Patent ID: 11891164
Assignee: WING AVIATION LLC
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 10:
11. A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) adapted for a package delivery mission, the method comprising:
powering distributed propulsion units during takeoff and landing segments of the package delivery mission, wherein the distributed propulsion units are mounted below fixed wings of the UAV and have first propellers mounted fore of the fixed wings; and
idling at least a portion of the distributed propulsion units while powering a pair of outboard propulsion units during a cruise segment of the package delivery mission, wherein the outboard propulsion units are each mounted to a corresponding one of the fixed wings outboard of the distributed propulsion units, wherein the outboard propulsion units include outboard propellers having a larger diameter than the first propellers, wherein the distributed propulsion units are oriented for forward propulsion of the UAV.