Dave,
That patent looks pretty close to where I am going!
If I could just figure what a "plurality of electric fans" meant.
You are good finding patents. I don't put much faith in patents, let us see the actual thing fly first before they ask for a patent.
But my plan of moving from STOL gradually to VTOL may still apply.
And it looks like the military futurists are looking at electric fans also.
slowrotor