Patent ID: 7874525
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: B64C,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A vehicle, comprising: an exterior surface of the vehicle having a leading surface and a trailing surface; an engine mounted to the vehicle for propelling the vehicle in a forward direction, creating a boundary layer of fluid flow over the trailing surface of the vehicle; a plurality of micro-jet devices on the trailing surface, each of the micro-jet devices having an orifice for injecting a jet through the orifice, wherein the micro-jet devices are inclined in a forward direction relative to the portion of the trailing surface on which each of the micro-jet devices is mounted to direct the jets in a generally forward direction against the fluid flow to induce trapped vortices within the boundary layer of the fluid flow over the trailing surface of the vehicle; and a control system communicatively coupled to the micro-jet devices, wherein the control system is operable to control the micro-jet devices in response to vehicle control commands to control movement of the vehicle.