Abstract: An aircraft cabin section with an aircraft door, a cabin floor, and at least one lining mounted to the aircraft door. The aircraft cabin section further comprises at least one seal that is mounted to the at least one lining and seals a space between the at least one lining and the cabin floor. This prevents a cold air draft from entering the aircraft cabin.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle including a main body having a leading edge. An inlet is recessed aft from the leading edge. Forward protrusions extend from the main body on opposite sides of the inlet. An outlet nozzle is proximate to an aft end. The inlet is in fluid communication with the outlet nozzle. Wings extend from the main body.

Abstract: A rotating pylon assembly for aircraft thrust vectoring control. In embodiments, the rotating pylon assembly of embodiments includes a rotating sleeve disposed within a fixed boom of the aircraft, and configured to support a rotor assembly. The rotating pylon assembly includes a bearing assembly configured to functionally couple the rotating sleeve against an inner surface of the fixed boom. The bearing assembly enables the rotating sleeve to rotate against the inner surface of the fixed boom and about a longitudinal axis of the fixed boom. An actuator is configured to rotate the rotating sleeve about the longitudinal axis of the fixed boom. The rotating sleeve may cause the rotor assembly to be rotated or swung about the longitudinal axis of the fixed boom to position the rotor assembly in a position to vector the thrust provided by the rotor assembly based on a control command.

Abstract: A morphing aerodynamic structure includes a body with an outer covering, a bridle attached to the body, and a light-response polymer disposed on at least one of the outer covering and the bridle. The light-responsive polymer is configured to change shape when illuminated with a laser such that at least one of an angle of attack, roll, pitch and yaw of the morphing aerodynamic structure is at least partially controlled without the use of a mechanical or pneumatic control unit.

Abstract: An aircraft fuselage assembly includes a primary structure with first and second rows of support elements extending parallel to a longitudinal axis and into an interior space of the fuselage where they have a free end. The free ends of the first and second rows are spaced from one another to from a free space below a common plane of the free ends and extending to the primary structure. A cargo floor assembly with at least one first cargo floor element is fixedly connected to the free ends of the first row in the common plane and at least one second cargo floor element fixedly connected to the free ends of the second row in the common plane. At least one central cargo floor element is arranged between the first and second lines and is releasably connected to the support elements of the first and second rows.

Abstract: A mechanism secures and then deploys a rotationally coupled rigid member to and from a frame. One end of a curved member is pinned to the rigid member and the other end is on or in a reaction guiding element. In a closed state, the curved member is straightened from its originally manufactured or “free state” curvature and the other end is secured to the frame via a latch mechanism. The tension in the straightened curved member serves to preload the rigid member against the frame. To move to an open state, the latch mechanism is released allowing the other end of the curved member to move with or within the reaction guiding element along a constrained path towards its free state curvature. The curved member reacts against the frame, the pinned end in the rigid member and the reaction guiding element to rotate the rigid member away from the frame.

Abstract: A redundant rail and carriage assembly is disclosed. The assembly may include a primary sub-assembly including a primary rail and a primary carriage. The assembly may include a secondary sub-assembly including a secondary rail and a secondary carriage, the secondary rail being different than the primary rail, the secondary carriage being different than the secondary carriage. The assembly may be configured to couple to an actuatable door configured to actuate between a stowed door position and a deployed door position via at least one intermediate door position using one of the primary sub-assembly or the secondary sub-assembly, the secondary sub-assembly being configured to actuate the actuatable door via the secondary rail and the secondary carriage if one of the primary rail or the primary carriage of the primary sub-assembly fails.

Abstract: Deployable structures, methods and apparatus for deployment of deployable structures, and associated manufacturing methods. Such deployable structures suitably comprise components for space structures, such supports for solar arrays, antennas or other similar systems. The deployable structure comprises a lattice element arrangeable in a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The lattice element comprises a pre-stressed strip arranged in a clockwise helix, a pre-stressed strip arranged in an anticlockwise helix, and a plurality of fasteners for rotatably coupling the strips to one another at a plurality of positions distributed along the length of the strips. The fasteners are provided at unequal spacings along the length of the strips such that on deployment the lattice element bends to a curved deployed configuration.

Abstract: A satellite includes a first radiator panel with first heat-generating components attached to its surface and a second radiator panel with second heat-generating components attached to its surface. One or more actuators are configured to deploy the first and second radiator panels from a compact configuration in which the first and second radiator panels are overlapping to a deployed configuration in which the first and second radiator panels are non-overlapping.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a variable geometry quadrotor with a compliant frame are disclosed, which adapts to tight spaces and obstacles by way of passive rotation of its arms.

Abstract: An aircraft wing having a main wing and a trailing edge flight control surface movable between a retracted position, a first extended position in which the control surface is positioned rearwardly in the chord wise direction relative to its retracted position, and a second extended position in which the control surface is rotated relative to its retracted position. A closure panel, mounted to the main wing, extends from the main wing to the control surface, to provide an air flow surface between the main wing and control surface, both when the control surface is in its retracted position and its first extended position. The closure panel is movable, relative to the control surface, to an open configuration in which it opens an airflow passage provided between the control surface and an opposed surface of the aircraft wing when the control surface is in its second extended position.

Abstract: A power control unit configured to supply hydraulic pressure and mechanical torque. To this end, the power control unit includes an electric motor coupled to a differential output transmission and a hydraulic pump. A switchable transmission device allows the torque of the motor to be redirected either to the output transmission, e.g., to drive high-lift devices, or to the hydraulic pump, e.g., to extend or retract landing gears.

Abstract: An aircraft may include a fuselage, a propulsion assembly configured to produce thrust for the aircraft, and a gimballing mechanism articulatably coupling the propulsion assembly to the fuselage and configured to rotate the propulsion assembly about a first axis of rotation defined through a center of mass of the propulsion assembly, and rotate the propulsion assembly about a second axis of rotation defined through the center of mass of the propulsion assembly. The first axis of rotation may be perpendicular to the second axis of rotation. The first axis of rotation may be perpendicular to the second axis of rotation.

Abstract: A propulsor includes a propulsor body and a prop assembly in rotational communication with the propulsor body. The prop assembly includes a plurality of prop blades configured for rotation about an axial centerline of the propulsor. The plurality of prop blades are rotatable between a deployed position and a stowed position. The propulsor further includes at least one linkage having a first linkage end and a second linkage end. The first linkage end of the at least one linkage is rotatably mounted to the propulsor body and the second linkage end is configured to be rotatably mounted to an aircraft body. The propulsor further includes a first motor coupled to the at least one linkage and configured to rotate the at least one linkage relative to the propulsor body between a first rotational position and a second rotational position.

Abstract: A bulkhead assembly for an aircraft passenger cabin having a floor and a secondary support member includes upper and lower bulkhead panels and a bulkhead coupling member. The upper bulkhead panel defines an elongated tower portion that protrudes through a slot opening in an overhead closeout panel, and directly or indirectly connects to the secondary support member. The lower bulkhead panel connects to the upper bulkhead panel and to the floor via the bulkhead coupling member. A method for installing the bulkhead assembly in the passenger cabin includes connecting the lower bulkhead panel to the floor, joining the lower bulkhead panel to the base of the upper bulkhead panel using a bulkhead coupling member, inserting the terminal end through the slot opening, and connecting the terminal end to the secondary support member behind the overhead closeout panel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for varying excess thrust of an aircraft include: a first electric fan rotatable about a first axis for directing a first air flow along a first air flow path; and a second electric fan rotatable about a second axis different from the first axis for directing a second air flow along a second air flow path fluidly isolated from the first air flow path, wherein the first electric fan and the second electric fan are disposed radially about a roll axis of the aircraft and adjacent an aft end of the aircraft, and the first electric fan and the second electric fan are configured to intake boundary layer air to form the first air flow and the second air flow.

Abstract: An aircraft including a fuselage including an opening and beams that are aligned and that are interrupted at the edges of the opening, a removable panel where for each pair of aligned beams of the fuselage interrupted at the opening a beam of the removable panel extends between the two beams of the pair and each end of the beam of the removable panel faces an end of a beam of the pair and at the end of at least one beam of the fuselage facing an end of a beam of the removable panel, fixing means providing a removable fixing between the ends.

Abstract: A wing for an aircraft is disclosed having a fixed wing, a foldable wing tip portion mounted to the fixed wing via a hinge rotatable about a hinge axis between an extended position and a folded position, and an actuation mechanism for moving the foldable wing tip portion. The actuation mechanism includes a drive arm mounted to the fixed wing in a manner rotatably driven about a drive axis, and the drive arm is configured to effect movement of the foldable wing tip portion between the extended position and the folded position upon rotation of the drive arm about the drive axis.

Abstract: A door assembly for a payload bay (10) having an opening (12), the door assembly comprising at least one door (20, 220). The at least one door comprises: a panel section (22, 222) having a first end (24, 224) and a second end (26, 226); and a first mounting member (30, 230) arranged orthogonally to the panel section at the first end and having a first engagement feature (31, 231) having a rotational axis (18, 218) about which the panel section is arranged to rotate. The engagement feature is arranged to engage with a first fixing member (16, 216) on one side of the payload bay to rotatably couple the panel section to the payload bay. The at least one door is arranged to translate between a closed configuration, in which the panel section is arranged in the same plane as the opening, and an open configuration, in which the panel section is arranged at at least 90 degrees to the plane of the opening, by rotating about the rotational axis.

Abstract: An aircraft wing including: a main wing portion with a tip end, and a wing tip device rotatably coupled to the tip end of the main wing portion at a joint, the wing tip device rotatable at the joint about a first axis between a flight configuration and a ground configuration; and a seal panel assembly including: a seal panel extending across the joint; a first connecting element having a first end non-rotatably coupled to the seal panel and a second end rotatably coupled to the main wing portion such that the seal panel is rotatable about a second axis; and a second connecting element having a first end rotatably coupled to the seal panel and a second end rotatably coupled to the wing tip device, such that rotation of the wing tip device about the first axis causes the seal panel to rotate about the second axis.