Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide fuel receptacle and boom tip position and pose estimation for aerial refueling. A video frame is received and within the video frame, aircraft keypoints for an aircraft to be refueled are determined. Based on at least the aircraft keypoints, a position and pose of a fuel receptacle on the aircraft is determined. Within the video frame, a boom tip keypoint for a boom tip of an aerial refueling boom is also determined. Based on at least the boom tip keypoint, a position and pose of the boom tip is determined. Based on at least the position and pose of the fuel receptacle and the position and pose of the boom tip, the aerial refueling boom is controlled to engage the fuel receptacle. Some examples overlay projections of an aircraft model on displayed video for a human observer.

Abstract: A control input operable by a user for controlling movement of an aircraft includes a base portion configured for coupling to a support surface, the base portion biased towards a neutral position defined along a central axis and pivotable to a plurality of angular positions relative to the central axis. The control input also includes a grip portion having inputs for controlling movement of the aircraft and pivotally coupled to the base portion, the grip portion pivotable between a first position in which the grip portion extends from the base portion and a second position in which the grip portion is pivoted relative to the base portion. Further, the control input includes a lock mechanism for locking the grip portion in the first position wherein releasing the lock mechanism allows the grip portion to move to the second position.

Abstract: A crash barrier for an aircraft, which includes an array of elementary nets arranged parallel to each other. Each elementary net includes a generally vertical stop structure which extends between a first upper strap and at least one second lower strap. The first and second straps each includes two end portions for attaching to a braking device, wherein the end portions of the one and/or the other of the upper and lower straps includes a loosened intermediate section, that is, which is not tensed and which forms an “overlength.” The barrier includes an additional strap of which the opposite ends are fastened by linking means to the corresponding ends of the loosened intermediate section. The additional strap includes a region in which it is constituted by two distinct and contiguous strands. The binding wire, that is, the weft or warp wire of this additional strap being common to the two strands. The pull-out resistance of the binding wire being less than that of the linking means.

Abstract: A supersonic aircraft is disclosed herein. The supersonic aircraft comprises one or more fuselages, one or more wings, at least one wing-mounted engine, at least one inlet mounted on the upper surface of or above the wing, an upper wing surface propulsion system fairing, and a lower wing surface propulsion system fairing or lower wing surface modification to account for the presence of the engine.

Abstract: An earth to space transport method, system and apparatus. The earth to space transport system can include a main body; a plurality of storage tanks disposed in an inside of the main body, the storage tanks configured to store helium; one or more electric jet propulsion turbines coupled to the main body; a first inflatable cushion disposed at a top of the main body and a second inflatable cushion disposed at a bottom of the main body; a space capsule disposed above the first inflatable cushion; a power generator; and a rotor propeller. Such an earth to space transport system may be utilized to efficiently move humans, satellites and cargo from earth to space.

Abstract: An aircraft comprising a fuselage, a pair of wings connected to an upper portion of the fuselage, and a pair of wing support struts, each wing support strut being connected between a lower portion of the fuselage and an underside of the adjacent wing, wherein at least one centre landing gear assembly is connected to the fuselage and is configured to be retractable within the fuselage, and a respective outrigger landing gear is connected to each wing support strut, each outrigger landing gear being configured to be retractable within the respective wing support strut.

Abstract: Provided is a space vehicle that includes: a main body; a movable portion configured to reciprocate in an axial direction with respect to the main body; and a magnetic force generation unit attached to a distal end of the movable portion, and attracts, by a magnetic force, a platelike body attached to an object in outer space. The magnetic force generation unit includes: a magnet support member attached to a distal end of the movable portion via a buffer elastic body; and a plurality of permanent magnets laid on a surface of the magnet support member to form an attraction region. When a drive unit moves the movable portion away from the main body, the attraction region protrudes from the main body while maintaining a fixed orientation crossing the axial direction, and is changeable in position and/or orientation by the buffer elastic body when an external force is applied.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a fuselage, electronics disposed with the fuselage, a heat sink, and a solar shield. The heat sink is thermally connected to the electronics and includes a cooling plate disposed on or extends through an exterior surface of the fuselage. The cooling plate is exposed to an external environment of the UAV to conduct heat from the electronics to the external environment via convection. The solar shield extends over the cooling plate and defines an air scoop within which the cooling plate is disposed. The air scoop directs airflow from the external environment across the cooling plate. The solar shield shades the cooling plate from solar radiation to prevent or reduce solar heating of the cooling plate.

Abstract: An attitude determination and control system (ADCS) may include relatively large momentum wheels (i.e., reaction wheels) for improved momentum storage and magnetic torque rods that enable low power sun pointing and dissipate angular momentum imparted during deployment or by differential drag on the space vehicle. The momentum wheels, magnetic torque rods, or both may be algorithmically selected and driven to perform various maneuvers.

Abstract: A shape-morphing ultralight structure using materials that dramatically increase the efficiency of load-bearing aerostructures that includes a programmable material system applied as a large-scale, ultralight, and conformable (shape-morphing) aeroelastic structure. The use of a modular, lattice-based, ultralight material results in stiffness and density typical of an elastomer. This, combined with a building block-based manufacturing and configuration strategy, enables the rapid realization of new adaptive structures and mechanisms. The heterogeneous design with programmable anisotropy allows for enhanced elastic and global shape deformation in response to external loading, making it useful for tuned fluid-structure interaction. The present invention demonstrates an example application experiment using two building block types for the primary structure of a 4.27 m wingspan aircraft with spatially programed elastic shape morphing to increase aerodynamic efficiency.

Abstract: A table is incorporated into an aircraft staircase design. The table can be deployed when the stairs are stowed inside the aircraft cabin area. The table is upwardly biased such that when it is released from a locking mechanism the table flips up to horizontal.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a landing device capable of allowing an unmanned aerial vehicle to be accommodated in a compact manner. A landing device includes a first leg portion that is swingable with a first end portion on a main body side of an unmanned aerial vehicle as an axis; and a second leg portion that is detachably attached to a second end portion of the first leg portion such that the second leg portion extends in an axial direction of the first leg portion. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a drone including a camera at a bottom of a main body.

Abstract: A fastening system for an aircraft configured to fasten at least one tank intended to contain liquid hydrogen includes a longitudinal box, an upper structure fastened to an upper side of the longitudinal box, a lower structure fastened to a lower side of the longitudinal box and at least two fastening frames including, on either side of the vertical plane of symmetry (P1), a fastening device for connecting a tank to the upper structure. The fastening system further includes at least two fastening devices for connecting a fastening point of the tank to the longitudinal box and at least two fastening devices for connecting a fastening point of the tank to the lower structure. The fastening system makes it possible to securely fasten at least one hydrogen tank on board an aircraft (AC).

Abstract: An aircraft (A) comprising at least a component part (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) provided with thermal de-icing means (S) suitable to eliminate and/or prevent the formation of ice on said component part, said de-icing means (S) are directly integrated in the structure of said part (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).

Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system configured to be supported from an aircraft wing having a leading edge and opposing upper and lower surfaces. The aircraft propulsion system broadly comprises an engine having a core, a fan case, and a nacelle including a plurality of access panels, and an attachment assembly for securing the engine to the aircraft wing. The attachment assembly broadly comprises an upper support section including a number of spars and a number of ribs connected between the spars, a lower support section, and an aft section. The attachment assembly aerodynamically melds the nacelle and the aircraft wing together via the upper support section so that air flowing over the engine flows over the aircraft wing along the upper surface and air flowing laterally alongside the nacelle flows under the aircraft wing along the lower surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure discusses a transportation vehicle configured for transforming between a drive mode and a flight mode. The vehicle includes a chassis with a body coupled thereto and a plurality of fenders coupled to the body. Each of the fenders includes a rim comprising spokes and a tire configured to rotate during drive mode and a suspension configured to pivot the plurality of fenders from a substantially vertical orientation during drive mode to a substantially horizontal orientation during flight mode. Each of the fender also includes a propulsion mechanism configured to rotate independently of the rim to generate lift during flight mode and a motor configured to independently provide rotational force to the tire built into the rim during drive mode and rotational force to the propulsion mechanism during flight mode.

Abstract: An assembly with an aircraft fuel tank is disclosed having a captive nut with an internal thread, a secondary structure, and a fastener which secures the secondary structure to the fuel tank. The fastener has a shaft which passes through the secondary structure and has an external thread coupled to the internal thread of the captive nut. The fuel tank has a fuel tank element with a hole, and the captive nut has a sleeve which is located in the hole with an interference fit between an outer surface of the sleeve and an inner surface of the wall of the hole.

Abstract: An equipment unit for installation in an aircraft includes an enclosure, in which at least one movable mechanical element is arranged, a supply duct, and a non-return valve, wherein the enclosure includes an inflow port and an outflow port, wherein the supply duct is connected to the inflow port, wherein the non-return valve is connected to the outflow port, wherein the supply duct is connectable to a source of heated air providable in the respective aircraft, and wherein the enclosure is designed that air supplied through the supply duct enters the enclosure through the inflow port, picks up moisture from inside the enclosure and exits through the outflow port.

Abstract: As one aspect of this multicopter, the multicopter flies on the basis of information from a flight controller and is provided with the following: a main body section; a plurality of propulsion units having rotating rotary wing, the propulsion units being attached to the main body section; motors installed in the main body section or the propulsion units; at least one first detection unit that detects motor information; and a wireless transmission unit that wirelessly transmits, to the outside, the motor information detected by the first detection unit.

Abstract: A drone docking/landing system includes: a docking portion having a shape of any one of a polygonal pyramid, a truncated polygonal pyramid, a cone, and a truncated cone and being capable of docking a drone; and a landing portion mounted at a lower portion of the drone, having a lower portion that is open, into which the docking portion is inserted, and having an empty inner space, wherein the landing portion has a shape of any one of a polygonal pyramid, a truncated polygonal pyramid, a cone, and a truncated cone, wherein the shape corresponds to the shape of the docking portion so that the docking portion is inserted into the landing portion.