Patent ID: 8336809
Filing Date: 2012-12-25
Classification: A63H

Abstract:
1. A winged aircraft that is enabled to turn in a desired direction by utilizing differential drag acting upon the wings, said aircraft comprising: a left wing and a right wing each having a first average angle of attack with a first initial drag state, wherein at least a part of said wings is movable in a first and a second direction such that movement of said part in the first direction positively changes the average angle of attack to achieve a second state of increased drag and movement of said part in the second direction negatively changes the average angle of attack to achieve a third state of decreased drag, a force-transmitting member that is controlled by a left or right turning input, said force-transmitting member being operatively connected to said part of the wings, arranged to at least move said part of the left wing in said first direction or said part of the right wing in said second direction in response to a left turning input, and at least move said part of the right wing in said first direction or said part of the left wing in said second direction in response to a right turning input, said left and right wings are arranged with a large enough average angle of attack such that changes in the average angles of attack alters the drag acting upon the wings without also substantially altering the lift, wherein said left and right wings are flapping wings that comprise a rigid leading edge and a flexible skin mounted to said rigid leading edge, whereby, changing the average angle of attack on at least one of the wings to a state where the left wing and the right wing have different average angles of attack will result in different drag acting upon the respective wings, the wing having the greater average angle of attack also having the greater drag, thereby turning the aircraft in the direction of the wing having the greater average angle of attack.