Designed As An Energy-Saving Feature

The latest innovation to come out of Amazon's Prime Air Delivery program is a single-blade rotor for delivery drones, for which the company has received a patent.

The Puget Sound Business Journal reports that, according to the patent document, the single-blade rotors would require less energy to turn, and could also save power by shutting down during cruise.

The patent document describes a VTOL drone with the single-blade rotors on a fixed-wing or rotary wing aircraft. "Once established in forward flight, the first propulsion system driving the single blade propellers may be disengaged," the document states. "Upon disengaging the first propulsion system, the single blade propellers may stop spinning, and 'weathervane,' or self-align, such that the aerodynamic blade is oriented opposite the direction of travel."

The rotors could be re-engaged at any time in the flight "to transition to landing, to assist in a climb, to provide redundancy in a descent, to provide backup lift in the case of an emergency, or in any other situation requiring an increased lift capability."

Of course, a patent does not a product make ... and the FAA has still not given authorization to drone deliveries. But when that time comes, it appears Amazon is sitting on "G" and waiting on "O".

(Image from patent application)

FMI: www.uspto.gov