Flying platform

Claim 1

A FLYING PLATFORM AERIAL VEHICLE OF THE VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING TYPE COMPRISING A SHALLOW, GENERALLY FLAT, PLATFORM-LIKE CHASSIS ELONGATED IN THE FORE-AND-AFT DIRECTION, INCLUDING A PAIR OF DUCTED LIFT ROTOR UNITS, ONE AT THE LEADING END AND ONE AT THE TRAILING END OF THE CHASSIS FOR LIFTING THE VEHICLE AND SUSTAINING THE SAME IN THE AIR, EACH OF SAID LIFT ROTOR UNITS COMPRISING A ROTOR HAVING PLURAL BLADES RADIATING FROM A ROTOR AXIS AND A SHROUD WALL ENCIRCLING THE ROTOR ON ALL SIDES AND DEFINING A CIRCULAR DUCT WITHIN WHICH THE ROTOR ROTATES ORIENTED TO PROVIDE RESULTANT AIRFLOW EMANATING FROM THE DUCT WHICH WILL PRODUCE A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL LIFT FORCE, A PILOT''S STATION ON SAID CHASSIS LYING BETWEEN THE PAIR OF ROTOR UNIT DUCTS APPROXIMATELY IN THE PLANE OF ROTATION OF AT LEAST ONE OF THE ROTORS, POWER PLANT MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID ROTORS, MEANS COUPLING SAID POWER PLANT MEANS WITH THE ROTORS TO DRIVE THE ROTORS IN OPPOSITELY RELATED DIRECTIONS, SAID DUCTS EACH HAVING A CONVEXLY CURVED ANNULAR INLET LIP AT THE UPPER END THEREOF OVER WHICH AIR IS DRAWN UPON ROTATION OF THE ROTORS TO PROVIDE VERTICAL AND RADIAL FORCE COMPONENTS RESULTING FROM AIR FLOW ALONG SAID LIP, MEANS LOCATED ABOVE EACH ROTOR INCLUDING A TILTABLE SPIDER MEMBER ROTATABLE ABOUT THE ROTOR AXIS AND ECCENTRICALLY CONNECTED TO THE ROTOR BLADES, AND MEANS CONTROLLED FROM SAID PILOT''S STATION FOR ADJUSTING SAID SPIDER MEANES TO SELECT TILT POSITIONS TO VARY THE CYCLIC PITCH OF THE ASSOCIATED ROTOR FOR PRODUCING RADIAL PROPULSIVE THRUST COMPONENTS AND TILTING OF THE VEHICLE ABOUT ITS PITCH AND ROLL AXES, AND MEANS CONTROLLED FROM SAID PILOT''S STATION FOR ADJUSTING THE SPIDER MEMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH ROTOR TO VARY THE DIFFERENTIAL COLLECTIVE PITCH OF THE ROTORS FOR LONGITUDINAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IN FLIGHT.