Abstract: An exemplary unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mountable to a conductor of an aerial power transmission line system includes a body having a rotor system, a motivation system attached to the body to motivate the UAV along the conductor, a battery carried by the body and electrically connected to at least one of the rotor system and the motivation system, a monitoring tool mounted with the body and an inductive coil carried by the body and in electric connection with the battery, wherein the inductive coil is configured to harvest electricity from the aerial power transmission line system and charge the battery.

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes an engine, a binary lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes a plurality of ducted fans in a tandem lateral orientation. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the ducted fans generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that the bypass air combines with the engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The propulsion system includes an turboshaft engine, a lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes at least one ducted fan. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the at least one ducted fan generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that the bypass air combines with the engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes an engine, a unitary lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes a ducted fan. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the ducted fan generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that the bypass air combines with the engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

Abstract: According to one implementation of the present disclosure, a rotorcraft includes a fuselage, an airframe, a main rotor, first and second wings, and a wing rotation system. The wing rotation system may be coupled to the first and the second wings and includes a first drive shaft, a second drive shaft, and a uniform actuator. The first drive shaft may be coupled to the first wing for rotation around a central wing axis, the second drive shaft may be coupled to the second wing for rotation around the central wing axis, and the uniform actuator may be coupled between the first drive shaft and the airframe. Also, the wing rotation system can be configured to actuate rotation of the first and the second wings from a first direction to a second direction.

Abstract: An aircraft comprising a pair of ducted thrusters. Each of the ducted thrusters comprises a duct surrounding a rotor assembly with a rotor hub having a plurality of rotor blades extending therefrom, wherein the plurality of rotor blades have a modulated angular distribution about a central longitudinal axis of the duct. Each of the ducted thrusters further comprises a stator assembly having a stator hub with a plurality of stator vanes extending from the stator hub to an interior surface of the duct, wherein each of the plurality of the stator vanes are angularly modulated around the stator hub such that angular spacing between pairs of adjacent vanes of the plurality of stator vanes varies for each pair of the adjacent vanes.

Abstract: A pitot-static array system for a tail-sitting aircraft has a disk with a plurality of edge ports arrayed about an edge of the disk. Each of a plurality of pressure transducers is configured to measure air pressure at one of the edge ports. The edge ports are arrayed about an axis parallel to a pitch axis of the aircraft.

Abstract: A differential thrust vectoring system including a first thruster rotation assembly configured to rotate a first thruster relative of an aircraft, a second thruster rotation assembly configured to rotate a second thruster of an aircraft, and an actuator. The system is configured such that actuation of the actuator causes disparate rotation about the tilt axis of the first and second thrusters.

Abstract: A pitot-static array system for a tail-sitting aircraft has a disk with a plurality of edge ports arrayed about an edge of the disk. Each of a plurality of pressure transducers is configured to measure air pressure at one of the edge ports. The edge ports are arrayed about an axis parallel to a pitch axis of the aircraft.

Abstract: A versatile door system for an aircraft includes forward and aft door assemblies. The forward door assembly includes a forward hingeable door hingeably coupled to the airframe proximate a forward location of an aircraft opening and a forward slidable door slidably coupled to the forward hingeable door. The aft door assembly includes an aft hingeable door hingeably coupled to the airframe proximate an aft location of the aircraft opening and an aft slidable door slidably coupled to the aft hingeable door. In a closed configuration, the forward hingeable door, the forward slidable door, the aft hingeable door and the aft slidable door are securably disposed within the aircraft opening. In operation, the forward hingeable door, the forward slidable door, the aft hingeable door and the aft slidable door are individually operable to collectively provide access to a selectable width of the aircraft opening.

Abstract: According to one implementation of the present disclosure, a tail rotor system of a rotorcraft includes an electric motor, a swiveling actuator, a spindle, and a hub assembly. The hub assembly may be configured to position two or more blades. Also, in response to a control signal, the swiveling actuator may be configured to actuate swivel rotation of the spindle around a vertical axis such that the hub assembly turns from a first horizontal directional axis to a second horizontal directional axis.

Abstract: A cargo transportation system includes a cargo platform having an upper surface and a perimeter. A propulsion system is disposed about the perimeter of the cargo platform. The propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies, each including a propulsion unit disposed within a housing defining an airflow channel having an air inlet for incoming air and an air outlet for outgoing air such that the outgoing air is operable to generate at least vertical lift. A power system disposed within the cargo platform provides energy to drive the propulsion system. A flight control system operably associated with the propulsion system and the power system controls flight operations of the cargo transportation system.

Abstract: An aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes a fuselage and a dual tiltwing assembly having a vertical lift orientation and a forward thrust orientation relative to the fuselage. The dual tiltwing assembly includes a forward wing and an aft wing coupled together and to the fuselage by a quadrilateral linkage. A distributed propulsion system is coupled to the dual tiltwing assembly and includes a plurality of forward propulsion assemblies coupled to the forward wing and a plurality of aft propulsion assemblies coupled to the aft wing. A flight control system is operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and the dual tiltwing assembly. The flight control system is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies and is operable to transition the dual tiltwing assembly between the vertical lift orientation and the forward thrust orientation.

Abstract: An aircraft has a ducted thruster. The ducted thruster includes a duct having an inner wall, a stator hub disposed within the duct, a first stator extending along a first longitudinal axis between the inner wall and the stator hub, and a second stator. The second stator extends along a second longitudinal axis between the inner wall and the stator hub. The second longitudinal axis is either (1) substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis or (2) substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis and offset from the first longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A stacked motor assembly for an aircraft includes a forward motor having an exhaust port and an aft motor disposed aft of the forward motor, the aft motor having an intake port. The stacked motor assembly includes an exhaust conduit originating from the exhaust port of the forward motor and disposed at least partially around the aft motor such that exhaust from the forward motor bypasses the aft motor. The stacked motor assembly also includes an intake conduit terminating at the intake port of the aft motor and disposed at least partially around the forward motor such that intake air for the aft motor bypasses the forward motor.

Abstract: A rotorcraft featuring a fuselage, a forward fuselage ducted fan located in the fuselage, and an aft fuselage ducted fan located in the fuselage. The rotorcraft is directly powered by electricity and can be supplemented with additional powers sources. Two sets of pivoting ducted fans provide additional lift and thrust as needed to control the rotorcraft.

Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has a fuselage, a rotor system, and a wing configured for selective positioning during flight of the UAV to a deployed position, a stowed position, and to positions between the deployed position and the stowed position. The UAV has a flexible wing skin at least partially carried by a leading arm and the leading arm is rotatable relative to the fuselage.

Abstract: An aircraft comprising a pair of ducted thrusters. Each of the ducted thrusters comprises a duct surrounding a rotor assembly with a rotor hub having a plurality of rotor blades extending therefrom, wherein the plurality of rotor blades have a modulated angular distribution about a central longitudinal axis of the duct. Each of the ducted thrusters further comprises a stator assembly having a stator hub with a plurality of stator vanes extending from the stator hub to an interior surface of the duct, wherein each of the plurality of the stator vanes are angularly modulated around the stator hub such that angular spacing between pairs of adjacent vanes of the plurality of stator vanes varies for each pair of the adjacent vanes.

Abstract: An aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes a fuselage and a dual tiltwing assembly having a vertical lift orientation and a forward thrust orientation relative to the fuselage. The dual tiltwing assembly includes a forward wing and an aft wing coupled together and to the fuselage by a quadrilateral linkage. A distributed propulsion system is coupled to the dual tiltwing assembly and includes a plurality of forward propulsion assemblies coupled to the forward wing and a plurality of aft propulsion assemblies coupled to the aft wing. A flight control system is operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and the dual tiltwing assembly. The flight control system is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies and is operable to transition the dual tiltwing assembly between the vertical lift orientation and the forward thrust orientation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for designing, testing, and validating genome designs are described herein. A computer-implemented method includes receiving data for a known genome and a list of alleles, identifying and removing occurrences of each allele in the known genome, determining a plurality of allele choices with which to replace occurrences in the known genome, generating a plurality of alternative gene sequences for a genome design based on the known genome, applying a plurality of rules or constraints or conditions or parameters or features to each alternative gene sequence by assigning a score for each rule or constraint or condition or parameter or feature in each alternative gene sequence, resulting in scores, scoring each alternative gene sequence based on a weighted combination of the scores, and selecting at least one alternative gene sequence as the genome design based on the scoring.