US Patent 7226017 Aerodynamically stable, high-lift, vertical takeoff aircraft

In a preferred embodiment, a vertical takeoff aircraft body having an inverted hemispherical upper portion, a generally cylindrical lower portion with a diameter of its upper end slightly greater than a diameter of its lower end but less than a diameter of the lower end of the upper portion, and a truncated inverted generally cone-shaped transition portion joining the upper portion and the lower portion; and a plurality of vertical columns attached to the aircraft body and spaced apart from the aircraft body, equidistantly disposed about the aircraft body. The present invention also provides novel landing gears for such an aircraft as well as a novel method of adjusting the pitches of rotating blades thereof.