Patent ID: 11905002
Assignee: JOBY AERO, INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A method for the flying on an aerial vehicle adapted for vertical take-off and horizontal flight, said method comprising the steps of:
taking off the aerial vehicle from the ground vertically with the aerial vehicle in a vertical thrust configuration, wherein said aerial vehicle comprises:
a main vehicle body;
a right side wing, said right said wing coupled to a right side of said main vehicle body, said right side wing comprising a forward swept wing,
a plurality of right side rotor assemblies, said right side rotor assemblies comprising a propeller and a motor, wherein said right side wing rotor assemblies are attached to said right side wing, and wherein said right side wing rotor assemblies protrude forward of the leading edge of said right side wing along a middle section of the wing span, and wherein the centers of mass of each of the right side rotor assemblies are forward of the leading edge of said right side wing when in a forward flight configuration;
a left side wing, said left side wing coupled to a left side of said main vehicle body, said left side wing assembly comprising a forward swept wing;
a plurality of left side rotor assemblies, said left side rotor assemblies comprising a propeller and a motor, wherein said left side wing rotor assemblies are attached to said left side wing, and wherein said left side wing rotor assemblies protrude forward of the leading edge of said left side wing along a middle section of the wing span, and wherein the centers of mass of each of the left side rotor assemblies are forward of the leading edge of said left side wing when in a forward flight configuration,
wherein said right side wing rotor assemblies are attached to said aerial vehicle only to said right wing by a deployment mechanism adapted to deploy said right side wing rotor assemblies from a forward facing horizontal flight configuration to a vertical take-off configuration, said deployment mechanism coupled to said rotor assembly on a first end, said deployment mechanism coupled to said right side wing on a second end, and wherein said left side wing rotor assemblies are attached to said aerial vehicle only to said left wing by a deployment mechanism adapted to deploy said left wing rotor assemblies from a forward facing horizontal flight configuration to a vertical take-off configuration, said deployment mechanism coupled to said rotor assembly on a first end, said deployment mechanism coupled to said left side wing on a second end;

one or more right rear rotor assemblies, each of said one or more right rear rotor assemblies positioned rearward of said right wing, each of said one or more right rear rotor assemblies comprising a propeller and an electric motor, wherein said right rear rotor assemblies are attached the aerial vehicle by a deployment mechanism adapted to deploy said right rear assemblies from a forward facing horizontal flight configuration to a vertical take-off configuration;
one of more left rear rotor assemblies, each of said one or more left rear rotor assemblies positioned rearward of said left wing, each of said one or more left rear rotor assemblies comprising a propeller and an electric motor, wherein said left rear rotor assemblies are attached the aerial vehicle by a deployment mechanism adapted to deploy said left rear assemblies from a forward facing horizontal flight configuration to a vertical take-off configuration;
transitioning said aerial vehicle from said vertical take-off configuration by articulating said rotor assemblies from a vertical take-off orientation to a position which includes a horizontal thrust element, wherein said aerial vehicle begins to move forward with speed and generating lift with said wings; and
articulating said rotor assemblies further to a horizontal flight configuration, wherein said aerial vehicle gains more speed.