Originally Posted by
lowfat
I cant see how this is "new" concept and patent worthy as its just a rehashed British design TheFairy Rotodyne... they tried the props both ways aswell....
The Airbus Helicopters US patent noted in the article is based on a US application filed in July 2013, which was the month after X3's first flight, and an EU application (12400032) filed in July 2012. The AH patent in question (9,321,526) was granted by the US patent office, but the 18 claims it contains describe a compound helicopter with a specific arrangement of features that is novel, rather than the general concept of a compound helicopter. Eurocopter has several patents covering the X3 concept going back almost a decade.