as viewed from the width direction perpendicular to the navigation direction. The center B1 of the payload 11 is, in the vertical direction, the center in the up-down direction of the payload 11 as viewed from the width direction.

In FIG. 27, the center B1 of the payload 11 is behind the center position of the aircraft 100 in the fore-aft direction. The center position of the aircraft 100 in the fore-aft direction is the center in the fore-aft direction when the front and rear ends of the frame are respectively the two ends as viewed in the width direction. The center B1 of the payload 11 is also located above any of the above-mentioned (1) to (3). At this time, the center of gravity G3 is behind (-Y) and above (+Z) compared to the center of gravity G1 of the aircraft 100 in the landing or hovering state.

In FIG. 28, the center B1 of the payload 11 is forward of the center position of the aircraft 100 in the fore-and-aft direction. The center B1 of the payload 11 is also located above any of the above-mentioned (1) to (3). At this time, the center of gravity G3 is forward (+Y) and above (+Z) compared to the center of gravity G1 of the aircraft 100 in the landing or hovering state.

In FIG. 29, the center B1 of the payload 11 coincides or nearly coincides with the center position of the aircraft 100 in the fore-aft direction. The center B1 of the payload 11 is located near (coincident or nearly coincident with) any of the previously mentioned (1) to (2) or at (3). In this case, the center of gravity G3, in the landing or hovering state, is in nearly the same position in the fore-aft and up-down directions or is lower (-Z) in the up-down direction compared to the center of gravity G1 of the aircraft 100.

In FIG. 30, the center B1 of the payload 11 coincides or approximately coincides with the center position of the aircraft 100 in the fore-aft direction. The center B1 of the payload 11 is also located above any of the points (1) to (3) mentioned above. At this time, the center of gravity G3 is approximately at the same position in the fore-aft direction and above (+Z) compared to the center of gravity G1 of the aircraft 100 in the landing or hovering state.

In FIG. 31, the center B1 of the payload 11 is located at the center position of the aircraft 100 in the fore-aft direction, and is located below the center point of lift generation. Below the center point of lift generation means, for example, below the multiple propellers 110. The center B1 of the payload 11 may be below any of the multiple propellers 110, or may be below any of the multiple propellers 110. At this time, the center of gravity G3 is in approximately the same position in the fore-aft direction as the center of gravity G1 of the aircraft 100 in the landing or hovering state, and is in approximately the same position or above (-Z) in the up-down direction.

The reduction in the frontal projection area of the payload 11 when the aircraft 100 is cruising is achieved by, as in the above embodiment, making the overall height H2 of the payload 11 smaller than the overall height H1 when the aircraft 100 is landing or hovering, and comparing the overall height H2 of the payload 11 when in a cruising attitude.

In addition, when the flying object 100 is cruising, the flying object 100 tilts forward in the cruising direction, causing the bottom surface of the payload 11 to move from a backward tilt to a more horizontal position, reducing the angle equivalent to the angle of attack. This is expected to prevent the bottom surface of the payload 11 from generating unintended lift, and also to prevent a decrease in the efficiency of propulsion by the propeller 110.

For example, if the payload 11 or mounting unit 12 is tilted backward at a predetermined angle with respect to the flying object 100 in a landing or hovering state, the frontal projection area of the payload decreases when the flying object 100 tilts forward. Furthermore, if the payload 11 or mounting unit 12 is positioned behind and below the center of the flying object as shown in FIG. 26, or at the center of the flying object 100 as shown in FIG. 29, the payload 11 or mounting unit 12 overlaps with the main body of the flying object 100 when the flying object 100 tilts forward, even when viewed from the front of the entire flying object 100, so that an increase in the frontal projection area can be suppressed.

Furthermore, in the flying object 100 illustrated in Figures 29 to 31, the payload 11 is tilted backward at a predetermined angle, and is located near the center of the flying object 100 in a side view. By locating the payload 11 near the center of the flying object 100 in the fore-aft direction, the operating speed of the flying object 100 in the pitch direction is improved.

Furthermore, as illustrated in Figs. 26 and 31, the payload 11 may be provided at a position that does not penetrate the enclosed space surrounded by two or more frames 120. In this case, a deck is provided in the center of the flying object 100 instead of an opening, and a control unit and sensors 1002 can be installed on the deck, or a plate-shaped member can be added to further increase the rigidity of the flying object 100. Also, as illustrated in Figs. 27, 28, and 30, the payload 11 may be provided above the frame 120. In this case, it is desirable to provide an opening surrounded by two or more frames 120 that is larger than the payload 11 or that passes outside the non-enclosed space so that the payload 11 can be smoothly rolled up from below the flying object 100. For example, the payload 11 and the suspension member 13 may be provided at a position offset forward, backward, left, or right from the frame that constitutes the enclosed space. In this case, if the heavy payload 11 moves away from the center of the flying object 100 and the balance of the center of gravity changes, a component such as a battery may be offset to the opposite side to the offset direction of the payload 11 to function as a counterweight.

In the examples shown in Figures 28 to 31, the winch 10 is provided above the position where the payload 11 is provided on the aircraft 100, but this is not particularly limited. For example, the position of the winch 10 may be lower than the position where the payload 11 is fixed to the aircraft 100, or may be provided forward, backward, left or right from the position where the payload 11 is fixed to the aircraft 100. As shown in Figure 27, by providing a pulley 17 on the suspension member 13 connecting the winch 10 and the payload 11, the winch 10 can be provided at the center of gravity of the aircraft 100 or at a location that is suitable in terms of resistance.

In recent years, various types of flying vehicles have been considered for use in industries other than home delivery (for example, inspection and investigation, photography, surveillance, agriculture, disaster prevention, etc.). By loading rescue supplies, information gathering equipment, radio wave repeaters, etc. onto flying vehicles, it is expected that it will be possible to deliver urgently needed items more quickly and over long distances, and to rapidly gather information on highly urgent events such as accidents and disasters.

The above-described embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

10 winch 11 payload 12 holder 13 suspension member 14 suspension moving means 15 connection part 16 angle adjustment member 17 pulley 100 aircraft 110a-110d propeller 111a-111d motor 120 frame 130 landing leg 131 shock absorbing device 1000 battery 1001 flight controller 1002 sensors 1003 gimbal 1004 transmitter/receiver 1006 transmitter/receiver (radio)

Claims (6)

An aircraft whose flight direction is one of the horizontal directions,
A frame,
A plurality of propellers provided on the frame;
A suspension member capable of moving the load in the vertical direction;
a winch provided on the frame for controlling the movement of the suspension member;
a fixing member provided on the frame and configured to fix the load so as to incline downward from the front to the rear in the navigation direction when the load is positioned at the upper end in the up-down direction by the suspension member;
An aircraft equipped with the above. The suspension member maintains the load so as to incline downward from the front to the rear in the navigation direction when the fixed member and the load are separated from each other.
The flying vehicle according to claim 1. The center of the load in the fore-aft direction as seen from a width direction that is horizontal and perpendicular to the navigation direction is located forward of the center in the fore-aft direction as seen from the width direction when the front and rear ends of the frame are taken as both ends, respectively.
3. The flying vehicle according to claim 1 or 2. The flying vehicle described in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which, in a grounded state, the center of the payload in the vertical direction as viewed from a width direction that is horizontal and perpendicular to the navigation direction is located below any one of the multiple propellers. In a grounded state, the center of the mounted object in the vertical direction as viewed from the width direction is located below any of the multiple propellers.
The flying vehicle according to claim 4. The load is held by a holder that holds luggage.
The flying object according to any one of claims 1 to 5.