Compact aerial mission modular material handling system

Abstract

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, a method, system and apparatus for an aircraft may be shown and described. An exemplary embodiment may be an autonomous aircraft which can vertically takeoff and land (VTOL). The VTOL aircraft may have a modular pod which carries a removable payload. The entire VTOL aircraft may be portable. An exemplary embodiment may fit into a standard sized freight container. A propulsion system may be based on distributed electric propulsion. An exemplary embodiment may implement variable pitch propellers and collective pitch variation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:
 a plurality of wings, each wing having at least a portion configured to rotate into a vertical position for takeoff and landing and rotate into a horizontal position for flight;   a plurality of nacelles, each nacelle being coupled to a wing of the plurality of wings;   a plurality of rotors, each rotor being coupled to a corresponding nacelle, the corresponding nacelle housing at least one motor configured to rotate the rotor;   a flight controller configured to control the plurality of rotors, and   a mission modular pod removably coupled to the VTOL aircraft;   wherein an interface between the mission modular pod and the VTOL aircraft is adjustably configured to balance a payload in the mission modular pod and wherein a location of the payload is adjusted autonomously prior to takeoff to set a center of gravity within predefined bounds for enhancing control authority and stability in both hover and horizontal flight modes.   
     
     
         2 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is configured to perform collective pitch control of the plurality of rotors, wherein the collective pitch control performs alteration of angles of all blades in each respective rotor, wherein the flight controller is further configured to perform the collective pitch control to produce thrust vectoring that stabilizes the payload. 
     
     
         3 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 landing gear coupled to one or more nacelles or to one or more wings;   wherein the landing gear is rotated during the takeoff and landing.   
     
     
         4 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to perform RPM control of the plurality of rotors and to perform adjustment of rotation speed of each rotor individually. 
     
     
         5 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , further comprising a fuselage. 
     
     
         6 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the interface between the mission modular pod and the VTOL aircraft is adjustable relative to a fore-aft axis of the VTOL aircraft. 
     
     
         7 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the mission modular pod is removably coupled to the VTOL aircraft at a base of a pylon located at a bottom surface of the VTOL aircraft. 
     
     
         8 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of nacelle pylons, the nacelle pylons comprising one or more of the plurality of nacelles and wherein the nacelle pylons further comprise landing gear; and   the nacelle pylons are configured to rotate during takeoff and landing.   
     
     
         9 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 8 , wherein the landing gear is sufficiently spaced to enhance ground stability during loading and unloading of cargo. 
     
     
         10 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 8 , wherein the landing gear is sufficiently spaced to facilitate maneuvers during the takeoff and landing. 
     
     
         11 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the mission modular pod further comprises energy storage configured to recharge energy storage within the VTOL aircraft. 
     
     
         12 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein each nacelle of the plurality of nacelles is configured to rotate independently into the vertical position or the horizontal position for the takeoff, flight, and landing. 
     
     
         13 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the pylon further comprises motors configured to position the payload relative to the fore-aft axis of the VTOL aircraft. 
     
     
         14 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 13 , wherein the motors are configured to position the payload to optimize a center of gravity of the VTOL aircraft. 
     
     
         15 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the wings are configured to rotate with the nacelles into the vertical position for takeoff and landing and rotate into the horizontal position for flight. 
     
     
         16 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein both the plurality of rotors and the plurality of wings are configured to rotate in a tilt-wing configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the VTOL aircraft is configured to fit into a standard 20-foot freight container. 
     
     
         18 . The VTOL aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein, in a parking position, the VTOL aircraft is configured to be loaded or unloaded from multiple angles.