Patent ID: 7506837

Claim:
A system for controlling inbound transition of a tail-sitting vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, comprising: a fuselage; a first freewing and a second freewing pivotably mounted on opposing sides of the fuselage; an airspeed sensor, wherein the airspeed sensor determines an airspeed of the aircraft and outputs an airspeed indication signal; a controller in communication with the airspeed sensor, wherein the controller receives the airspeed indication signal, wherein the controller increases thrust of an engine of the aircraft to substantially maximum during inbound transition, and wherein the controller generates a pitch control signal and a freewing control signal in response to the airspeed indication signal; and at least one actuator in communication with the controller, wherein the at least one actuator actuates control surfaces of the aircraft in response to the pitch control signal, rapidly increases a pitch of the fuselage and decelerates the aircraft, wherein the at least one actuator actuates control surfaces of the first and second freewings in response to the freewing control signal to adjust lift produced by the first and second freewings to oppose climbing of the aircraft due to the increase in the thrust of the engine and the increase in the pitch of the fuselage, and wherein the controller decreases the thrust of the engine as the aircraft decelerates until the aircraft is in a hover mode.