PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 05 A2.07-8360 |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Revolutionary Atmospheric Flight Concepts |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | VTOL to Transonic Aircraft |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN
(Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Acuity Technologies Inc
3475 Edison Way Bldg P
Menlo Park ,CA 94025 - 1873
(650) 369 - 6783
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER
(Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert Clark
bob@acuitytx.com
3475 Edison Way Bldg P
Menlo Park, CA 94025 -1873
(650) 369 - 6783
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The cyclogyro, an aircraft propulsion concept with the potential for VTOL to the lower bounds of transonic flight, is conceptually simple but structurally and aerodynamically complex. To our knowledge no cyclogyro has ever flown. We propose to demonstrate through simulation and rotor testing that with appropriately designed cyclogyro rotors and propulsion algorithms, aircraft can transition smoothly from low-speed and vertical flight to near-transonic forward flight. We posit that lift and propulsion can be achieved while increasing the aircraft critical mach number above that of conventional subsonic airplanes with fixed wings. We will show that thrust and lift can be maintained across all speeds, and attainable thrust increases with increasing airspeed for constant rotor speed. Gliding and vertical autorotation can be performed safely with rotors stopped or rotating, respectively.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A practical cyclogyro would provide a NASA with a versatile, capable observation platform, chase plane, and instructional aeronautics demonstrator, as well as a test vehicle for improving cyclogyro flight characteristics and efficiency.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The benefits of a VTOL capable craft that can approach the speed of sound in forward flight without radical reconfiguration are many, including convenient commercial transportation, rapid disaster/rescue response, and flexible multi-mission defense vehicles. We propose that the realization of a successful cyclogyro design can be accomplished with revolutionary structural and aerodynamic innovations, and a successful cyclogyro would be a revolutionary subsonic aircraft.
NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA. |
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
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Airframe
Controls-Structures Interaction (CSI) |