Patent Publication Number: US-2016236110-A1

Title: Flying Toy Wingsuit Character

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e), this application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/116,616, filed on Feb. 16, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     (1) Field of Endeavor 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of remote controlled flying toys, and more particularly, to a control and steering system for flying toy figures. 
     (2) Description of Related Art 
     Past flying toy figures are generally planar in form, and they are driven by a single propeller or by two propellers in fixed relation to the body of the figure. The body typically has a vertical tail surface or fin for yaw directional stabilization. As a result, these flying toys can be difficult to maneuver and control at normal toy flight speeds. With this reduced control and stability, such toys often fly out of the range of the radio controller, often causing the toy to crash. 
     The present invention seeks to overcome these problems by providing a flying toy wingsuit character having a configuration in which the wing members and leg members induce stabilizing aerodynamic forces, thereby enhancing control of the flying toy figure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The wingsuit character comprises a body, wing members, leg members, a propulsion system, and a control system. The upper side of the body generally forms a back of the human figure, and the bottom side of the body generally forms a torso of the human figure. The leg members are spread apart in an A-shape, and they are generally cylindrical in shape, having features and contours defining the shape of a human leg. The leg members comprise a drag inducing edge that runs along the outside surface of each of the leg members. The wingsuit web spans between the leg members. The web is generally triangular in shape, and it extends from the apex of the leg members to the lower part of the leg members, terminating near the knee, calf, ankle, or feet of the leg members. 
     The forward portion of the body comprises a propulsion system. In one embodiment, the propulsion system has a support bar and at least one propulsion unit disposed near each end of the support bar. In another embodiment, the propulsion system comprises stand-alone pod units disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis of the wingsuit character. In one embodiment of the propulsion unit is an electrical motor driving a propeller. The propulsion system is operated and controlled by the control system, which typically comprises a receiver, a power source such as a battery, a circuit board, and other electronic components and wiring necessary to create electrical connectivity between the receiver, power source, and the propulsion units. 
     In one embodiment of the operation of the wingsuit character, the propulsion units are independently driven to promote a greater degree of steering and control by the user. In an embodiment having two propulsion units, for example, the user uses the wireless control device to send a signal to the receiver of the control system to allocate more power to the propulsion unit at one end of the support bar, thereby creating a thrust differential between the respective propulsion units. This increase in power causes an increase in thrust produced by the over powered propulsion unit, thereby producing greater thrust on one side of the body. This thrust differential forces the wingsuit character to bank and turn in the opposite direction. For example, to make a turn to the right, the control system allocates more power to the left propulsion unit, thereby creating greater thrust on the left side of the body and forcing the figure to turn to the right. A corresponding left turn is produced by producing more thrust from the right propulsion unit than from the left. 
     The wingsuit character has improved aerodynamic properties enabled by the configuration of the wing members, leg members, and web. For example, the severity of the dihedral angle is adjusted to create the desired stabilizing effect on the rolling motion of the wingsuit character. A more pronounced dihedral angle promotes greater rolling stability of the wingsuit character. A less pronounced dihedral angle renders the wingsuit character more susceptible to rolling oscillations and instabilities. 
     The yawing motion of the wingsuit character is controlled by the spread arrangement of the leg members and the drag inducing edge of the leg members. The spread arrangement of the leg members causes the outside surface to create drag, thereby causing the rearward portion of the wingsuit character to trail the forward portion of the wingsuit character during flight. This drag effect stabilizes the figure from yawing motion, and this stabilizing effect is enhanced by the additional drag created by the inducing edge, which provides further stabilization to the wingsuit character during flight. 
     The pitching motion of the wingsuit character is a function of the thrust of the propulsion units, the speed of flight, the location of the wingsuit character&#39;s center of gravity along the longitudinal axis, and the orientation and shape of the web at the rearward portion of the wingsuit character. The web acts as a trailing wing of the wingsuit character, thereby counteracting sharp movement in pitching motions of the wingsuit character during flight. 
     The overall shape of the wingsuit character produces an airfoil effect. In one exemplary embodiment, the wing members form a forward, elevated dihedral wing configuration that is elevated in relation to the remainder of the wingsuit character. The web is attached to the bottom portion of the leg members as described above, forming a rearward, lowered tail stabilizer that is lowered in relation to the remainder of the wingsuit character. During flight, the air moves over the elevated dihedral wing configuration and drops down to the lowered tail stabilizer as the air passes along the top of the wingsuit character. This drop in elevation causes reduced air pressure acting on the upper surfaces of the wingsuit character, thereby creating an uplift force on the overall wingsuit character. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a reverse isometric view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 4  is a left reverse isometric view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 7  is a back right isometric view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom view of one embodiment of the wingsuit character. 
         FIG. 12  shows an embodiment of the wingsuit character having a low poly configuration. 
         FIG. 13  is front view of one embodiment of a wireless control device. 
         FIG. 14  is a diagram showing one embodiment of the connectivity between a power source, a timer device, and an exemplary propulsion unit. 
         FIG. 15  is a diagram showing one embodiment of the connectivity between a power source, a timer device, and a propulsion unit. 
         FIG. 16  is a diagram showing one embodiment of the connectivity between a power source, a timer device, and a propulsion unit. 
     
    
    
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the figures are not intended to illustrate every embodiment of the invention. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments depicted in the figures, or to the shapes, relative sizes, or proportions shown in the figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the drawings, the flying toy wingsuit character will now be described with regard for the best mode and the preferred embodiment. In general, the device is a remote controlled, flying toy wingsuit character having improved aerodynamic properties. The embodiments disclosed herein are meant for illustration and not limitation of the invention. An ordinary practitioner will appreciate that it is possible to create many variations of the following embodiments without undue experimentation. 
     For the purpose of illustration, the wingsuit character described herein is presented in terms of a generic toy character, such as a toy human or animal figure. As used herein, the terms “right,” “left,” “forward,” “rearward,” “top,” “bottom,” and similar directional terms refer to orientations when facing the direction of flight of the wingsuit character  1 . The term “horizontal” means a plane generally parallel to the ground or other surface above which the wingsuit character  1  is flying. The term “vertical” means the direction generally perpendicular to the ground or other surface above which the wingsuit character  1  is flying. The term “electronic signal” means any wireless electromagnetic signal transmitted from the wireless control device  5  to the control system  30  for controlling the flying wingsuit character  1 . In one embodiment, the electronic signal is a radio frequency signal typical for radio controlled (RC) toys. The term “longitudinal axis” of the wingsuit character  1  refers to the axis about which the  FIG. 1  rolls. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , one embodiment of the wingsuit character  1  is in the general shape of a human wearing a wingsuit. This embodiment of the wingsuit character  1  comprises a body  10 , wing members  11 , leg members  12 , a propulsion system  25 , and a control system  30 . At least one embodiment of the wingsuit character  1  additionally comprises a head  13  and feet  14 , as described below. However, the head  13  and feet  14  are not required for proper operation of the wingsuit character  1 . 
     The wing members  11  comprise arms  15  of the human figure and the airfoil  16  portion, which is a web-like member that spans between the body  10  and the arms  15 . The upper side of the body  10  generally forms a back  17  of the human or animal character, and the bottom side of the body  10  generally forms a torso  18  of the human figure. In at least one embodiment, the wing members  11  are attached at the top of the body  10  near the back  17  so that the torso  18  projects below the interface between the wing members  11  and the body  10 . The wing members  11  are disposed either horizontally or in a dihedral arrangement such that the wing members  11  rise above the elevation of the back  17 . 
     The leg members  12  are spread apart in an A-shaped configuration, and they are generally in the form, shape, and proportion of legs of the character, whether human-like or animal-like legs. In other words, the leg members  12  are generally cylindrical in shape, having features and contours defining the shape of the leg of the character. The A-shaped arrangement of the leg members  12  causes drag forces that stabilize the wingsuit character  1  from yawing motion, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for vertical yaw stabilizers such as tail fins or other vertical members. The leg members  12  comprise a drag inducing edge  19  that runs along the outside surface of each of the leg members  12 . It is preferable, but not required, that the drag inducing edge  19  is located near the upper part of the outside surface of the leg members  12 . The drag inducing edge  19  is a raised edge, ridge, seam, or other protrusion that projects from the outside surface of the leg members  12 . For example, the drag inducing edge  19  could be a raised seam defined by the interface of two pieces of material that are adjoined to create at least a portion one of the leg members  12 . The drag inducing edge  19  could also be a rod, ridge, or other equivalent structure that is permanently, semi-permanently, or removably attached to the outside surface of the leg members  12 . The drag inducing edge  19  can be disposed either continuously or intermittently along the outside surface of the leg members  12 . 
     The wingsuit web  21  spans between the leg members  12 . The web  21  is generally triangular in shape, and it extends from the apex of the leg members  12  toward the extremities of the leg members  12 , terminating near the knee, calf, ankle, or feet  14  of the leg members  12 . In one embodiment, the web  21  is attached to the leg members  12  at a location near the chin or front of the quadriceps, or other equivalent feature, of the leg members  12 . In this configuration, the inside portion of the leg members  12  rises significantly above the top surface of the web  21 . In at least one embodiment, the web  21  further comprises flap members  22  disposed at the trailing edge of the web  21 . The flap members  22  act as ailerons, elevators, elevons or the like. 
     The forward portion of the body  10  comprises a propulsion system  25 . In one embodiment, the propulsion system  25  comprises a support bar  26  and at least one propulsion unit  27  disposed near each end of the support bar  26 . One embodiment of a propulsion unit  27  is an electrical motor driving a propeller. In another embodiment, the propulsion unit  27  is a ducted fan. In another embodiment, the propulsion units  27  are mounted directly to the wingsuit character  1  without the need for a support bar  26 . In this embodiment, the propulsion units  27  comprise one or more independently operated motors or motor pods mounted to the wingsuit character  1 , such as at the shoulders or elbows of the wingsuit character  1 , the wing members  11 , or elsewhere as desired. In any of the foregoing embodiments, the power delivered by the motors and the size and shape of the propellers is a matter of design choice, and these components of the propulsion units  27  are selected in proportion to the other aerodynamic properties of the flying wingsuit character  1 . The propulsion units  27  are independently operable, such that the thrust produced by one of the propulsion units  27  is independent of that produced by the other propulsion units  27 . 
     Another embodiment of the propulsion system  25  (not shown) comprises more than two propulsion units  27 . For example, one embodiment of the propulsion system  25  comprises two propulsion units  27  attached to the support bar  26  or directly to the wingsuit character  1  on one side of the body  10 , and two propulsion units  27  attached to the support bar  26  or directly to the wingsuit character  1  on the opposite side of the body  10 , for a total of four propulsion units  27 . In another embodiment of the propulsion system  25  (not shown), the flying wingsuit character  1  has two support bars  26  attached to the body  10 , with one support bar  26  above the other. Each of these support bars  26  supports two propulsion units  27  attached at opposite ends of the support bar  26 , for a total of four propulsion units  27 . In another embodiment, the propulsion system  25  comprises motor pods attached to the elbows and shoulders of the wingsuit character  1  for a total of four motor pods. 
     In any of the embodiments of the support bar  26 , the support bar  26  can take the shape of an airfoil or a wing such that the support bar  26  operates as a front wing  23  during flight, thereby creating an additional lift force for the flying wingsuit character  1 . 
     The propulsion system  25  is operated and controlled by the control system  30 , which comprises the electronic components for operation of the remote controlled wingsuit character  1 . Various embodiments of the control system  30  may comprise one or more of a receiver, a power source such as a battery, a circuit board, and other electronic components and wiring necessary to create electrical connectivity between the receiver, power source, and the propulsion units  27 . The main components of the control system  30  are attached to the wingsuit character  1  by tape, glue, screws, clips, or other suitable attachment material or device. Alternatively, any or all of the components of the control system  30  could be embedded or housed within the body  10  or within the head  13  (in embodiments of the wingsuit character  1  having a head  13 ). In any of the embodiments of the support bar  26 , the support bar  26  could be hollow, thereby acting as a conduit for the passage of electrical wires between the control system  30  and at least one of the propulsion units  27 . 
     On embodiment of the control system  30  of the flying wingsuit character  1  is controlled by a wireless control device  5  (see  FIG. 13 ) having a transmitter to transmit an electronic signal to the control system  30  of the flying wingsuit character  1 . The control system  30  controls the propulsion system  25  on the flying wingsuit character  1  to produce a gliding form of flight. 
     In one embodiment of the operation of the wingsuit character  1 , the propulsion units  27  are independently driven to promote a greater degree of steering and control by the user. In an embodiment having two propulsion units  27 , for example, the user uses the wireless control device  5  to send a signal to the receiver of the control system  30  to allocate more power to the propulsion unit  27  at one end of the support bar  26 , thereby creating a thrust differential between the respective propulsion units  27 . This increase in power causes an increase in thrust produced by the over powered propulsion unit  27 , thereby producing greater thrust on one side of the body  10 . This thrust differential forces the wingsuit character  1  to turn in the direction toward the lower powered propulsion unit  27 . For example, to make a turn to the right, the control system  30  allocates more power to the left propulsion unit  27 , thereby creating greater thrust on the left side of the body  10  and forcing the  FIG. 1  to turn to the right. A corresponding left turn is produced by producing more thrust from the right propulsion unit  27  than from the left. 
     The wingsuit character  1  has improved aerodynamic properties enabled by the configuration of the wing members  11 , leg members  12 , and web  21 . For example, the severity of the dihedral angle is adjusted to create the desired stabilizing effect on the rolling motion of the wingsuit character  1 . A more pronounced dihedral angle promotes greater rolling stability of the wingsuit character  1 . A less pronounced dihedral angle renders the wingsuit character  1  more susceptible to rolling oscillations and instabilities. 
     The yawing motion of the wingsuit character  1  is controlled by the spread arrangement of the leg members  12  and the drag inducing edge  19  of the leg members  12 . The spread arrangement of the leg members  12  causes the leg members  12  to create drag, thereby causing the rearward portion of the wingsuit character  1  to trail the forward portion of the wingsuit character  1  during flight. This drag effect stabilizes the  FIG. 1  from yawing motion, and this stabilizing effect is enhanced by the additional drag created by the inducing edge  19 , which provides further stabilization to the wingsuit character  1  during flight. The drag enhancement provided by the drag inducing edge  19  can be adjusted by altering the orientation and configuration of the drag inducing edge  19 . For example, a drag inducing edge  19  having a pronounced or sharp profile will create more drag and more stability, while diminishing the top speed at which the wingsuit character  1  can fly. A less pronounced, rounded, or intermittently spaced drag inducing edge  19  creates a lesser drag effect, thereby reducing the stabilizing effect while allowing for a higher top-end flying speed of the wingsuit character  1 . The stabilizing drag effect can be further enhanced by adding feet  14  to the ends of the leg members  12 . 
     The pitching motion of the wingsuit character  1  is a function of the thrust of the propulsion units (i.e. the acceleration or deceleration of the wingsuit character  1 ), the location of the wingsuit character&#39;s  1  center of gravity along the longitudinal axis, and the orientation of the web  21  at the rearward portion of the wingsuit character  1 . The effect of the center of gravity on the pitch is discussed above. The acceleration of the propulsion units  27  has an effect on the pitch of the wingsuit character  1  that would be appreciated by persons skilled in the art. The web  21  acts as a trailing wing of the wingsuit character  1 , thereby counteracting sharp movement in pitching motions of the wingsuit character  1  during flight. 
     The overall shape of the wingsuit character  1  produces an airfoil effect, thereby generating additional lift over that provided by the wing members  11  alone. In one exemplary embodiment, the wing members  11  are in a dihedral configuration with the base of each wing member  11  attached to the body  10  in close proximity to the back  17 . This arrangement creates a forward, elevated or raised dihedral wing configuration  35  that is elevated in relation to the remainder of the wingsuit character  1 . The web  21  is attached to the bottom portion of the leg members  12  as described above, forming a rearward, lowered tail stabilizer  36  that is lowered in relation to the remainder of the wing suit character  1 . During flight, the air moves over the elevated dihedral wing configuration  35  and drops down to the lowered tail stabilizer  36  as the air passes along the top of the wingsuit character  1 . This drop in elevation causes reduced air pressure in the airflow over the top of the wingsuit character  1 , thereby creating an uplift force on the overall wingsuit character  1 . 
     In one embodiment, the elevation difference between the forward, elevated dihedral wing configuration  35  and the lower tail stabilizer  36  is greater than or equal to the thickness of the body  10 . The thickness of the body  10  is the distance from the top surface of the back  17  to the bottom surface of the torso  18  when measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at the thickest part of the body  10 . In another embodiment, the elevation difference between the forward, elevated dihedral wing configuration  35  and the lower tail stabilizer  36  is greater than or equal to twice the thickness of the body  10 . In another embodiment, the elevation difference between the forward, elevated dihedral wing configuration  35  and the lower tail stabilizer  36  is greater than or equal to three times the thickness of the body  10 . 
     In another embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the wingsuit character  101  is particularly suited for high lift and slow speed, which produces a smooth gliding action during flight. The wing members  111  and the web  121  extend beyond the leg members  112 , taking the form of a cape-like member of the wingsuit character  101 . The arms  115  are swept back at an angle that ranges from approximately 30 degrees to approximately 40 degrees in relation to the longitudinal axis. In one embodiment, the arms  115  are positioned at about 37 degrees from the longitudinal axis. 
     The propulsion units  127  are attached to the wing members  111  on each side of the body  110 . As one example, on each side of the body  110  at least one propulsion unit  112  is disposed at a wing vent  134  located between the arm  115  and the body  110 , between the arm  115  and the leg member  112 , or between the arm  115  and the far edge of the wing member  111 . In one embodiment, the wing members  111  comprise a convex duct  132  in front of the propulsion units  127  on the forward side of the vent  134 . The convex duct  132  forms a convex bubble-like surface on the top side of the wing members  111 . The bottom side of the convex duct  132  forms a concave ducted surface that permits at least some of the high pressure air under the wing members  111  to pass around the body  110 , through the wing vents  134 , and over the top side of the wingsuit character  101 . The arms  115  of the  FIG. 101  are disposed in a dihedral configuration, and the top of the convex duct  132  rises above the level of the back  117 . The convex duct  132  exaggerates the elevation difference between the elevated dihedral wing configuration  135  and the lowered tail stabilizer  136 . 
     The convex duct  132  extends over the propeller such that the convex duct  132  protects the propeller from intruding objects, debris, and accidental contact by the user. In one embodiment of the wingsuit character  101 , the underside of the wing members  111  further comprises one or more propulsion unit guards  137 , which protects certain components of the propulsion units  127 , such as a propeller, from interference by intruding objects, debris, and accidental contact by the user. In one embodiment, one or more unit guards  137  is disposed on the underside of the wing member  111 . The unit guards  137  cooperate with the convex duct  132  and a propulsion unit  127  such that the combination of these elements acts as a ducted fan for propelling the wingsuit character  101 . 
     In this embodiment, the  FIG. 101  further comprises fin members  133  that are located on the underside of the wing member  111 , the web  121 , or both. The fin members  133  are generally oriented in line with the leg member  112 . The fin members  133  provide additional stabilization to the wingsuit character  101  in the yaw direction. One embodiment of the fin members  133  is placed at an adjustable orientation with respect to the legs members  112  such that the fin members  133  can be bent or moved to control flight trim of the wingsuit character  101 . The leg members  112  are separated at an angle that ranges from about 30 degrees to about 50 degrees. In one embodiment, the leg members  112  are separated at about a 40 degree angle. 
     In one variation of this embodiment, the wing members  111  extend beyond the leg members  112 , as does the web  121  and the lowered tail stabilizer  136 . The wing members  111  and the web  121  are arranged in a dihedral configuration for at least one half of their length. In another variation, the wing members  111  and the web  121  continue coextensively beyond the end of the leg members  112 , and the dihedral arrangement extends for the full length of the wing members  111 . 
     In another embodiment of the wingsuit character  201 , shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , the  FIG. 201  comprises only one propulsion unit  227 , which is attached to the back  217  of the  FIG. 201 . The propulsion unit  227  is protected by a guard  207 , which is attached to the back  217 , wing members  211 , arms  215 , or convex ducts  232 . 
     In another embodiment of the wingsuit  FIG. 301 , shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the  FIG. 301  does not have a control system or any other electronics. Instead, the wingsuit  FIG. 301  acts as a glider that is tossed by the user. The wing members  311  comprise one or more optional cutouts that act as vents  302  in the plane of the wing members  311 . The vents  302  generally take the shape of a circle or oval, although they can be of many different shapes. The vents  302  are disposed in the plane of the wing member  311 , without a convex duct. In this embodiment, the wingsuit  FIG. 301  is thrown by hand, and the  FIG. 301  takes an otherwise unpropelled form of gliding flight. The vents  302  create an exaggerated drag effect on the wingsuit  FIG. 301 , thereby acting as air brakes. The drag effect is proportional to the size of the vents  302 , with larger vents  302  generating more drag. Because of the drag effect, the wingsuit  FIG. 301  of this embodiment is particularly well-suited for flying short distances of about 15 feet to about 25 feet when thrown by the user. Thus, the wingsuit  FIG. 301  of this embodiment is well-suited for indoor use and for playing games of “catch” with another user. 
     In any of the foregoing embodiments, the wingsuit character  1  can take the form of a polygon mesh, such as a “low poly” or “mid poly” design, as shown in  FIG. 12 . In this embodiment, the wingsuit character  1  comprises the same or similar elements as the embodiments described above. For simplicity and clarity, these elements are not repeated here. 
     In any of the foregoing embodiments that comprise propulsion units  27 ,  127 ,  227 , the wingsuit character  1 ,  101 ,  201  can be further modified to include a timer device  501  for controlling the propulsion units  527 . According to this modification, the wireless control device  5  is removed, and the control system  530  is modified to incorporate the timer device  501 . Referring to  FIGS. 14-16 , the timer device  501  is an electrical component that enables power to transfer from a power source  506  to the propulsion units  527 . In this manner, the timer device  501  is configured to activate the propulsion units  527  upon the user&#39;s command, and then deactivate the propulsion units  527  after a pre-determined period of time. By way of example, the embodiment of the wingsuit character  201  shown in  FIGS. 7-9  could be adapted such that the control system  230  comprises a timer device  501 . As shown in  FIGS. 14-16 , in many embodiments, the power source  506  is a battery that is part of the control system  230 , and the power is electrical power flowing from the battery to the propulsion units  527 , each of which is an electric motor driving a propeller. Upon the user&#39;s command, the timer device  501  activates the battery  506  to power the propulsion units  527 , and then deactivate the battery  506  after a pre-determined period of time, such as five seconds or ten seconds, which deactivates the propulsion units  527 . 
     In these embodiments, the user holds the wingsuit character  201  in one hand, and then activates the timer device  501  to start the propulsion units  527 . The user then tosses the wingsuit character  201  into the air, and the  FIG. 501  takes to flight. After the pre-determined period of time expires, the propulsion units  527  cease operation, and the wingsuit character  201  glides softly to the ground in a skid-like landing. Since this embodiment does not comprise a wireless control device  5 , the user has no control over the wingsuit character  201  during flight. 
     There are several embodiments of user activation of the timer device  501 . For example, in one embodiment the timer device  501  is housed inside the body  210 . The outside surface of the body  210  or the wing member  211  comprises an activation device  502  for activating the timer device  501 . The activation device  502  is a switch, a button, a lever, or other device disposed in communication with the timer device  501  and configured for activating the timer device  501 . In another embodiment, the body  210  of the wingsuit character  201  comprises a resilient material, such as deformable plastic or rubber, and the activation device  502  is placed below the surface of the body  510 . The user engages the activation device  502  by squeezing the body  510 . For example, the activation device  502  could be a button placed below a rubber surface of the body  210  in proximity to the torso, such as near the rib cage. The user engages the activation device  502  by squeezing the rib cage, which starts the time device  501  and activates the propulsion units  527 . The wingsuit character  201  is then ready to be tossed into flight. 
     The pre-determined periods of timer device  501  activation are adjustable by the user. The periods of time could be five seconds, ten seconds, fifteen seconds, or the like. The pre-determined time period could be fixed by the timer device  501 , or it could be selected by the user via a selector device  503 . The selector device  503  is a switch, button, lever, or other device enabling the user to alter the pre-determined time period for the timer device  501 . For example, the selector device  503  could be a switch having two different positions corresponding to time periods of ten seconds and fifteen seconds, respectively. The selector device  503  could have a third position or more, corresponding to time periods of twenty seconds, twenty-five seconds, and the like. Alternately, the selector device  503  could be a button that the user depresses once for a 5 second time period, twice for a ten second time period, three times for a fifteen second time period, and so on. In another embodiment, the selector device  503  is a button, and the user controls the pre-determined time period by depressing the button and holding it down. For example, depressing the button for one second, two seconds, and three seconds corresponds to pre-determined time periods of five seconds, ten seconds, and fifteen seconds, respectively. The foregoing examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the scope of the selector device  503  or the timer device  501 . 
     In one embodiment, the timer device  501  further comprises a control unit  504 , which comprises circuitry or other functionality configured to control the flight pattern of the wingsuit character  201  such that the wingsuit character  201  flies in a pre-determined flight pattern. The control unit  504  could be a circuit, a microprocessor, or another electrical or processing unit configured to control the propulsion units  527 . The pre-determined flight pattern could be a figure-eight, a circle, a serpentine pattern, or some other pattern. 
     In one embodiment, the control unit  504  is configured to control power delivered to each propulsion unit  527  to control the predetermined flight pattern. The variable power allocation controls the thrust output of each of the propulsion units. For example, in one embodiment the control unit  504  allocates more power to the right propulsion unit  527  than to the left propulsion unit  527 , thereby causing a thrust differential and turning the wingsuit character  201  to turn to the left, as described in more detail above. Maintaining this power allocation for the duration of the pre-determined time period causes the wingsuit character  201  to fly in a circular pattern by circling to the left. As another alternative, the control unit  527  under powers the left propulsion unit  527  only for a segment of the pre-determined time period before reversing the power allocation between the propulsion units  527  such that the left propulsion unit  527  receives more power than the right propulsion unit  527 . This power allocation causes the wingsuit character  201  to turn back to the right. Alternating these two different power allocations during the pre-determined time period causes the wingsuit character  201  to fly in a serpentine pattern, turning back and forth until the pre-determined time period ends and the wingsuit character  201  glides to a skid landing. 
     In another embodiment, the pre-determined flight pattern is determined by adjusting the fin members  233  prior to activating the timer device  501 . The fin members  233  are flexibly adjustable members that remain in a fixed orientation during flight. Between flights, the orientation of the fin members  233  is adjusted by the user as desired. Adjustment of the fin members  233  may be for trim of the wingsuit character  201 , or it could be a more pronounced adjustment that causes the wingsuit character  201  to fly in a circular or spiral patter as described above. 
     The timer device  501  and the control unit  504  could be separate components or integrated into the same component within the control system  230 . For example, the timer device  501  could be an electrical gate that permits electricity to flow from a power source  506 , such as a battery, to the electrical propulsion units  527 . The gate opens to enable operation of the propulsion units  527 , and the gate closes to cut off the flow of electricity to the propulsion units  527 , thereby terminating their operation. 
     For example, in one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 15 , the timer device  501  comprises a board supporting circuitry for the electrical components described herein. The timer device  501  comprises a transistor  541 , such as a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (“MOSFET”), and a capacitor  542 . Transistors  541  other than a MOSFET could be suitable for the purpose as well. The activation device  502  signals the MOSFET  541  to open the gate, thereby permitting electricity to reach the capacitor  542  and fill it. After the activation device  502  is released, the capacitor  542  provides enough electricity to keep the gate open, thereby enabling the flow of electricity to the propulsion units  527 . Once the capacitor  542  has exhausted its electricity storage, the gate closes, electricity ceases flowing to the propulsion units  527 , and the propulsion units  527  cease operation. The wingsuit character  201  then glides to a skid landing as described above. The timer device  501  can further comprise a resistor  543 , which slows down the discharge of electricity from the capacitor  542 . The gate in the MOSFET  541  therefore stays open for a longer period of time, enabling operation of the propulsion units  527  for a longer time period. A resistor  543  providing greater resistance prolongs energy dissipation from the capacitor  542 , thereby enabling a longer operational time of the propulsion units  527 . Correspondingly, a resistor  543  providing lower resistance will comparatively lessen the operational time of the propulsion units  527 . The timer device  501  can further comprise an optional circuit overload diode  507 . 
     In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 16 , the timer device  527  comprises an integrated circuit  545  pre-programmed with timing functionality, and two potentiometers (“pots”), a first pot  546  and a second pot  547 . The integrated circuit  545  is programmed to read the values from the two pots  546 ,  547 . The signals from the first and second pots  546 ,  547  are converted to a time values and thrust values, respectively. The activation device  502  signals the integrated circuit  545  to turn on the propulsion units  527  for the pre-determined period of time designated by the signal from the first pot  546  at the thrust level determined by the signal from the second pot  547 . Then the pre-determined period of time expires, the integrated circuit  545  signals the propulsion units  527  to cease operation, and the wingsuit character  201  glides to a skid landing. 
     The foregoing embodiments are merely representative of the flying wingsuit character and not meant for limitation of the invention. For example, persons skilled in the art would readily appreciate that there are several embodiments and configurations of wing members, leg members, the propulsion system, or the control system will not substantially alter the nature of the flying wingsuit character. Consequently, it is understood that equivalents and substitutions for certain elements and components set forth above are part of the invention described herein, and the true scope of the invention is set forth in the claims below.