Abstract: An aircraft propulsion module comprises a hydrogen storage system, an electrochemical converter (7) connected to the hydrogen storage system, wherein the at least one electrochemical converter is adapted to convert hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen storage system (12) into electric energy, and an electric motor (5) electrically connected to the electrochemical converter, wherein the electric motor is adapted to generate thrust; wherein the propulsion module comprises at least one separation means (9) adapted to separate at least one component of the propulsion module from the propulsion module. An aircraft comprises at least one such aircraft propulsion module. A method for operating a propulsion module comprises that: during operation of the propulsion module, at least one separation means is actuated, by which actuation at least one component of the propulsion module is separated from the remaining propulsion module and then falls from the remaining propulsion module.

Abstract: A device and a method for introducing a drone to an area of interest are presented. The delivery system may include a housing, a drone, either a timer or a receiver, a lock mechanism, and a biasing mechanism. The housing further includes a pair of parts with or without subparts. At least one sensor is attached to the drone. The timer or the receiver is secured to the housing and communicable with the lock mechanism to control function thereof. The lock mechanism is adapted to releasably secure the parts or the subparts. The drone is enclosed within the housing in a CLOSED configuration when the lock mechanism is locked. The biasing mechanism separates the parts or the subparts to an OPEN configuration when the lock mechanism is unlocked. The drone is introducible to the area of interest in the CLOSED configuration and separable from the housing in the OPEN configuration.

Abstract: A drive system of an aircraft, including a fuel cell, which can be supplied with hydrogen from a hydrogen tank and with air from a blower, the fuel cell being configured to provide drive power for operational flight after takeoff and before landing dependent on a hydrogen mass flow supplied by the hydrogen tank and dependent on an air mass flow supplied by the blower, and an electrical energy store, which is configured to provide additional drive power for takeoff and landing, wherein an additional hydrogen tank and an air or oxygen tank are configured to interact with the fuel cell such that the fuel cell can be supplied with an additional hydrogen mass flow and with an additional air or oxygen mass flow, thereby compensating at least partially for a loss of the additional drive power provided by the electrical energy store for landing.

Abstract: A flying vehicle with a flight part connected to a plurality of rotor wing parts and a main wing, wherein the main wing is configured such that the lift produced by the main wing during landing is reduced compared to the lift produced by the main wing during cruising. Furthermore, the main wing is fixed at a forward tilt with respect to the flight part. Furthermore, the rotor wing is connected at an angle that produces propulsion and lift during cruise. Furthermore, the rotor blades are connected at an angle that generates propulsive force during cruise.

Abstract: A landing gear system may include: a casing coupled to a fuselage of an aircraft, such as an urban air mobility vehicle; a steering, one side of which is inserted into the casing and the other side of which is connected to a tire; a magnetorheological (MR) damper including a cylinder coupled to the casing and a piston coupled to the steering rod; a sensor unit configured to measure a condition of the urban air mobility vehicle; and a controller configured to control damping force of the MR damper based on measurement data of the sensor unit. The sensor unit may include a first sensor for measuring a stroke of the MR damper and a second sensor for measuring an acceleration of the casing.

Abstract: A Hold Down Release Mechanism, HDRM, interface for attachment of a spacecraft to an adjacent structure of a launch vehicle or another spacecraft, wherein the HDRM interface is configured for forming part of a single or multi-point releasable attachment of the spacecraft to said adjacent structure. The HDRM interface includes first and second connector parts, wherein one of the first and second connector parts is fastened to said adjacent structure, and other is fastened to the spacecraft; wherein the first connector part has a tapered projection with a non-circular external surface; wherein the second connector part has a tapered recess with a non-circular interior surface configured for form-lockingly receiving the tapered projection, for enabling transfer of torsion and shear load between the first and second connector parts, when the tapered projection is inserted in the tapered recess and the first and second connector parts are pressed together.

Abstract: A method for transferring a spacecraft (10), such as an artificial satellite, from an initial elliptical orbit (30) to a final geostationary orbit (50), the spacecraft taking at least one intermediate elliptical orbit (40) propelled by electric propulsion means (12, 13), the method includes: when the spacecraft is in an intermediate orbit, a nominal thrust step (410) in which the propulsion means generate nominal thrust while the spacecraft is on at least part of a first orbital arc (41) passing through the apogee A of the intermediate orbit, and a minimum thrust step (420), in which the propulsion means are partly stopped or slowed while the spacecraft is on at least part (43) of a second orbital arc (42) passing through the perigee P of the intermediate orbit, the two orbital arcs being complementary.

Abstract: In various embodiments, specialized vehicle launch systems and methods are provided to enable personnel to launch and operate one or more UAVs from the safety of a vehicle or other mobile location. In various embodiments, a launch system comprises a launch device and an operator terminal. The launch device is adapted to be mounted on an exterior surface of a vehicle and is communicably coupled to the operator terminal, which is operable from the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle launch system allows an operator to control one or more UAVs from inside the vehicle, without requiring the operator to step outside of the vehicle to interact with the UAV or launch device.

Abstract: A system and method for extending and holding aloft a long-wire radio antenna using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), optimizing high-frequency (HF) radio communication where ground-based infrastructure is impractical. The UAV-based system pulls an antenna wire from a reel vertically and hovers in place holding the antenna at a length resonant on the transmitting frequency, enabling effective skip propagation. The system includes mechanisms for precise impedance matching and standing wave ratio (SWR) tuning through automatic adjustments of antenna length, facilitated by onboard sensors and control systems. The antenna wire is connected to a reel anchored to the ground and connected to a wire-mesh ground plane. In one embodiment, the system constantly feeds electric power to the UAV, with filters isolating RF and power currents, enabling both antenna and power transmission functions on the same wire. This system addresses the challenges of maintaining HF communication in remote or disaster-stricken regions.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example locking assembly for an arresting hook system includes a track coupled to a frame of an aircraft. The track includes a forward end and an aft end opposite the forward end. The track includes a first lock positioned at the forward end and a second lock positioned at the aft end. The locking assembly includes a guide coupled to a hook shank of the arresting hook system. The guide is to move along at least a portion of the track, engage the first lock when the hook shank is in a stowed position, and bypass the second lock as the hook shank moves from the stowed position to a deployed position.

Abstract: Stacked satellite dispensing systems are described herein. The disclosed systems have diagonal struts that stabilize satellite stacks horizontally and vertically without adding performance-reducing mass. The diagonal struts increase the number of bracing points and improve stability. The improved stability can allow for the satellite stack to be made heavier and taller, such as by having more satellites than a dispensing system with vertical struts. The diagonal struts, which provide the improved stability, can also allow for sub-stacks to be used. The sub-stacks include batches of satellites retained by the stacked satellite dispensing system. Therefore, the stacked satellite dispending system can release single satellites batches at once, rather than all the satellites at once.

Abstract: A hinge assembly for connecting a door to a fuselage of an aircraft includes a hinge arm having a fuselage fitting pivotably coupled to a fuselage rotatable interface and a door fitting pivotably coupled to a door rotatable interface. The hinge assembly includes a programmable gear assembly coupled to the hinge arm allowing the hinge arm to pivot around the fuselage fitting when the door is moved from a door closed position to a door open position and causing the door to maintain in a generally parallel orientation relative to the fuselage between the door closed position to the door open position. The programmable gear assembly includes a fuselage gear coupled to the fuselage fitting, a door gear coupled to the door fitting, and a rack operably coupled between the fuselage gear and the door gear.

Abstract: An aircraft floor grid transport system for assembling an aircraft fuselage barrel and method of calibrating the transport system are disclosed. The transport system includes a rectangular beam, a stabilizer device to be associated with referential positioning devices of an assembly platform and a plurality of fixing devices to be fixed to the floor grid, each of the fixing devices having a vertically adjustable length. The transport system makes it possible to handle the floor grid without deforming it in order to assemble a fuselage barrel.

Abstract: A linear actuator driven flap mechanism for an aircraft wing is contained within a wing support and fairing of the aircraft wing. The rib frame of the flap mechanism is attached to the wingbox structure of the aircraft wing at a first and second point. The rib frame of the flap mechanism defines a width with a first and second web. A linear actuator and a motion linkage are positioned with the width between the first and second webs of the rib frame. The linear actuator is not mechanically driven rotary actuation or mechanically driven linear actuation. As a result of the compact construction, the flap mechanism can be employed in thinner, smaller aircraft wings being designed today.

Abstract: A stage has a takeoff and landing surface. The takeoff and landing surface has an opening through which loading and unloading to and from a flying object is carried out. The takeoff and landing surface has a plurality of markers formed thereon. Each marker is a figure or the like for identifying a relative position between the flying object and the stage. The opening is formed in the takeoff and landing surface such that an edge of the opening does not cross the markers.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for mission-adaptable aerial vehicle. In some aspects, a mission-adaptable aerial vehicle includes a configuration having swappable, manipulatable, and interchangeable sections and components connectable by a connection and fastening system able to be modified by an end-user in the field. In some embodiments, a mission-adaptable aerial vehicle can be configured to include a main center body extending along a longitudinal direction, a wing with a lateral cross-sectional airfoil shape, and/or stabilizer and control surface structures with corresponding cross-sectional airfoil shapes.

Abstract: Provided are: an aircraft that can fly stably even when water is discharged from a hose installed on the airframe thereof; and an aircraft system that uses the aircraft. This aircraft system comprises: a master aircraft 10; three slave aircrafts 20; and a remote control device 30 that is for making the aircraft fly as a unit. Each slave aircraft 20 has: four rotary blade portions that have propellers 221; and a suspending means 23 that is for suspending a prescribed part of a hose 50 that is for discharging water. The master aircraft has: four first rotary blade portions that have first propellers 121 that have been arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane; four second rotary blade portions that have second propellers 131 that have been arranged to rotate in a vertical plane; and a nozzle 15 on which a tip end part of the hose 50 is installed. The direction of the center axis of the nozzle 15 is parallel to the direction of the rotational axes of the second propellers 131.

Abstract: A surveillance drone system is provided herein generally including an UAV, a base power station, and, a tether for connecting the UAV to the base power station to provide electrical power to the UAV when airborne. The base power station may include a cable take-up assembly for releasing and taking up the tether. A plug or power module is provided at the free end of the tether configured to be detachably coupled with the UAV, to transmit electrical power to, and, possibly, data to and from, the UAV. With the plug or power module being detached, the UAV is free to fly unrestricted. This arrangement allows for the UAV to be airborne for prolonged periods to allow for monitoring a region and for release to allow the UAV to investigate anomalies in the monitored region.

Abstract: An actuator is disclosed including an actuator body mounted for movement over a range of motion, the range of motion including a first part and a second part, the first part being the range of motion extending between an end position and the second part. The actuator includes a motor coupled to the actuator body to move the actuator body in the first direction and a controller configured to control the supply of current to drive the motor. The mechanical resistance to movement of the actuator body in the first direction is higher in the first part of the range of motion than in the second part of the range of motion. The controller is configured such that any additional current supplied to the motor when the actuator body is in the first part of the range of motion is limited thereby causing the speed of the actuator body to reduce as the actuator body approaches the end position.

Abstract: A wing tip device for fixing to the outboard end of a wing, the wing defining a wing plane, the wing tip device comprising: an upper wing-like element projecting upwardly with respect to the wing plane and having a trailing edge; and a lower wing-like element fixed with respect to the upper wing-like element and having a root chord and a trailing edge, the lower wing-like element root chord intersecting with the upper wing-like element, and the lower wing-like element projecting downwardly from the intersection, wherein the upper wing-like element is larger than the lower wing-like element and the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element is adjacent the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element at the intersection, and wherein an included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements at the intersection is less than, or equal to, 160 degrees.