Well, that is the plan so far, I’m going to start doing research on the physics/aerodynamics of tilt rotor systems. Having two or more centers of lift reduces violent pitching moments and reduces the wing span necessary for the same wing surface area.Ĭ. Having one or two wings is like the difference between having two or four rotors.
The video above uses a single wing and seems to work well, however I see the double tandem wing configuration is used in the Bell Boeing V-44 QTR, it seems more efficient and stable.ī. You can of course tell this because in vertical flight mode the forward rotors are tilted up, while the rear rotors are titled down.Ī. In the video above, he uses a pull-push configuration, where the front rotors pull and the rear push. Is there any aerodynamic difference between rotor direction (pull-pull, pull-push, or push-push)?Ī. If you look at the designs of QTR aircraft there is a vertical and horizontal off-set, it seems that they found this to either avoid an aerodynamics problem or that it is more efficient.ģ. Is there a negative aerodynamic interaction between the rear and forward rotors with the rear rotors being directly in-alignment with the rotor wash from the forward rotors?Ī. While highly successful in its own right, the V-22 Osprey has stability issues, uncontrollable pitching moments, and many of its successors have employed the Quad Tit Rotor (QTR) design for long-rang heavy-lift VTOL operations.Ģ. What is the optimal number of rotors to meet the requirements of stability, range and VTOL?Ī. VIDEO: Quad copter hover plane test flight at NASAġ. Most notably, the transition between vertical and forward flight is smooth and the aircraft seems very stable and maneuverable in both modes. This video is the best example of a RC Quad Tilt Rotor I have ever seen. Optimized airfoil for flight envelope (altitude, range, speed) Tail surfaces to stabilize forward flightĨ. Minimum mass of the airframe while maintaining structural integrityĦ.Ěchieve optimal weight to lift ratio with addition of sensor/avionics payloadħ. Large wing surface, maximize lift to increase endurance and minimize stall speedĥ. This project may be a future contender in a Mars Aircraft competition, in which case I need to re-design it to operate above a ceiling of 200,000 feet, in a high altitude balloon drop test which simulates the Mars atmospheric pressure, and calculate to compensate for the reduced Mars gravity of 0.33 G.Ĥ. Next, I'll need to model the system, optimize the design for both vertical and forward flight and then build a small scale technology demonstrator as a proof of concept. By adding a wing, or multiple lift surfaces, and rotors that tilt it should possible to drastically increase the flight time at the same weight. Multi rotor aircraft of course have the advantage of vertical take-off and landing and being able to perform maneuvers that conventional aircraft can’t touch, however they also require 2-4 times lift (thrust) to weight and expend their energy too quickly to have any significant range. I need to first explore all of the potential configurations, and I am seeking your advice in determining the pros and cons and selecting the appropriate design. I'm setting out to build a Multi Tilt Rotor Plane intended for autonomous high endurance low speed flight.