Abstract: A drag sail deployment assembly has an enclosure supporting four boom deployment assemblies and four retractable booms. Each boom deployment assembly includes a hub and motor. The hub is configured to hold a wound boom and to rotatably pay out the wound boom. The motor is disposed at least in part within an interior of the hub, and rotates the hub. Each boom is associated with a corresponding one of the four boom deployment assemblies. Each boom includes a plurality of spring elements disposed within a sleeve. Each boom is wound onto the hub of the corresponding boom deployment assembly in a first configuration wherein the spring elements are compressed toward each other. Each boom is configured to expand into a second configuration wherein central portions of the spring elements are spaced apart from each other when the boom is unwound from the hub of the corresponding boom deployment assembly.

Abstract: An exemplary length adjustable link includes a tube having an internal bore and internal surface, a first rod end having a first shaft disposed in a first end of the internal bore, a second rod end having a second shaft disposed in a second end of the internal bore, and a member threadably connecting the first rod end to the second rod end.

Abstract: There is provided an oriented wire electrostatic radiation protection system for a spacecraft. The system has a wire management system, and first and second wires coupled to the wire management system. A first wire orientation apparatus orients the first wire in a first wire direction toward, and in parallel alignment with, an approach path of approaching solar particles. A second wire orientation apparatus orients the second wire in a second wire direction opposite to the first wire direction. The system has a control system, and a power supply to charge the first wire to a positively-charged wire and to charge the second wire to a negatively-charged wire. When the approaching solar particles travel alongside the positively-charged wire toward the spacecraft, the positively-charged wire deflects the approaching solar particles away from the spacecraft, via electrostatic repulsion, and the positively-charged wire creates a radiation protection shielded region around the spacecraft.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved throttle control system for an aircraft. The throttle system includes providing friction to the throttle to maintain the position of the throttle until the pilot overcomes the friction by using force to move the throttle. The throttle is attached to and positioned about a shaft to provide rotatable movement. The invention uses a first and second friction resistance to maintain the position of the throttle along with an automatic regulating device capable of automatically controlling rotation of the shaft having a geared motor assembly.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling aircraft shock strut shrink are provided. The system may comprise a shock strut comprising a shrink piston, an accumulator comprising a gas piston and a hydraulic chamber, wherein the gas piston is configured to apply gas pressure to the hydraulic chamber, and a first valve in fluid communication with the accumulator. The system may further comprise a second valve, wherein the second valve is in fluid communication with a vent, the pneumatic cylinder, and the gas piston, wherein the first valve is in fluid communication with the hydraulic chamber and the shrink piston.

Abstract: The disclosure refers to an airplane's own mobility system. For supporting a passenger with reduced mobility on board an airplane and for simplifying as much as possible the use of a toilette, a mobility system for passengers with reduced mobility is provided. The mobility system includes an onboard toilette spatial unit having an entrance zone, an entrance door, and a toilette using zone with a toilette. Moreover, a movement device with a passenger carrying equipment is provided, which is moveable at least from the entrance zone to the toilette using zone and supported in the ceiling area. The passenger carrying equipment includes a seat device enabling a passenger a seat like position. For using the toilette, a passenger is movable back and forth with the movement device from the entrance zone to the toilette using zone.

Abstract: An aircraft includes; a plurality of rotor units each of which includes a propeller and a motor which drives the propeller, and generates thrust for flight of the aircraft; a controller which controls rotation of the propellers included in the plurality of rotor units; a balloon which laterally covers the plurality of rotor units; and a detector which detects a state of the aircraft, wherein the controller decreases a rotational speed of the propeller included in at least one rotor unit among the plurality of rotor units, according to a result of detection by the detector.

Abstract: An aeronautical apparatus is disclosed that has two pairs of wings. Each wing has a thrust-angle motor. A propeller and propeller motor are coupled to each thrust-angle motor. Propeller pitch is controlled by a propeller-pitch motor. The thrust-angle motor allows the propeller axis of rotation to be parallel to the fuselage's longitudinal axis; vertical (perpendicular to longitudinal axis, as in well-known fixed-position, four-propeller drones); and any position between as well as a given range exceeding these bounds which is used for control. An electronic control unit is electronically coupled to the thrust-angle motors, propeller motors, and propeller-pitch motors, which can be independently controlled, to provide the desired thrust and trajectory. Such an apparatus can provide efficient operation in vertical take-off/landing (hovering) and forward (translational) flight modes.

Abstract: An aircraft assembly, having: a reference component; a first component and a first actuator, the first actuator configured to move the first component relative to the reference component; a second component and a second actuator, the second actuator configured to move the second component relative to the reference component; a position sensor configured to measure a position of the first component, and to output a position value, the sensor being capable of outputting a plurality of non-zero position values; and a controller configured to control the movement of the second component by the second actuator based at least partially on the position value output by the position sensor.

Abstract: A system and method of compensating for airspeed when measuring pressure drop across a filter system on an aircraft may include a pressure compensator, an internal pressure sensor, and an external pressure sensor. A filter media may be located around a housing such that air flows through the filter media into a clean air space defined by the filter media and the housing. The pressure compensator may be located outside of the clean air space and within an airstream of the aircraft. The internal pressure sensor may be configured to measure an internal pressure that varies with airspeed and the external pressure sensor may be located on the pressure compensator to measure an external pressure. The external pressure sensor may be positioned such that the external pressure varies according to a known relationship relative to the internal pressure as the airspeed of the aircraft changes.

Abstract: A multicopter landing platform includes a base portion, a bottom portion, disposed in the base portion, that accepts a protruding portion of the multicopter, and walls of the base portion that are sloped toward the bottom portion. The walls of the base portion may form a conic-shape. The multicopter landing platform may also include a GPS device that sends RTK corrections to a different GPS device on the multicopter. The multicopter landing platform may also include a beacon that guides the multicopter to cause the multicopter to contact the walls of the base station. The beacon may be disposed in the bottom portion. The beacon may provide a signal that is detected by the multicopter. The beacon may provide a light signal that is detected by a camera on the multicopter to guide the multicopter toward the base portion. A charging ring may be disposed in the bottom portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aerial vehicle for which landing or movement of the aerial vehicle downward or in the direction of gravitational force, for example, can be easily identified by people in the surrounding area. Also provided is a control method for the aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle is provided with an alerting device that issues warnings in the velocity vector direction of the aerial vehicle. The alerting device may be equipped with a light projecting device that emits visible light toward the velocity vector direction of the aerial vehicle. The alerting device may also be equipped with a warning sound outputting device that outputs a warning sound toward the velocity vector direction of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A reclining seat system, that has an upright seat that is fixed, and a movable reclining seat, which connects to and moves relative to the upright seat, between an upright position where the movable reclining seat portion is in the same shape of an upright position as the fixed upright seat, and between a reclined position where the movable reclining seat portion is in a position of reclining, while the upright portion remains upright to avoid impringing on the space behind the upright seat.

Abstract: A filtering assembly that receives an inlet air includes a modulation panel subassembly, an air filter subassembly downstream of the modulation panel subassembly, wherein the air filter subassembly is configured to discharge the inlet air from the filtering assembly, and an arm subassembly configured to move the modulation panel subassembly and to move the air filter subassembly. The air filter subassembly moves into and out of a flow of the inlet air.

Abstract: In some examples, an aircraft comprises an airframe, a rotor system coupled to the airframe, and a vibration attenuation system. The rotor system is operable to exert a vibratory force on the airframe. The vibration attenuation system comprises two or more batteries and elastic devices. The two or more batteries are operable to supply power to the rotor system. The elastic devices coupled to the two or more batteries and the airframe. The elastic devices are configured to attenuate the vibratory force based on facilitating oscillation of the two or more batteries. In other examples, a method comprises coupling elastic devices to two or more batteries and an airframe of an aircraft. The elastic devices receiving a vibratory force via the airframe and attenuate the vibratory force based on facilitating oscillation of the two or more batteries.

Abstract: An apparatus for air dropping equipment and supplies from an aircraft is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a canister having a rotor system configured to slow the descent at a predetermined altitude to a desired landing speed via auto-rotation and/or with motor assist. The rotor system is configured to prevent the container from spinning about its longitudinal axis during the descent.

Abstract: A multi-zone battery station is provided, comprising a plurality of landing areas configured to support a UAV. The battery station may permit battery life to be reloaded onto a UAV, which may include recharging a battery of the UAV or exchanging the UAV battery for a new battery. The different zones may accommodate different UAV types, different battery types, or operate in accordance with different energy provision rules. A marker may be provided on a landing area to aid in guiding the UAV to an appropriate landing area.

Abstract: A method of forming a monolithic aircraft structure having multiple aerodynamic surfaces includes forming a body component to have a body skin defining a body skin outer surface, and a body side wall integrally formed with the body skin and defining a body mating surface, the body skin outer surface providing a first aerodynamic surface. A cover component is formed to have a cover mating surface and a cover outer surface opposite the cover mating surface, the cover outer surface defining a second aerodynamic surface. The body component is positioned relative to the cover component so that the body mating surface engages the cover mating surface. At least portions of the cover mating surface are friction stir welded to the body mating surface to form friction stir welded joints between the body component and the cover component.

Abstract: An aircraft for capturing drones includes an airframe having a drone channel with first and second wings extending outboard thereof. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to each of the first and second wings such that the rotor disc of each propulsion assembly is outboard of the drone channel. A flight control system is coupled to the airframe and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A mesh bag is coupled to the drone channel forming a drone capture net. The aircraft is configured to convert between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft is also configured to overtake a drone during flight in the biplane orientation such that the drone passes through the drone channel into the mesh bag, thereby capturing the drone in the drone capture net.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing foreign object debris protection an air intake of an aircraft engine. The apparatus includes a frame and a plurality of cross-members. The cross-members are positioned in the frame to define a plurality of screen openings. At least one of the cross-members has an aerodynamically efficient cross section.