Abstract: A levered landing gear including a first shock strut having and a second shock strut disposed concentrically with the first shock strut. The second shock strut includes a metering pin coupled to a mounting surface of a piston of the second shock strut, and an orifice plate that cooperates with the metering pin to meter an amount of fluid flow as the second shock strut is compressed. The metering pin includes flutes longitudinally arranged on the metering pin between first and second ends of the metering pin, the flutes having a varying depth so that a fluid flow through the flutes is greater at the second end than fluid flow through the flutes at the first end. A truck lever is coupled to both the first shock strut and the second shock strut such that the second shock strut pivots the truck lever relative to the first shock strut.

Abstract: An example UAV landing structure includes a landing platform for a UAV, a cavity within the landing platform, and a track that runs along the landing platform and at least a part of the cavity. The UAV may include a winch system that includes a tether that may be coupled to a payload. Furthermore, the cavity may be aligned over a predetermined target location. The cavity may be sized to allow the winch system to pass a tethered payload through the cavity. The track may guide the UAV to a docked position over the cavity as the UAV moves along the landing platform. When the UAV is in the docked position, a payload may be loaded to or unloaded from the UAV through the cavity.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage carrying a nacelle of the aircraft offset relative to a wing of the aircraft. The nacelle forms an air inlet fairing of a propulsion assembly. The nacelle includes a lower wall and an upper wall delimiting together a height of the nacelle. The lower wall includes an air inlet edge being contiguous with a trailing edge of the wing.

Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for vortex generation by combining the function of means for vortex generation with the functions of the leading-edge aerodynamic surface, the airfoil, and/or the trailing-edge aerodynamic surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling dangerous objects in a closed vehicle cabin includes a retaining plate for fastening of the apparatus, a housing wall which is arranged on the retaining plate, which can be packed down and which is composed of a refractory material, and an opening frame which is connected at least to the housing wall and which has a closable opening, wherein the housing wall which can be packed down can be brought into a packed-down state and into an expanded state, wherein, in the folded-out state, the housing wall, together with the retaining plate and the opening frame, provides a cavity which can be reached from outside of the housing wall through the opening.

Abstract: A fire resistance device designed to be placed between a mounting strut of a double-flow aircraft turbomachine and a connecting cowling with which the turbomachine is equipped, the connecting cowling being designed to connect an upstream ring, delimiting an inter-flow compartment, to an arm that extends radially across a secondary flow of the turbomachine. The device can be produced as a single piece and includes two contact lips which extend along different lines, the first lip having a C-shaped cross-section.

Abstract: Small volume, zero pressure balloon systems for remote sensing activities in the upper atmosphere. A balloon system includes an air ingestion clip proximate the nadir fitting to inhibit air ingestion during ascent, the clip releasing to allow air expulsion at a predetermined altitude. Another balloon system includes a parachute system having inflation guards that inhibit the parachute from inflating when inverted during ascent and float, the guards releasing to allow parachute inflation during descent.

Abstract: Additive manufactured airframe structure having a plurality of additive manufactured airframe segments operable to be linked together in an assembled direction. Each of the plurality of additive manufactured airframe segments are separate from one another in an unassembled configuration. Plurality of reinforcement elements operable to be received in a receiving portion of the plurality of airframe segments and extending through the plurality of airframe segments in a normal direction. Receiving portion is located on the interior of a respective one of the plurality of airframe segments.

Abstract: There is disclosed a blended wing body aircraft including a center body having a lower side and an upper side opposed to the lower side. The center body has a central chord extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the center body. The lower side has a lowest point located between a first location forward of a pivot point about which the aircraft rotates during take-off and a second location aft of the pivot point. The first location is at a first distance corresponding to about 10% of a length of the central chord forward of the pivot point.

Abstract: A flying robot executing predetermined work, the flying robot comprising: a body unit; and a propulsion portion comprising a plurality of propulsion units configured to cause propulsion to occur by driving rotor blades, the plurality of propulsion units being provided on the body unit; the flying robot further comprising: a contact support unit configured to contact a predetermined contact surface to be capable of supporting at least a part of the body unit; a sensor configured to detect an inclination of the body unit; and a control unit configured to, when the contact support unit contacts the predetermined contact surface, and the predetermined work is being performed, execute posture control to drive at least one of the plurality of propulsion units based on the inclination of the body unit detected by the sensor so that the inclination of the body unit is kept within a predetermined angle range.

Abstract: A sensor magazine arrangement for a drone, the arrangement comprising a chassis configured to receive at least a portion of a drone to position a load point of such drone relative to the chassis. Also included is an array of sensor receptacles supported by the chassis, each receptacle configured to receive a sensor, and a carriage system fast with the chassis and having a manipulator configured to transfer a sensor between the array and a transfer point proximate the load point. Further included is a controller configured to control the carriage system to allow transfer of a sensor between the array and transfer point. The magazine arrangement broadly facilitates autonomous deployment and/or retrieval of a plurality of sensors via drone. An associated method is also described.

Abstract: A rotorcraft provided with a yaw motion control system comprising a fairing and a rotor provided with blades, the blades being arranged in the fairing and able to rotate about an axis of rotation of the rotor, the fairing comprising a casing defining an air stream, the air stream extending in a direction of flow of the air within the fairing from an intake section towards an outlet section. The rotorcraft comprises an ice protection system comprising at least one grille arranged upstream of the air stream in the air flow direction, the grille facing the intake section parallel to the axis of rotation and the casing, no grille facing at least one unprotected section of the intake section in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.

Abstract: Provided is a parachute device capable of reliably opening a parachute.

Abstract: To provide an aircraft of which flight efficiency can be improved. An image capturing method according to this embodiment is a method for capturing an image of an object to be photographed by using a plurality of aircrafts including an image capturing part. The image capturing method includes a ranking step of setting up a predetermined ranking for each of the aircrafts, a control step of performing control on the basis of the ranking, and an image capturing step of moving the aircraft and using the image capturing part to capture an image of the object. According to this configuration, a plurality of aircrafts can be used to capture images of a plurality of objects to be photographed simultaneously from different angles.

Abstract: A landing support assembly to at least partially support an aerial vehicle on a surface may include a strut extendable to a deployed state and retractable to a stowed state during flight. The strut may be configured to pivot with respect to a bracket coupled to the aerial vehicle between the deployed state and the stowed state. The landing support assembly further may include a strut actuator coupled to the strut via a linkage to cause the strut to pivot relative to the bracket. The landing support assembly also may include a foot coupled to an end of the strut remote from the bracket. The foot may be configured to change between a retracted state during flight having a first cross-sectional area and an at least partially splayed state for at least partially supporting the aerial vehicle and having a second cross-sectional area greater than the first cross-sectional area.

Abstract: A suspended aerial vehicle system includes an aerial vehicle with a thruster assembly and a supporting line attached to the aerial vehicle that is capable of supporting at least some of the weight of the aerial vehicle. The supporting line may have an adjustable length which when varied, and in coordination with variations in a thrust characteristic of the aerial vehicle, may change the position of the aerial vehicle. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Abstract: An example reusable high-altitude balloon system includes a balloon with a first end supporting a payload and a second end with an aperture and an apex fitting that is positioned within the aperture. A clamp applies a pressure to a plurality of pleated folds formed in the perimeter of the aperture around the apex fitting to form an air-tight seal against the balloon at the perimeter of the aperture. The reusable high-altitude balloon system further includes control circuitry that controllably releases the apex fitting from the balloon to initiate a descent sequence.

Abstract: A movable object includes a body, one or more propulsion units carried by the body and configured to effect movement of the movable object, and an electrical plug for power and signal transmission. The electrical plug includes at least one signal pin configured to communicate signal, a plurality of power pins configured to transmit electrical power, and a plug substrate configured to support the at least one signal pin and the plurality of power pins. The plurality of power pins include at least one power pin having a first polarity and at least one power pin having a second polarity opposite to the first polarity. The one or more propulsion units are provided with electrical energy via the electrical plug. The plurality of power pins and the at least one signal pin include a first set of power pins and signal pins, and a second set of power pins and signal pins.

Abstract: A battery-powered aerial vehicle has a central controller, one or more propelling modules, and one or more battery assemblies for powering at least the one or more propelling modules. The battery assemblies are at a distance away from the central controller for reducing electromagnetic interference to the central controller. In some embodiments, the aerial vehicle is a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a central controller, a plurality of rotor units, and one or more battery assemblies. The central controller is in a center unit and the propelling modules are in respective rotor units. Each battery assembly is in a rotor unit in proximity with the propelling module thereof. In some embodiments, the central controller also has a battery-power balancing circuit for balancing the power consumption rates of the one or more battery assemblies.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a first rotor system having a rotor blade having an axis of rotation, a rotatable inboard drive component, and a rotatable outboard drive component. The first rotor system further includes a flexible closed loop component associated with each of the inboard drive component and the outboard drive component. Movement of the closed loop component can selectively cause at least one of rotation of the rotor blade about the axis of rotation and movement of the axis of rotation.