Concept for Bearing Swivel Module

@stevesharp wrote:

Dear VTOL-Plane Enthusiast´s,

although I am new here, I have collected experience with ArduPlane over the last year. The reason I post this entry is to get ideas for a bearing swivel module control concept for a fixed wing aircraft.

The fundamental part consist of three swivel duct nozzles and their deflection angle and direction are changed through rotations of three ducts. The “real live” example can be found in one of the latest US fighter planes.

Inspired by other enthusiast I was able to build the mechanics and electronics of this duct arrangement for transition and yaw for an 90mm EDF fan. Beyond this key element, the other parts of the (S)VTOL system include another fixed vertical EDF close to the front of the plane for more lift and two fans installed into the wings to provide roll authority and a bit of additional lift force. During VTOL the moving ducts are pointing downwards creating a lift vector together with the fixed mount vertical EDF and the roll fans. The moving ducts also take yaw commands as well as a continuous transition command to transit into horizontal flight once enough altitude is reached. When the transition happens the vertical fan and the roll fans stop spinning until enough lift from the wings is established while the swivel ducts turn straight to create forward thrust.

Now thinking for a while, apparently the QuadPlane with TriCopter support seems to come close to achieve this task, but I believe the available parameters, frame class and type is not sufficient. Putting together the reqs:

1. VTOL:
   a. Left and right motors fixed and provide mainly roll authority
   b. Vertical front motor to provide lift thrust to hover. This additional motor asks for a new frame class, probably based on the TriCopter, MOTOR3… ???
   c. Tail motor (bearing swivel module) provide lift thrust to hover and yaw authority

2. Transition:
   a. Swivel module continuously changes deflection angle towards straight direction, providing forward motion and is under throttle authority
   b. Left, right and vertical motor to support altitude and roll and reduce lift once the wings provide enough lift
   c. Reverse order when landing

3. Forward flight
   a. Left, right and vertical motors stopped
   b. Regular modes for QuadPlane with aileron, elevator, rudder and throttle support

Besides my assumption for a new frame class (see 1a) and maybe frame type, I do not get the Q_TILT_TYPE sorted out, since I only have one tilt mechanism, which is the swivel module to achieve yaw authority as well as transition. I also have no tilt servos for the left and right motors, so even I tend to use Q_TILT_TYPE = Continuous (0) and a non-vectored type. However the Wiki mentions front tilt servos in the non-vectored mode, which this craft does not have. Also will the no-tilt left and right rotors act as roll thrusters?

I would appreciate if someone can share her/his thought, maybe someone collected already experience. Let me know if you have any questions and please push me to the right group (DEV?) if I am wrong in this forum.

Best regards,
Stefan

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