Abstract: An autonomous flight vehicle capable of both rotary wing flight and fixed wing flight may include a pair of rotary wing flight thrusters used during rotary wing flight and a smaller pair of hybrid flight thrusters used during both rotary wing flight and fixed wing flight. The larger rotary wing flight thrusters are skewed at an angle to reduce an apparent torque and improve the controllability of the autonomous flight vehicle, while using smaller, and so more efficient, thrusters during fixed wing flight.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, includes a fuselage, left and right airfoil-shaped wings connected to the fuselage to generate lift in forward flight, a left thrust-generating device supported by the left wing, and a right thrust-generating device supported by the right wing. The UAV further includes a vertical stabilizer, a top thrust-generating device mounted to a top portion of the vertical stabilizer, and a bottom thrust-generating device mounted to a bottom portion of the vertical stabilizer. An onboard power source is provided for powering the thrust-generating devices. The left, right, top and bottom thrust-generating devices provide forward thrust during forward flight and also provide vertical thrust to enable the unmanned aerial vehicle to take-off and land vertically when the fuselage is substantially vertical and further enabling the unmanned aerial vehicle to transition between forward flight and vertical take-off and landing.

Abstract: An autonomous flight vehicle capable of both rotary wing flight and fixed wing flight may include a pair of rotary wing flight thrusters used during rotary wing flight and a smaller pair of hybrid flight thrusters used during both rotary wing flight and fixed wing flight. The larger rotary wing flight thrusters are skewed at an angle to reduce an apparent torque and improve the controllability of the autonomous flight vehicle, while using smaller, and so more efficient, thrusters during fixed wing flight.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, includes a fuselage, left and right airfoil-shaped wings connected to the fuselage to generate lift in forward flight, a left thrust-generating device supported by the left wing, and a right thrust-generating device supported by the right wing. The UAV further includes a vertical stabilizer, a top thrust-generating device mounted to a top portion of the vertical stabilizer, and a bottom thrust-generating device mounted to a bottom portion of the vertical stabilizer. An onboard power source is provided for powering the thrust-generating devices. The left, right, top and bottom thrust-generating devices provide forward thrust during forward flight and also provide vertical thrust to enable the unmanned aerial vehicle to take-off and land vertically when the fuselage is substantially vertical and further enabling the unmanned aerial vehicle to transition between forward flight and vertical take-off and landing.