A jet suit uses the wearer’s arms to steer thrust. Elsewhere, a flying frame picks up a passenger pod, and two aircraft connect at their wingtips. Each proposal rearranges the relationship between the person, the propulsion system and the airframe.

FIG. 01

Wear jets on your arms and back instead of boarding an airplane

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 3A, FIG. 3B
PUBLICATIONUS20190382114A1
Wear jets on your arms and back instead of boarding an airplane.
FIG. 01US20190382114A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Wear jets on your arms and back instead of boarding an airplane.

Wear jets on your arms and back instead of boarding an airplane.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed flight system places jet propulsion units on the user’s back and arms. Moving the arms changes the direction of thrust.

Gravity Industries Ltd.FIG. 01
ASSIGNEE
Gravity Industries Ltd.
PRIORITY
2017-02-22
PUBLISHED
2019-12-19
PUBLICATION
US20190382114A1
INVENTORS
Richard Browning
ORIGINAL
FIG. 02

Use pedal power to flap enormous wings like a bird

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1
PUBLICATIONUS20070029441A1
Human muscle power is transmitted into wing motion, bringing flapping flight back into the aircraft rather than relying only on a propeller.
FIG. 02US20070029441A1
Patent FIG. 1 showing a human-powered ornithopter-sailplane with a pilot at the center and large flapping wings extending to both sides.

Human muscle power is transmitted into wing motion, bringing flapping flight back into the aircraft rather than relying only on a propeller.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

"Man-powered ornithopter-sailplane" describes an aircraft that uses human power to move large wings in a bird-like flapping cycle. FIG. 1 places the pilot at the center of a long structure with broad wings extending to both sides.

Most human-powered aircraft favor a fixed wing and propeller because human output is limited. This proposal instead spends that scarce power on moving the wings themselves, returning to one of the oldest intuitions about flight.

IndividualFIG. 02
ASSIGNEE
Individual
PRIORITY
2003-09-11
PUBLISHED
2007-02-08
PUBLICATION
US20070029441A1
INVENTORS
Remigijus Dainys
ORIGINAL
FIG. 03

Put four huge ducted fans at the corners of the vehicle

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1
PUBLICATIONUS20180362160A1
Put four huge ducted fans at the corners of the vehicle.
FIG. 03US20180362160A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Put four huge ducted fans at the corners of the vehicle.

Put four huge ducted fans at the corners of the vehicle.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed personal aircraft arranges four ducted fans around the cockpit, with the side fans able to change direction.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.FIG. 03
ASSIGNEE
Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
PRIORITY
2017-06-14
PUBLISHED
2018-12-20
PUBLICATION
US20180362160A1
INVENTORS
Kirk L. Groninga / John Lloyd / Daniel B. Robertson
ORIGINAL
FIG. 04

Send a flight frame to pick up a detachable passenger pod

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, FIG. 4C
PUBLICATIONUS9963228B2
Send a flight frame to pick up a detachable passenger pod.
FIG. 04US9963228B2
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Send a flight frame to pick up a detachable passenger pod.

Send a flight frame to pick up a detachable passenger pod.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The flight frame and passenger pod are separate assemblies. The frame approaches a pod on the ground and attaches to it for transport.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.FIG. 04
ASSIGNEE
Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
PRIORITY
2016-07-01
PUBLISHED
2018-05-08
PUBLICATION
US9963228B2
INVENTORS
John Richard McCullough / Paul K. Oldroyd
ORIGINAL
FIG. 05

Dock two aircraft together wingtip-to-wingtip in flight

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 3
PUBLICATIONUS8061646B2
Dock two aircraft together wingtip-to-wingtip in flight.
FIG. 05US8061646B2
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Dock two aircraft together wingtip-to-wingtip in flight.

Dock two aircraft together wingtip-to-wingtip in flight.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed docking mechanism connects aircraft at their wingtips during flight.

Aurora Flight Sciences Corp. (original assignee)FIG. 05
ASSIGNEE
Aurora Flight Sciences Corp. (original assignee)
PRIORITY
2007-09-14
PUBLISHED
2011-11-22
PUBLICATION
US8061646B2
INVENTORS
Martin L. Gomez / Robert Parks / Adam J. Woodworth
ORIGINAL
FIG. 06

Hide wings and propellers inside a body that looks like a drink bottle

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 2
PUBLICATIONUS8888035B2
Hide wings and propellers inside a body that looks like a drink bottle.
FIG. 06US8888035B2
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Hide wings and propellers inside a body that looks like a drink bottle.

Hide wings and propellers inside a body that looks like a drink bottle.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed aircraft deploys wings, a tail and a propeller from a body shaped like a drinks bottle.

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.FIG. 06
ASSIGNEE
University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
PRIORITY
2008-08-25
PUBLISHED
2014-11-18
PUBLICATION
US8888035B2
INVENTORS
Richard Charles Lind Jr. / Daniel Thurmond Grant / David Eaton
ORIGINAL
FIG. 07

Fire stored telescoping wings outward with gas

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 6A, FIG. 6B, FIG. 6C, FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B
PUBLICATIONUS20090206193A1
Fire stored telescoping wings outward with gas.
FIG. 07US20090206193A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Fire stored telescoping wings outward with gas.

Fire stored telescoping wings outward with gas.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed wing uses gas pressure to push nested sections outward rapidly, then locks them in the extended position.

The Boeing Company (assignment recorded)FIG. 07
ASSIGNEE
The Boeing Company (assignment recorded)
PRIORITY
2006-06-09
PUBLISHED
2009-08-20
PUBLICATION
US20090206193A1
INVENTORS
David J. File
ORIGINAL
FIG. 08

Arrange feather-like panels so the wing itself can morph

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1, FIG. 2
PUBLICATIONUS20220281585A1
Arrange feather-like panels so the wing itself can morph.
FIG. 08US20220281585A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Arrange feather-like panels so the wing itself can morph.

Arrange feather-like panels so the wing itself can morph.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed wing uses linked feather-like panels whose spread and overlap change the shape of the wing.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)FIG. 08
ASSIGNEE
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
PRIORITY
2019-08-27
PUBLISHED
2022-09-08
PUBLICATION
US20220281585A1
INVENTORS
Daichi Wada
ORIGINAL
FIG. 09

Make the wing a giant ring and distribute propellers around it

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 5A
PUBLICATIONUS11603203B2
Make the wing a giant ring and distribute propellers around it.
FIG. 09US11603203B2
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Make the wing a giant ring and distribute propellers around it.

Make the wing a giant ring and distribute propellers around it.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

This distributed-propulsion proposal includes an aircraft with multiple propellers arranged around a closed ring-shaped wing.

Textron Innovations Inc.FIG. 09
ASSIGNEE
Textron Innovations Inc.
PRIORITY
2016-05-13
PUBLISHED
2023-03-14
PUBLICATION
US11603203B2
INVENTORS
Carlos Alexander Fenny / Rohn Lee Olson
ORIGINAL
FIG. 10

Put the passenger in a 'cocoon' and fly the whole capsule vertically

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1, FIG. 2
PUBLICATIONUS20220355922A1
Put the passenger in a 'cocoon' and fly the whole capsule vertically.
FIG. 10US20220355922A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Put the passenger in a 'cocoon' and fly the whole capsule vertically.

Put the passenger in a 'cocoon' and fly the whole capsule vertically.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed vehicle surrounds the passenger with a cocoon-shaped capsule and places propulsion units outside it for vertical flight.

IndividualFIG. 10
ASSIGNEE
Individual
PRIORITY
2019-07-03
PUBLISHED
2022-11-10
PUBLICATION
US20220355922A1
INVENTORS
Alberto Carlos Pereira Filho
ORIGINAL

AFTER THE FIGURES

What these ten figures reveal

These ten proposals separate and recombine the familiar parts of an aircraft. Propulsion moves onto the body, passenger pods detach from flight frames, and separate aircraft can join at their wingtips.

Wing design ranges from telescoping sections and feather-like panels to a closed ring lined with propellers. Flight becomes a question of how the body, cabin, wings and propulsion fit together.

SOURCES

Primary sources

  1. US20190382114A1 — A flight system
  2. US20070029441A1 — Man-powered ornithopter-sailplane
  3. US20180362160A1 — Personal air vehicle with ducted fans
  4. US9963228B2 — Aircraft with selectively attachable passenger pod assembly
  5. US8061646B2 — Wing tip docking system for aircraft
  6. US8888035B2 — Morphing aircraft
  7. US20090206193A1 — Ballistically deployed telescoping aircraft wing
  8. US20220281585A1 — Morphing wing, flight control device, flight control method, and storage medium
  9. US11603203B2 — Distributed propulsion system
  10. US20220355922A1 — Vertical take-off and landing cocoon-type flying vehicle
Gravity IndustriesBellAuroraBoeingJAXAUniversity of FloridaAviationVTOLMorphing AircraftDronesHuman Flight

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