Abstract: A system includes a first battery in a vehicle. The vehicle is capable of being coupled at least temporarily with a second, removable battery and is powered by at least one of the first or the second battery. The system also includes a controller in the vehicle which is configured to estimate an amount of travel-related charge based at least in part on a pickup and drop off location. It is decided whether to charge the first battery using the second battery based at least in part on the amount of travel-related charge and a measured amount of stored charge in the second battery. If it is decided to do so, the first battery is charged using the second battery.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that includes an interface which receives sensor information associated with a vehicle, a severing tool, a parachute load limiting device state controller, and a reefing device. The controller determines, based at least in part on the sensor information, whether to instruct the severing tool to release a reefing device prior to parachute deployment. If it is determined to instruct the severing tool to release the reefing device prior to the parachute deployment, the severing tool is so instructed. If it is determined to not instruct the severing tool to release the reefing device prior to the parachute deployment, the reefing device is configured to be situated around a parachute canopy to constrain the parachute canopy during an initial state and slide down the parachute canopy to a position below the parachute canopy to constrain one or more parachute tethers.

Abstract: Sensor data that includes or more of the following: (1) aircraft state information associated with an aircraft or (2) parachute canopy state information associated with a parachute canopy is received. The parachute canopy is coupled to the aircraft at a point aft of a center of mass of the aircraft. It is determined, based at least in part on the sensor data, whether to generate a control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into a nose-up position. A recovery action is performed, including by deploying the parachute canopy; wherein a load on the parachute canopy is reduced in the event the aircraft is in the nose-up position compared to the aircraft being in a nose-down position.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a system to deploy a plurality of parachutes includes a plurality of parachute canopies each packed in a canister, a plurality of rockets adapted to extract an associated canopy from the canister, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine that an aircraft is at least one of: in a hover mode of operation and a forward flight mode of operation. In response to the determination that the aircraft is in the hover mode of operation, the controller applies a hover deployment sequence including by instructing the plurality of parachutes to deploy substantially simultaneously. In response to the determination that the aircraft is in the forward mode of operation and above a threshold airspeed, the controller applies a forward deployment sequence including by instructing the plurality of parachutes to deploy in a predefined sequence.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a tilt rotor that is aft of a wing and that is attached to the wing via a pylon. The tilt rotor has an adjustable maximum downward angle from horizontal that is less than or equal to 60° and that is set via a setting associated with a flight computer. The vehicle takes off and lands using at least some lift from the wing and from the tilt rotor. In response to a change to the adjustable maximum downward angle, via the setting associated with the flight computer, which produces a new maximum downward angle: the flight computer updates an actuator authority database associated with the flight computer to reflect the new maximum downward angle. Using the updated actuator authority database that reflects the new maximum downward angle, the flight computer generates a rotor control signal for the tilt rotor.

Abstract: A propeller includes a blade free to rotate. A first stop is positioned to mechanically engage one or both of a first portion of the blade and a first structure coupled to the blade when the blade is in a first position at a first end of the rotational range of motion. A second stop is positioned to mechanically engage one or both of a second portion of the blade and a second structure coupled to the blade when the blade is in a second position at a second end of the defined rotational range. The blade rotates to the first position against the first stop when the propeller is rotated in a first direction and to the second position against the second stop when the propeller is rotated in a second direction.

Abstract: An automated aircraft recovery system is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes an interface configured to receive sensor data; and a control mechanism configured to: perform automatically a recovery action that is determined based at least in part on the sensor data. In various embodiments, the control mechanism may determine an expected state of an aircraft, determine whether a state of the aircraft matches the expected state, and in the event the state of the aircraft does not match the expected state, perform the recovery action.

Abstract: A geometry-based flight control system is disclosed. In various embodiments, a set of inceptor inputs associated with a requested set of forces and moments to be applied to the aircraft is received. An optimal mix of actuators and associated actuator parameters to achieve to an extent practical the requested forces and moments is computed, including by taking into consideration dynamically varying effectiveness of one or more actuators based on a current dynamic state of the aircraft. An output comprising for each actuator in the optimal mix a corresponding set of one or more control signals associated with the set of actuator parameters computed for that actuator is provided.

Abstract: An aircraft that includes a canard having a leading edge and a trailing edge, a forward swept and fixed wing having a trailing edge, and a plurality of tilt rotor submodules. The plurality of tilt rotor submodules includes a first tilt rotor submodule where the leading edge of the canard contacts the first tilt rotor submodule at position that is within a range of 40% to 60%, inclusive, of the length of the first tilt rotor submodule where 0% corresponds to a forward tip of the first tilt rotor submodule and 100% corresponds to an aft tip of the first tilt rotor submodule. The trailing edge of the canard contacts the first tilt rotor submodule at position that is within a range of 55% to 80%, inclusive, of the length of the first tilt rotor submodule. The plurality of tilt rotor submodules also includes a second tilt rotor submodule that is coupled to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing.

Abstract: A parachute deployment system is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes an interface configured to receive sensor information; a parachute load limiting device; and a parachute load limiting device state controller. The parachute load limiting device state controller sets a state of the parachute load limiting device to a state associated with a corresponding amount of load based at least in part on the sensor information.

Abstract: A system includes a first battery in a vehicle. The vehicle is capable of being coupled at least temporarily with a second, removable battery and is powered by at least one of the first or the second battery. The system also includes a controller in the vehicle which is configured to estimate an amount of travel-related charge based at least in part on a pickup and drop off location. It is decided whether to charge the first battery using the second battery based at least in part on the amount of travel-related charge and a measured amount of stored charge in the second battery. If it is decided to do so, the first battery is charged using the second battery.

Abstract: A selection is made between single stage and multistage parachute deployment for a vehicle based at least in part on vehicle state information. In the event multistage parachute deployment is selected, a drogue parachute is deployed during a first deployment stage and afterwards, a main parachute is deployed during a second deployment stage. In the event single stage parachute deployment is selected, at least the main parachute is deployed in a single stage where in the event the drogue parachute is deployed during the single stage, the drogue and main parachute are deployed simultaneously.

Abstract: A plurality of port-side tilt rotors and a plurality of starboard-side tilt rotors are configured to rotate between a first rotor position and a second rotor position. The port-side tilt rotors are coupled to a trailing edge of the fixed and forward-swept wing on the port side and the starboard-side tilt rotors are coupled to the trailing edge of the fixed and forward-swept wing on the starboard side. The aircraft also includes a fuselage. When the port-side and starboard-side tilt rotors are in the first rotor position, at least some of a lift to keep the aircraft airborne comes from thrust output by the rotors at least some of the time. When in the second rotor position, at least some of the lift to keep the aircraft airborne comes from aerodynamic lift on the fixed and forward-swept wing at least some of the time.

Abstract: A parachute deployment system is disclosed. In various embodiments, a parachute is tethered to an aircraft. A self-propelled projectile is tethered to the parachute. The self-propelled projectile is configured to be launched in a trajectory away from the aircraft. Once launched, the self-propelled projectile pulls the parachute taut in one dimension.

Abstract: A hybrid power system includes a first power source that includes an internal combustion engine, a second power source that includes a battery, and a power controller. The hybrid power system is included in a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle that flies in a transitional mode between a hovering mode and a forward flight mode. The power controller selects one or more of the first power source and the second power source to power a rotor included in the VTOL vehicle, including by: during a landing, the power controller determines when to have the second power source provide power to the rotor, in order to supplement power provided to the rotor by the first power source, based at least in part on one or more flight state variables associated with a flight computer.

Abstract: A system includes an inboard tiltrotor subsystem and an outboard tiltrotor subsystem. The inboard tiltrotor subsystem includes an inboard pylon, an inboard tiltrotor, and a single and non-redundant drivetrain. The outboard tiltrotor subsystem includes an outboard pylon that is coupled to a wing and an outboard tiltrotor. The outboard tiltrotor has a range of motion and is coupled to the wing via the outboard pylon, such that the outboard tiltrotor is aft of the wing. The outboard tiltrotor subsystem further includes a redundant drivetrain (which has a plurality of motors and a plurality of motor controllers) that drives one or more blades and the one or more blades.

Abstract: A first and a second aircraft are detachably coupled where the first aircraft is configured to perform a vertical landing using a first battery while the first aircraft is unoccupied and the unoccupied first aircraft includes the first battery. In response to detecting a second, removable battery being detachably coupled to the first aircraft, a power source for the first aircraft is switched from the first battery to the second, removable battery. After the switch, the first aircraft takes off vertically using the second, removable battery while occupied. The detachably coupled first aircraft and second aircraft are flown using the second aircraft (the power to keep the detachably coupled first aircraft and second aircraft airborne comes exclusively from the second aircraft and not the first aircraft).

Abstract: A tiltrotor has a range of motion between a forward flight position and a hovering position, where a pylon and the tiltrotor are coupled via a telescoping actuator, a rigid bottom bar, and a fixed hinge that is attached between the rigid bottom bar and the tiltrotor. The tiltrotor moves from the forward flight position to the hovering position includes extending the telescoping actuator so that the tilt rotor rotates about the fixed hinge.

Abstract: A first power source, a second power source, and a power controller are provided, where a vehicle that includes the first power source, the second power source, and the power controller is capable of flying in a transitional mode between a hovering mode and a forward flight mode. The power controller selects one or more of the first power source and the second power source to power a rotor included in the vehicle during the transitional mode.

Abstract: A geometry-based flight control system is disclosed. In various embodiments, a set of inceptor inputs associated with a requested set of forces and moments to be applied to the aircraft is received. An optimal mix of actuators and associated actuator parameters to achieve to an extent practical the requested forces and moments is computed, including by taking into consideration dynamically varying effectiveness of one or more actuators based on a current dynamic state of the aircraft. An output comprising for each actuator in the optimal mix a corresponding set of one or more control signals associated with the set of actuator parameters computed for that actuator is provided.