Abstract: A coral mounting apparatus that facilitates mounting a live coral or other decoration to rock in an aquarium comprising a coral mount; a dock that is slidably receivable within the coral mount; and a docking mechanism that enables the dock to slide in and towards with respect to the coral mount upon docking, and away and slide out with respect to the coral mount upon undocking.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electric aircraft and a method for preventing a propulsor from contacting a ground surface of the electric aircraft. Electric aircraft includes a tail skid. The tail skid may include two portions. The tail skid may be configured to accommodate angles of approach for various takeoff and landing methods. Tail skid may be configured to prevent a propulsor from contacting the ground surface.

Abstract: An aircraft may include a body structure, a tail section articulatably coupled to the body structure and including a tail structure, a propulsion system coupled to the tail structure and configured to produce thrust for the aircraft, and a stabilizer coupled to the tail structure, and an actuation system configured to articulate the tail section relative to the body structure to change a thrust vector of the propulsion system and an angle of attack of the stabilizer during flight. The actuation system may be configured to articulate the tail section about at least two perpendicular rotational axes. The propulsion system may be configured to produce the thrust in a first thrust direction in a first flight mode (e.g., a rotor-borne flight mode) and to produce the thrust in a second thrust direction in a second flight mode (e.g., a wing-borne flight mode).

Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft takeoff/land as a multirotor and cruises as an airplane. The aircraft comprises two major parts: a winged carrier frame comprises wings, engines, propellers and landing gears; a tilting fuselage comprises cockpit, cabin and tail. The winged carrier frame is basically an X/H frame multirotor in which its thruster carrying arms are wing shaped. The aircraft can vertical takeoff as a multirotor aircraft after gaining safe altitude and forward airspeed the aircraft changes its flying axis that the wings and the thrust direction parallel to the horizon. The lift generated by the wings and thrust generated by the thrusters that aircraft has basic airplane flying characteristics. The fuselage tilted to keep the crew, passengers and payload relatively parallel to the horizon. The speed is reduced then the winged carrier frame and the tilting fuselage returned to multirotor mode for the landing.

Abstract: A constricting collar and method of use that provides for a means of humane end of life for a condemned individual or an individual making an end of life decision where it is legal to do so. The collar is openable and closeable to be fixed around a person's neck. The collar has a cushion at the back of the neck and a constricting member at the front. Various means can be employed to trigger the constricting member to move toward the cushion at the back of the neck, such as a screw, a screw gear, a rack and pinion gear, and an inflatable air cartridge. The method of use includes the administration of a tranquilizing agent after placement of the collar around a person's neck after which the constricting action can be activated either through a remote or a button on the collar itself or in the case of the inflatable mechanism, the application of air through a cylinder.

Abstract: Aspects relate to airplanes having a blended wing body. A blended wing body may include a fuselage and a port wing and a starboard wing continuously coupled to the fuselage and a nose section. A midship control surface may be disposed on a trailing edge of the blended wing body and centered between the port wing and the starboard wing.

Abstract: A tow cable system and method of use wherein, in the context of towed flight of a glider behind an aircraft, positive load or tension of the cable therebetween is achieved through one or more of cable design and material selection, cable pre-tensioning, in-flight cable tensioning, and/or load dampening device(s), and the related interplay of such various components or sub-systems of the overall tow cable system.

Abstract: A wing for an aircraft is disclosed including a main wing, a slat, and a connection assembly movable connecting the slat to the main wing. The connection assembly includes an elongate slat track, wherein the front end of the slat track is mounted to the slat, wherein the rear end and the intermediate portion of the slat track are mounted to the main wing by a roller bearing including a guide rail mounted to the main wing and a first roller unit mounted to the rear end of the slat track and engaging the guide rail. The roller bearing includes a second roller unit mounted to the main wing and engaging an engagement surface at the intermediate portion of the slat track.

Abstract: A control system for an aircraft allowing a pilot of the aircraft to control aerodynamic means, the control system comprising a processing unit for generating control commands, the control commands being transmitted to control devices to modify a position of the aerodynamic means and to pilot the aircraft according to four control axes having a pitch control axis, a roll control axis, a yaw movement control axis and a lift control axis, the control system comprising a control member generating control setpoints, the control setpoints being transmitted to the processing unit generating the control commands under the dependency of the control setpoints, the control member being mechanically disconnected from the control devices.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a rotary aircraft, including: a main drive rotor; an aircraft body mechanically coupled to the main drive rotor; and first and second flight assist wings passively rotatably coupled to the aircraft body.

Abstract: A heated leading edge structure for an aircraft, including a leading edge panel having an outer surface configured to be contacted by an ambient flow, and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, and including a heater device mounted to the inner surface of the leading edge panel for heating of the leading edge panel. The heater device is mounted to the inner surface of the leading edge panel in a detachable manner to provide a simple, lightweight and cost-efficient leading edge structure that enables a simple, quick and efficient maintenance.

Abstract: Packages of insects are attached to a carrier cylinder and the cylinder is rotated in a radiation field so that the packaged insects are sterilized. The radiation field is created by a plurality of x-ray tubes mounted above the carrier cylinder. The tubes (and their respective radiation sources) are positioned so that a consistent radiation dosage is delivered at the surface of the cylinder—thereby imparting both a precise and uniform dose of radiation to the insect packages affixed to the surface of the cylinder.

Abstract: Efficient fish farming techniques are described, including a land-based saltwater flow-through pool fed by seawater intakes, and efficient water flow and waste removal techniques that promote good fish growing conditions. Features include devices for encouraging laminar flow in the flow-through pool, and efficient waste removal, and multiple seawater intakes from different ocean depths.

Abstract: A system and method for sending signals at temperatures associated with hypersonic speeds. A window system in a hypersonic aircraft is provided. The window system comprises a transmissive window in an aeroshell of the hypersonic aircraft, a thermal seal, a sensor, and a sensor housing assembly enclosing the sensor. The transmissive window comprises a facesheet and insulating material adjacent to the facesheet. The thermal seal surrounds a perimeter of the facesheet and seals the facesheet to the aeroshell. The window system is radio-frequency transparent at temperatures associated with hypersonic speeds. The window system is configured to operate at an insertion loss of less than one decibel at the hypersonic speeds.

Abstract: An emergency deorbit device provided in a satellite flying on an orbit around the earth includes a propulsion module generating thrust for separating the satellite from the orbit, a reception unit receiving a repeat signal repeatedly sent at an interval from an sending unit of a satellite bus in the satellite, a detection unit outputting a detection signal when the reception unit does not receive the repeat signal in a set time period or when the reception unit receives a deorbit command from the sending unit or from an outside of the satellite, an activation device performing, in response to the detection signal, processing for activating the propulsion module, and a power supply device provided separately from a power supply device of the satellite bus and supplying electric power to the reception unit, the detection unit, and the activation device.

Abstract: There is disclosed a rotorcraft comprising: an array of lift devices supported at a structure; a first group of the lift devices configured to generate thrust in a first common direction; a second group of the lift devices being tilted or tiltable relative to the first group of devices so as to generate thrust in at least a second common direction; and a flight control system.

Abstract: An emergency parachute system for rescue of persons or of manned or unmanned aerial vehicles includes a storage unit, which contains at least one cavity with an opening. The emergency parachute system further includes at least two parachutes, each of which contains a canopy, suspension lines, and a riser. The canopies of the at least two parachutes are folded separately and arranged in the cavity or cavities of the storage unit ejectably. The centers of the canopies are mutually interconnected by means of connection cords on the top side in order to stablize the system during flight.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage and a pair of wings. Each wing is coupled to the fuselage at a wing-fuselage joint, and is supported by a strut coupled to the fuselage at a strut-fuselage joint and coupled to the wing at a strut-wing joint. The strut-fuselage joint is located below and at least partially aft of the wing-fuselage joint. The wing generates a lifting force when air passes over the wing. The lifting force induces a vertical moment about the wing-fuselage joint due to the location of the strut-fuselage joint below and at least partially aft of the wing-fuselage joint. The wing and/or the strut has a structural arrangement configured to counteract the vertical moment.

Abstract: A modular load carrying apparatus for a rotary wing aircraft and to a rotary wing aircraft with such a modular load carrying apparatus. The modular load carrying apparatus may include a tube, first and second caps at first and second axial ends of the tube, a carrier star with docking devices that are adapted for rotatably receiving a seat or a carrier beam that may be folded against the tube in a stowed position or unfolded from the tube in a deployed position. A tension rod may be spanned between the first and second caps and transfer tension loads from the carrier star via the second cap towards the first cap.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage and a wing system having first and second oppositely disposed wings that extend laterally from the fuselage. A tiltable propulsion system is rotatably coupled to the fuselage between the first and second wings. The tiltable propulsion system includes a frame system having four diagonally extending arms each having a propulsion assembly coupled thereto. A flight control system is configured to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies and the orientation of the tiltable propulsion system. In a VTOL flight mode of the aircraft, the tiltable propulsion system is substantially perpendicular to the aircraft's yaw axis in a vertical thrust orientation such that the propulsion assemblies are configured to provide vertical thrust. In a forward cruise flight mode of the aircraft, the tiltable propulsion system is substantially perpendicular to the aircraft's roll axis in a forward thrust orientation such that the propulsion assemblies provide forward thrust.