Patent 6932569 was granted and assigned to Sikorsky Aircraft on August, 2005 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A multi-element rotor blade includes an individually controllable main element and fixed aerodynamic surface in an aerodynamically efficient location relative to the main element. The main element is controlled to locate the fixed aerodynamic surface in a position to increase lift and/or reduce drag upon the main element at various azimuthal positions during rotation.