Abstract: Vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (VTOLs) of the type used for the point-to-point delivery and transport of payloads (e.g., packages, equipment, etc.) and personnel, are significantly stabilized at least during takeoff and landing with present aspects significantly ameliorating or significantly eliminating destabilizing effects, including ground effect, during VTOL takeoff and/or landing.

Abstract: Cargo containers are disclosed herein. A cargo container for carrying one or more delivery items to respective delivery destinations may include a container body configured to at least partially enclose and support the delivery item(s) and to be selectively and operatively coupled to a vehicle. The cargo container additionally may include a programmable device supported by the container body that stores manifest information regarding each delivery item. The cargo container further may include a container communication device supported by the container body and configured to convey delivery information to a vehicle communication device of the vehicle to direct the vehicle to the delivery destination(s) of the delivery item(s). The manifest information may include item destination information that represents the delivery destination of each delivery item, and the delivery information may be at least partially based upon the item destination information.

Abstract: Delivery systems for aerial vehicles may provide a passive automatic delivery system that is automatically triggered during landing of the aerial vehicle. One or more arm assemblies of the delivery system may include a respective landing arm, resilient member, and package guide. The landing arm is configured to rotate in response to an applied external force, with the resilient member being operatively coupled to the landing arm and configured to bias the landing arm towards a resting position. The package delivery system automatically releases the package when a delivery condition is met, such as the landing arms of the delivery system being rotated past a threshold position. Delivery systems can thus passively and automatically ensure that all landing arms are on a landing surface before the package is released. Related methods include approaching and contacting a landing surface, and releasing the package at the landing surface of the delivery location.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to case harden titanium alloys are disclosed. A disclosed example method for case hardening a substrate including titanium comprises providing the substrate to a chamber; evacuating the chamber to achieve a vacuum therein, heating the substrate, providing a process gas to the chamber to diffuse hydrogen and a case hardening addition into the substrate, and evacuating the chamber to cause at least a portion of the hydrogen to diffuse from the substrate.

Abstract: A system may include a first duct including an air inlet end and an air outlet end, and a valve within the first duct and configured to open to allow or close to prevent fan duct air from the air inlet end to pass through to the air outlet end of the first duct. The system may also include a second duct including a first end and a second end. The first end of the second duct may be coupled to a sidewall of the first duct and configured to allow the fan duct air to flow from the first duct to the second duct. The system may also include a resonance chamber coupled to the second end of the second duct and configured to allow the air in the resonance chamber to act as a spring causing the air in the second duct to oscillate at a predefined frequency.

Abstract: A direct drive electrically-geared turbofan is provided via a first magnetic gearbox assembly connected to a fan of a turbofan engine; a second magnetic gearbox assembly connected to a spool shaft of the turbofan engine; and a speed controller configured to adjust a rotational speed of the fan based on a rotational speed of the spool shaft by selectively coupling and decoupling the first magnetic gearbox assembly with the second magnetic gearbox assembly. In various aspects, the first or second magnetic gearbox assembly includes a permanent magnet array, while a different one of the first or second magnetic gearbox assemblies includes a rotor winding separated from the permanent magnet array by an air gap; and the speed controller is configured to selectively couple and decouple the first and second magnetic gearbox assemblies with each other via controlling a switch in a winding circuit with the rotor winding.

Abstract: A health monitoring system including an array of microphones, a data collection system, and analytic software used to detect health status, pending malfunctions, or faults of several disparate, engine subsystems. The system can be used to monitor health of the main engines, the engine nacelles, and auxiliary power units (APU) on the aircraft.

Abstract: A method including executing a logical computing element (LCE) on a server. Worker LCEs are executed on the server. A first electronic file comprising geometry data in a first data structure is received at the controller LCE. An available worker LCE is identified, by the controller LCE, as an in-use worker LCE from among the worker LCEs. The geometry data is imported by the in-use worker LCE. A job instance is established by the in-use worker LCE. A rendering engine is launched by the in-use worker LCE. The rendering engine generates, for the job instance and using the geometry data, a dataset file in a second data structure different than the first data structure. The dataset file is returned by the in-use worker LCE to the controller LCE. The dataset file is returned by the controller LCE to a remote computer.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for high-traffic density personalized transportation. An example system includes a transit carrier having a first movement system, first stacking couplers, first and second magnetic couplers, and a first location, a transit pod having a second movement system, second stacking couplers, and a second location, the second stacking couplers configured to couple to the first stacking couplers, and a controller to in response to obtaining a request to direct the transit carrier to move from the first location to the second location, invoke the transit pod to couple to the transit carrier by directing the transit pod to move on top of the transit carrier using the second movement system, and when the transit carrier is coupled to the transit pod, invoke the transit carrier to move the transit pod to a third location using the first movement system.

Abstract: A passenger service unit is provided. The passenger service unit includes at least one projector configured to project an image onto one or more display surfaces, at least one sensor configured to indicate a current position of the one or more display surfaces, and a projector controller in communication with the at least one projector and the at least one sensor. The projector controller is programmed to receive a signal from the at least one sensor indicating a current position of a display surface and instruct the at least one projector to project at least one image onto the tray table based on the current position of the display surface.

Abstract: A system for joining a first thermoplastic component of a workpiece with a second thermoplastic component of the workpiece includes a first joining plate assembly comprising a housing, a heat plate, and a thermal insulator disposed between the housing and the heat plate, wherein the heat plate defines a heating surface; a second joining plate assembly opposed from the first joining plate assembly; and a clamping assembly engaged with both the first joining plate assembly and the second joining plate assembly.

Abstract: A system and a method include a maintenance coordination control unit configured to receive one or more health signals from one or more health management sub-systems of one or more aircraft. The one or more health signals include one or more tail assignments and one or more maintenance issues for the one or more aircraft. The maintenance coordination control unit is further configured to schedule one or more maintenance operations for the one or more aircraft. The one or more maintenance operations are configured to remedy the one or more maintenance issues.

Abstract: A system and a method include a scanner configured to scan one or more codes associated with an aircraft. A user interface includes a display. A maintenance control unit is configured to receive scanned data regarding the one or more codes from the scanner, and show one or more maintenance operations for the aircraft on the display in response to receiving the scanned data.

Abstract: A method for detecting and reporting an aircraft diversion event includes receiving a continuous real-time surveillance stream via a server from a real-time surveillance system. The surveillance stream describes respective flight trajectories a population of aircraft in a defined three-dimensional (3D) airspace. The method also includes accessing historical flight information, via a processor, regarding past flight trajectories in the 3D airspace, and accessing navigation data. Additionally, the method includes calculating, via the server using the surveillance stream, historical flight information, and navigation data, at least one probability of diversion (POD) metric indicative of a probability that a subject aircraft in the population of aircraft is experiencing the aircraft diversion event.

Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide localization systems and methods that detect a plurality of landmarks in scan data acquired by a scanning sensor disposed onboard a mobile inspection platform. The localization systems and methods determine, via one or more processors, centers of the landmarks based on scan points in the scan data that impinge perimeter surfaces of the landmarks, and determine a location of the mobile inspection platform in relation to the centers of the landmarks.

Abstract: A method includes steps of: (1) obtaining a metrology data set and a build data set representing an article; (2) determining a surface geometry of the article in the metrology data set and the build data set; (4) selecting a metrology data subset from the metrology data set representing the surface geometry; (5) selecting a build data subset from the build data set representing the surface geometry; (6) generating a metrology point cloud in a metrology coordinate system; (7) generating a build point cloud in a build coordinate system; (8) registering the metrology point cloud and the build point cloud; (9) calculating a transform between the metrology coordinate system and the build coordinate system; and (10) applying the transform to the metrology data set to convert the metrology data set to the build coordinate system.

Abstract: Subsonic turbofan engines with variable outer guide vanes (OGVs) and associated methods. A subsonic turbofan engine includes an engine core configured to generate a torque, a fan configured to accelerate an air flow, an engine nacelle, and a plurality of OGVs positioned downstream of the fan. Each OGV is configured to transition among a plurality of OGV configurations defined between and including a nominal configuration and a reduced-drag configuration. The subsonic turbofan engine is configured to operate only at subsonic speeds. In examples, methods of operating a subsonic turbofan engine include transitioning each of a plurality of OGVs from a nominal configuration to a reduced-drag configuration. Transitioning each OGV from the nominal configuration to the reduced-drag configuration is performed while the subsonic engine operates at subsonic speeds.

Abstract: A high-lift device surface and associated method of designing the high-lift device surface is described. Methods include entering one or more flight conditions, and receiving aerodynamic forces at a wing, the wing comprising a fixed portion, a seal coupled to and extending from the fixed portion of the wing, and a high-lift device surface having an as-built shape determined based on an anticipated deformation during flight. Methods also include deforming the high-lift device surface based, at least in part, on the received aerodynamic forces, contacting, based on the deforming, the high-lift device surface with the seal, wherein the deforming causes the high-lift device to deform from the as-built shape to a second shape, and wherein the contacting causes the high-lift device to fully contact the seal to prevent air flow between the seal and the high-lift device surface due to the received aerodynamic forces.

Abstract: A component assembly includes a core including a main body having a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface. One or more recessed cells are formed in each of the first surface and the second surface of the main body. The one or more recessed cells formed in the first surface extend toward the second surface. The one or more recessed cells formed in the second surface extend toward the first surface. A first layer is secured to the core at a first adhesive layer. A second layer is secured to the core at a second adhesive layer.

Abstract: Methods systems and apparatuses for reducing or substantially eliminating distortion in a transparent substrate in situ are disclosed.