Abstract: A tiltrotor aircraft having a propulsion configuration that divorces the engine core power from the thrust fan, using a combined gearbox with a plurality of clutches to couple and decouple one or more rotor systems and one or more thrust fans. The aircraft can be operable for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) in a helicopter mode, forward flight in a proprotor mode, and high-speed forward flight in an airplane (jet) mode. The propulsion configuration provides shaft horsepower (SHP) to rotors for VTOL flight, while also providing SHP to the thrust fan for high speed flight. Allowing the rotor and the thrust fan to be clutched on and off, sequentially, enables transition from rotor-borne VTOL flight to wing-borne thrust fan flight, and back.

Abstract: A method of fire-fighting is provided based on unmanned aerial vehicles “UAV(s)” launched from transporter aircrafts to deliver water or fire-retardants or any other fire-fighting materials to a location selected by the fire-fighting personnel. A capability of putting-off high intensity forest fires is provided that stems from the precision and the quantity of material that can be delivered per unit surface per unit time. After releasing the fire-fighting material(s), the UAV reaches a safe altitude from which it flies on autopilot to intercept and then proceed on a pre-programmed route to land per pre-programmed instructions on an airfield from which fire-fighting transporter(s) operate, allowing a high efficiency along the line, from loading the transporter airplanes to maximizing the quantity of material that reach the target, to minimizing the remote-pilot time and up to the recovery system that minimizes the recovery cost and it maximizes UAVs' utilization by a quick turnaround.

Abstract: A lighter than air airship (1) comprising a gas-filled flexible hull (2) which is elongate with a longitudinal axis (1?) and with a front end (4) and a rear end (5), wherein a harness-structure (3) is abutting an outer side of the hull (2) and not perturbing the hull and not extending through the hull, the harness-structure (3) is made of a bendable material and carries a propeller engine (10) for forward thrust of the airship (1), rechargeable batteries (11) for providing electrical power to the propeller engine (10), and a solar panel for providing electrical power to recharge the batteries (11).

Abstract: An aircraft rear engine attachment connecting a primary structure of a pylon and an engine of an aircraft. The rear engine attachment includes first and second rods, each of them including at least two parts, a first part including at least one support orifice, accommodating a support link bar, configured to connect the rod directly or indirectly to the primary structure, at least one second part including at least one engine orifice, accommodating an engine link bar, configured to connect the rod directly or indirectly to the engine, and also detachable link elements for connecting the first and second parts oriented parallel to the direction of the rod.

Abstract: A drone delivery system provides to send or to receive the package conveniently and safely without going out of the building by using the platform installed at the vicinity of the window. The drone delivery system includes the drone having a first docking device, a standard box having a second docking device corresponding to the first docking device and a third docking device and a platform having a fourth docking device corresponding to the third docking device.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for maintaining bulk fuel temperatures in an aircraft. In one aspect, a recirculation system causes fuel to be delivered from a relatively low point near the feed hopper of each tank on the aircraft to one or more outboard locations of the wings. Once there, the fuel, due to gravity, flows back over the lower skin of the wing in channels back towards the fuselage, thus cooling the fuel. In other aspects, control systems are disclosed that coordinate the recirculation based on fuel levels in the tanks and fuel temperatures. The control systems also utilize a fuel scavenge system to maintain acceptable temperatures in the tanks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of air vehicle technologies and provides an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), including a vehicle body and arms connected to the vehicle body. The arm is hinged to the vehicle body by using a spherical hinge portion and may be folded or unfolded relative to the vehicle body. Through the forgoing manner, the arm is connected to the vehicle body of the UAV by using the spherical hinge. The arm can be folded and unfolded smoothly without interference, which conforms to known operation habits of users, so that after the entire UAV is folded, the structure becomes more compact and easier to carry. In addition, it can be effectively avoided that the UAV is damaged due to impact in the carrying process.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle are provided. The VTOL vehicle includes: a fuselage having longitudinally a front section, a central section and a rear section; a first lifting surface comprising two wings respectively secured to opposite sides of the rear section of the fuselage; a second lifting surface comprising two wings respectively secured to opposite sides of the front section of the fuselage; where each wing comprises at least one engine module, each of the engine modules being pivotally coupled to the wing and each engine module being independently controlled for transitioning between a vertical mode of flight and a horizontal mode of flight.

Abstract: A drone comprises at least one propeller for generating lift and an article containment area for containing an article to be carried by the drone. The floor of the article containment area comprises a dynamic support surface for supporting the article and allowing the article to move into, out of and through the article containment area. The dynamic support surface may be a conveyor belt forming the floor of the article containment area.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. Tail assemblies are coupled to wingtips of the first and second wings each having an elevon that collectively form a distributed array of elevons. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and to control movements of the elevons such that the elevons collectively provide pitch authority and differentially provide roll authority for the aircraft in the biplane orientation. In addition, when the flight control system detects an elevon fault, the flight control system is configured to perform corrective action responsive thereto at a distributed elevon level or at a coordinated distributed elevon and propulsion assembly level.

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft has an airframe including first and second wings with a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector. In the VTOL orientation, the first wing is forward of the fuselage, the second wing is aft of the fuselage and the coaxial rotor system is configured to provide thrust in line with a yaw axis of the aircraft. In the biplane orientation, the first wing is below the fuselage, the second wing is above the fuselage and the coaxial rotor system is configured to provide thrust in line with a roll axis of the aircraft.

Abstract: A vertical lift rotor propulsor assembly comprises a boom having a casing with a casing profile and a first propeller blade having a blade profile that corresponds substantially to at least a portion of the casing profile of the casing of the boom. A drive mechanism is at least partially housed within the boom and at the first propeller blade is rotatably mounted to the drive mechanism to be driven thereby. The drive mechanism is to operationally move the first propeller blade between a stowed position in which the first propeller blade is substantially flush with the casing of the boom, and a deployed position in which the first propeller blade is extended a determined distance from the casing of the boom.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning a control surface. An apparatus comprises an arm, first link, and second link. The arm has first and second ends, the first end of the arm rotatably coupled to a wing structure to define a first pivot point. The first link has first and second ends, the first end being rotatably coupled to the second end of the arm. The second link has first and second ends, the first end rotatably coupled to the first end of the arm. When the second end of the first link is rotatably coupled to a first control surface and the second end of the second link is rotatably coupled to a second control surface, movement of the first control surface away from the wing structure rotates the arm about the first pivot point such that the second control surface moves in coordination with the first control surface.

Abstract: A flight control surface with an actuator with an aerodynamic fairing for a swept aircraft wing. The swept aircraft wing includes a movable flight control surface with a hinge line non-perpendicular to the line of flight of the aircraft, and an actuator arm configured to actuate the flight control surface. The actuator arm includes a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with the line of flight, the actuator arm extending at least partially from an outer surface of the aircraft wing, and a fairing arranged on the outer surface of the aircraft wing to at least partially cover the actuator arm. Aligning the actuator arm with the line of flight of the aircraft may allow for an improved fairing to be provided.

Abstract: An aircraft comprises an aircraft structure, a flight control surface attached to the aircraft structure, and a local hydraulic power pack disposed proximal to the flight control surface. The local hydraulic power pack is configured to provide pressurized hydraulic fluid for actuating the flight control surface. The local hydraulic power pack comprises a reservoir for the hydraulic fluid and two hydraulic pumps for pressurizing the hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: A supersonic jet aircraft and a method of operating the same. The supersonic jet aircraft having at least three turbofan engines and an engine management computer. A first engine of the at least three turbofan engines is configured to be de-activatable during flight to move from an operational state in which it provides thrust to an operational state in which it stops providing thrust. Other engines of the at least three turbofan engines are configured to provide sufficient thrust to the supersonic jet aircraft when the first engine is de-activated such that the aircraft can perform a supersonic climb operation and/or a supersonic cruise operation.

Abstract: An example of a drone includes a drone chassis, a plurality of motors attached to the drone chassis and a plurality of propellers coupled to the plurality of motors. The drone further includes a net assembly mounted to the drone chassis. The net assembly extends above the plurality of propellers. The net assembly including a bottom portion and a plurality of upright frame members that are mounted to the bottom portion by a plurality of articulating joints.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) expandable landing marker system may include a an expandable volume. The landing marker may be expanded prior to arrival of a UAV delivering an item to be received by the landing marker. The landing marker may be expanded by regulating an amount of fluid in the volume. An anchor may be coupled to the landing marker to restrain movement of the expanded landing marker. An optional retraction mechanism may retract the landing marker. The landing marker can be retracted with the deposited item, moving the item to a location for later retrieval.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle including a first wing structure and a second wing structure which intersects the first wing structure perpendicularly at a position offset from a midpoint of a transverse axis of the first wing structure in a direction towards a first wingtip of the first wing structure. The aerial vehicle may further include a first set of at least two propellers with respective propeller rotational axes disposed side-by-side along a portion of the first wing structure extending between the midpoint of the transverse axis of the first wing structure and a second wingtip of the first wing structure. The aerial vehicle may further include a second set of at least two propellers with respective propeller rotational axes disposed side-by-side along a first portion of the second wing structure extending from a first surface of the first wing structure.

Abstract: An aircraft monument for use in a cabin of an aircraft includes a monument assembly and a seat assembly. The monument assembly includes a frame having a plurality of walls defining a compartment. The plurality of walls include a first end wall having a forward section at a forward plane of the frame. The compartment is defined rearward of the forward section. The seat assembly is forward of the frame. The seat assembly has a shell configured to at least partially surround a passenger seat. The shell has a rear rearward of the forward plane of the frame.