Patent ID: 11945577
Assignee: INSITU, INC., A SUBSIDIARY OF THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An aerial vehicle configured to be selectively transitioned between a fixed wing flight configuration and a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) configuration, the aerial vehicle comprising:
a forward propeller configured to rotate when the aerial vehicle is in the fixed wing flight configuration and when the aerial vehicle is in the VTOL configuration, wherein in the fixed wing flight configuration the forward propeller rotates in a first forward plane, wherein in the VTOL configuration the forward propeller rotates in a second forward plane, and wherein the first forward plane is arranged at a first non-parallel angle with respect to the second forward plane;
an aft propeller configured to rotate at least when the aerial vehicle is in the VTOL configuration;
a forward landing arm, wherein the forward landing arm is configured to be tilted to a stowed position when the aerial vehicle is in the fixed wing flight configuration, wherein the forward landing arm produces less drag in the stowed position than when the aerial vehicle is in the VTOL configuration, and wherein the forward landing arm is coupled to the forward propeller such that tilting of the forward propeller causes corresponding tilting of the forward landing arm;
a forward elongated member, wherein the forward propeller is coupled to the forward elongated member, wherein the forward landing arm is engaged with, secured against, and at least substantially parallel to the forward elongated member when the aerial vehicle is in the fixed wing flight configuration and the forward landing arm is in the stowed position; and
an aft landing arm, wherein the forward landing arm and the aft landing arm are configured to extend downwardly when the aerial vehicle is in the VTOL configuration, such that the forward landing arm and the aft landing arm at least partially support the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is in the VTOL configuration and lands on a landing surface.