Neil Gupta

US Patent:

20030052222, Mar 20, 2003

Filed:

Jul 8, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/191733

Inventors:

John Plump - Arlington MA, US
Neil Gupta - Costa Mesa CA, US

International Classification:

B64C029/00

US Classification:

244/02300A

Abstract:

An aerial vehicle including a toroidal fuselage having a longitudinal axis, and a duct extending along the longitudinal axis between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the fuselage, first and second counter-rotating, variable pitch rotor assemblies coaxially mounted within the duct of the fuselage, and at least one canard wing secured to the toroidal fuselage and having a leading edge positioned out of the duct of the fuselage and axially forward of the leading edge of the fuselage, wherein at least a portion of the canard wing comprises a control surface having a variable angle of attack. The invention provides an aerial vehicle that can take-off and land vertically, hover for extended periods of time over a fixed spatial point, and operate in confined areas. The aerial vehicle also has the ability to transition between a hover and high speed forward flight.