Abstract: A convertiplane is described that has a fuselage with a first axis, a pair of half-wings, and a pair of rotors arranged on mutually opposite ends of the half-wings. The rotor comprises a mast hinged on a second axis and a plurality of blades hinged on the mast. The mast of the rotor can be tilted with the second axis about a third axis transversal to the second axis and with respect to the fuselage to transform the convertiplane between a helicopter mode and an aeroplane mode; the second axis is transversal to the first axis in the helicopter mode and is parallel to the first axis in the aeroplane mode. The rotor disc can be tilted about a fourth axis.

Abstract: A VTOL fixed wing aircraft capable of high-speed forward flight. The aircraft has a main wing internally reinforced with front and aft spars. Spar boxed are located in roll-balanced locations along the wing. Each spar box serves as a connection point for a support linkage that supports a leading-edge and trailing-edge propulsion unit. The leading-edge propulsion unit is fitted with a puller propeller and designed for articulated movement between a VTOL position in front of the wing leading edge and a forward flight position below the wing leading edge. The trailing-edge propulsion unit is fitted with a pusher propeller and designed for articulated movement between a VTOL position in behind the wing trailing edge and a forward flight position above the wing leading edge. The propeller includes a propulsor thrust ring having an aerodynamic profile and a thrust nozzle to capture and vector radial air leakage into thrust.

Abstract: A system for repelling sharks is disclosed. Magnets are connected to a rod along its length. If necessary, the rod may be extended. Additionally, one or more flotation devices may be connected to the rod to manipulate or adjust the buoyancy of the system, depending on the user's objective(s). The rod is connected to a fishing line once a fish is hooked and is in close proximity to the boat or other structure from which the fisherman is fishing. The weight of the rod and magnets cause the rod to slide down to the end of the fishing line, where the rod will come in contact with the hooked mouth of the fish. As the fish struggles during the fight, the rod creates a protective magnetic field around the fish to deter sharks from engaging the fish.

Abstract: Autonomous delivery drop points for delivery of an item are provided. The autonomous delivery drop points can include a proxy sensor to communicate information related to the autonomous delivery drop point to an autonomous delivery vehicle. The autonomous delivery drop points can include a delivery inlet configured to accept the item. The autonomous delivery drop points can include a storage receptacle configured to store the item until the item is retrieved by the owner of the item. The autonomous delivery drop points can include an attachment member coupled to the item. The autonomous delivery drop points can include a hook configured to couple to the attachment member to accept the item, wherein the hook comprises the proxy sensor.

Abstract: An aircraft wing including a mobile leading edge flap associated with a guiding device arranged at the front of a front spar of a wing box, and including: —a pivoting member having one end connected to the spar by an articulated linkage; —a pivoting member connected to one end of the member by an articulated linkage, the end of this member being connected to the flap via an articulated linkage; —a guide rail receiving a tracking member supported by the member, the rail defining a path inscribed on the surface of an imaginary sphere, the centre of which corresponds to a point of convergence of the axes of the three linkages.

Abstract: A spreading device, a powder-like mixture composition and a method for spreading the composition for control or prevent forest pathogens on tree stumps are disclosed.

Abstract: An aerial dispensing method includes obtaining a wind velocity of a wind that causes a drift to a substance dispensed from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and controlling one or more components of the UAV based on the obtained wind velocity to cause at least mitigation to the drift.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a supersonic aircraft and a method of reducing sonic booms, by which sonic booms due to engine exhaust can be reduced. [Solving Means] A supersonic aircraft includes: a pair of engine nacelles 12R, 12L mounted on a fuselage 11 of an airframe 10; fins 13R, 13L as a pair of shielding plates that inhibits engine exhaust 15 discharged from jet engines (not shown) accommodated in the engine nacelles 12R, 12L from wrapping downward around the airframe 10; and a pair of horizontal tails 14R, 14L disposed behind the engine nacelles 12R, 12L. The fins 13R, 13L are disposed on the horizontal tails 14R, 14L so as to sandwich the engine exhaust 15, respectively.

Abstract: Technologies for providing blended wing body aircraft control surfaces are described herein. In some examples, one or more of the control surfaces have angular configurations that reduce the formation of air vortexes when in upward or downward configurations, thereby reducing the drag on the aircraft when the control surfaces are being used.

Abstract: A system for passive deployment of a vortex generator is disclosed, including a housing mounted at a fixed location relative to an airfoil structure and a piston contained in the housing. A vortex generator is moveably mounted adjacent an exterior surface of the airfoil structure, and is moveable between a stowed position inside the airfoil structure and a deployed position outside the airfoil structure. The piston is configured to drive the vortex generator between the stowed position and the deployed position in response to a pressure differential between a first airstream over a first surface of the airfoil structure and a second airstream over a second surface of the airfoil structure.

Abstract: A tip gap control system for a ducted aircraft includes a flight control computer including an inner duct surface control module configured to generate an inner duct surface actuator command and a proprotor system in data communication with the flight control computer. The proprotor system includes a duct having active inner duct surfaces movable into various positions including a retracted position and an extended position. The proprotor system also includes proprotor blades surrounded by the duct and one or more actuators coupled to the active inner duct surfaces. The one or more actuators move the active inner duct surfaces between the various positions based on the inner duct surface actuator command, thereby controlling a tip gap between the proprotor blades and the duct.

Abstract: A leading edge (3) of a control surface (1) for an aircraft includes a balance weight (6) attached to the forward-most region of the leading edge (3). The control surface (1) rotates with respect to the stabilizer (2) around a hinge line (5). The balance weight (6) is ahead of and adjacent to the most frontal portion (7) of the leading edge (3) of the control surface (1) are is inside the trailing edge of the stabilizer (2). This arrangement allows to have an anti-flutter balance weight without any impact in aerodynamic drag.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are related to a Y-shaped airliner including an elongate main fuselage bifurcated into two outwardly angled fuselage extensions defined as a first fuselage extension and a second fuselage extension. The airliner includes a NACA inlet, a medial fan, a pair of forward canard wings, and a pair of side wings each including at least one engine. The medial fan is positioned between the first fuselage extension and the second fuselage extension. The NACA inlet is positioned on the main fuselage rear skin and is structured to feed airflow into the medial fan.

Abstract: A ducted-rotor aircraft may include a fuselage and first and second ducts that are coupled to the fuselage at respective first and second locations. The first location may be on a first side of a fuselage of the aircraft and spaced from a nominal yaw axis of the aircraft. The second location may be on an opposed second side of the fuselage and spaced from the nominal yaw axis. Each duct may include a rotor that is disposed in an opening that extends through the duct. Each rotor may include a plurality of blades. Each duct may further include a control vane that is mounted aft of the plurality of blades and that is pivotable about a vane axis that is oriented toward the nominal yaw axis.

Abstract: A variable-geometry vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft system may transport passengers from a departure point to a destination via partially or fully autonomous flight operations. The VTOL aircraft system may operate in hover-based ascent/descent modes, level-flight cruising modes, and transitional modes between the two. Thrust may be provided by ducted propeller units articulable relative to the fuselage; by articulating the airfoil struts connecting the thrust sources to the fuselage the thrust sources may be manipulated for ascent/descent, transition, and cruising. in order to control ascent, descent, and cruise. More precise thrust control may be achieved by further articulation of the annular propeller ducts relative to the airfoil struts. The airfoil struts and propeller ducts may present a wing-shaped or variably segmented cross section to maximize achievable lift.

Abstract: Automatic germination equipment for oat grains includes a plurality of germination accelerating tank bodies each of which is of a hollow structure, a first direction and a second direction are self-defined in each germination accelerating tank body, a plurality of leaching layers are fixedly arranged in each germination accelerating tank body in the first direction, and the leaching layers are fixedly installed on an inner side surface of the germination accelerating tank body; and a reciprocating switch valve device which includes a bottom valve and a rotating lead screw fixedly connected to the bottom valve, the bottom valve is fixedly connected to an outer side surface of the germination accelerating tank body in the first direction, and one end of the rotating lead screw away from the bottom valve passes through the leaching layers in the second direction and extends towards the interior of the germination accelerating tank body.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fastening unit (100) for movably fastening an aircraft component (300) to a support structure (400) of an aircraft (500). The fastening unit (100) has a connection element (5) having a hole (5a). The fastening unit (100) also has a first support arm (1) having a first end (1a) for connecting to the support structure (400) of the aircraft (500) and having a second end (1b) for connecting to the connection element (5). The fastening unit (100) also has a second support arm (2) having a first end in (2a) for connecting to the support structure (400) of the aircraft (500) and having a second end (2b) for connecting to the connection element (5).

Abstract: A system for controlling turbulence of fluid flowing past a window includes an imaging device compartment defining an interior and an exterior separated by a window, wherein the window encloses at least a portion of the interior, wherein the exterior includes at least one turbulator on a side upstream of the window positioned to induce turbulence over the entirety of a boundary layer of the fluid flowing past the window for even heat transfer between the fluid and the window.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a selectable drive system that allows a rotor gearbox to send torque to a proprotor assembly and/or through a multiplier planetary gear set to a pylon-mounted ducted fan thrust unit. The rotor drive system may be a stop-fold system in which rotor blades can be folded when not rotating. This allows a normally idle lift engine to provide additional aircraft thrust during cruise where an aircraft is typically using only a dedicated thrust engine for high speed flight. An inline engage/disengage actuator or “shift fork” on the rotor gearbox is used to select the torque-output direction. The multiplier planetary gear set increases the output RPM that is received from the rotor gearbox and that is applied to the thrust fan unit.

Abstract: A compliant tail structure for a rotorcraft having rotating components and a fuselage. The tail structure includes a tail assembly having first and second oppositely disposed tail members. A tail joint connects the tail assembly to an aft portion of the fuselage. The tail joint includes at least four tail mounts configured to establish a nodding axis for the tail assembly. At least two of the tail mounts are resilient tail mounts that are configured to establish a nodding degree of freedom for the tail assembly relative to the fuselage about the nodding axis, thereby detuning dynamic fuselage responses from excitation frequencies generated by the rotating components.