ASELSAN VTOL has developed hybrid driven UAV
The Purpose of Invention
The invention relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle with internal combustion or electric propulsion, silent flight capability, removable double pod mounted, with tilting 4x2 coaxial counterrotating, folding propeller systems, with dual hybrid (electric / internal combustion and fixed - wing flight / landing) capable of vertical take-off/landing (VTOL), very short runway take-off/landing (VSTOL), conventional take-off/landing (CTOL). With the invention, the advantages of tilt-rotor type systems and hybrid systems are combined. Thus, nine different types of flights become possible.
In the system of the present invention, the coaxial - counter - rotating propeller groups can be held in a horizontal or vertical position by a tilting mechanism, but also at a desired angle. Thus;
• When the front propeller group is placed in a horizontal position, the internal combustion engine, which produces more noise than the electric motor, is switched off and a silent flight, powered with only electricity can be made. Thus, in military applications that require silent observation, silent operation can be carried out for a certain period in the enemy region.
• Thanks to the use of solar panels and electric motor / propeller groups of it on conventional flight, electric powered flight can be made in certain parts of the flight and flight time is increased. This feature is not available in other hybrid UAV systems.
• The generator of the internal combustion motor and solar panels can charge the batteries of the electric motors. In this way, in certain parts of the flight, the internal combustion engine can be stopped and electric powered flight portion can be increased.
• In case of an internal combustion engine failure, it is possible to return to base by performing an electric powered flight for up to an hour with the front electric motors. This feature is not available in other hybrid systems that cannot tilt their engines.
• The system can perform VSTO - Very Short Take - off and very short runway landings in high altitude and hot weather conditions where vertical takeoff and landing can be difficult. For take offs, the front propeller groups are operated in horizontal position to support take off and climb. In very short runway landing, the front electric motors are closed while the rear electric motor group produces effective reverse thrust, reducing the landing distance.
Due to capability of adjustment of the positioning of the motor groups as horizontal or vertical to adopt to the streamline, the drag force encountered in horizontal flight is less than the other hybrid (fixed - wing aircraft capable of vertical takeoff / landing) systems.
The folding propeller groups were made to be opened by electric motor rotation and closed by airflow. Thus, they provide less drag force than other hybrid systems when they are placed in a horizontal streamlined position when not in use, such as in modes where the aircraft is cruising with internal combustion engine power only. Each vertical / horizontal tilting station in the system has coaxial propeller groups with counter - rotation. In this way, the system can continue to operate even if one of the electric motors or propellers is disabled or failed. If two propellers / motors are disabled, the system can continue to operate in certain combinations and can execute emergency vertical landings in each failure combination. Even if all of the electric motors (8 units) are disabled, the system can perform conventional landing on a runway.
The propeller groups with coaxial counter - rotation, provide more thrust per unit station than systems with 4 vertical propulsion groups. In addition, the counter - rotating propeller system is more compact than the propulsion systems that have the same number of single structures, without coaxial counter - rotation motors and propellers. This is advantageous by producing less aerodynamic drag force, especially when the vertical thrust units are not in use such as in cruise phase.
In order to accomplish the above - mentioned objectives, the invention is an aerial vehicle comprising at least two semi - elliptical wings extending on either side of a main body, a tail extending between the wings, a pusher type fuselage propeller positioned at the rear of the main body, a propulsion element located in the main body and powering the fuselage propeller and able to perform very short runway takeoff/landing, conventional takeoff/landing, and vertical takeoff/landing. Air vehicle is further comprising,
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