Abstract: An oblique flying wing aircraft with internal ducting and airflow. The aircraft may have propulsion units within the wing body. The propulsion units may be off-axis internal to the wing to utilize locations with larger internal space available. In some aspects, the multi-segment oblique flying wing aircraft may have three distinct segments including two outer wing segments and a central wing segment. The central segment may be thicker in the vertical direction and adapted to hold pilots and passengers. The outer wing segments may be substantially thinner and may taper as they progress outboard from the wing center. The multi-segment oblique flying wing aircraft be adapted for rotating into a high-speed flight configuration, or may be adapted for take-off and cruise at a constant angle.

Abstract: A method and system for modeling aerodynamic interactions in complex eVTOL configurations for realtime flight simulations and hardware testing which includes decomposing the aircraft into aerodynamic subcomponents, wherein the interactions between these components are handled by flow simulations of the surrounding fluid, which may be Euler flow CFD simulations. A computer generated simulation can be used to analyze the fluid flow and pressures, the forces delivered by an aircraft into the fluid and the forces onto the aircraft from the fluid, to determine the position and attitude of the aircraft, and other aspects. The system may be used as a flight simulator for pilot training in a realtime environment. The system may be used to support component testing using an interface to those components, such as flight electronics and actuators, to test the components in high fidelity simulations of actual flight demands on those components.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing a psychoacoustic penalty of acoustic noise emitted by an aircraft, including a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the aircraft, wherein each of the plurality of propulsion assemblies includes a motor, and a plurality of blades defined by a propeller, wherein the plurality of blades can define an asymmetric blade spacing; a control subsystem coupled to the aircraft and communicatively coupled to the motor of each of the plurality of propulsion assemblies, wherein the control subsystem is operable to rotate each of the plurality of propulsion assemblies at a different frequency to modulate the acoustic power distribution of the emitted acoustic signature.

Abstract: A vertical take-off and landing aircraft with a multi-element lifting system with integrated propulsion. The multi-element lifting system may have an upper wing element, a lower wing element, and a control wing element which is located below the upper wing element and above, and rearward of, the lower wing element. The system uses internal propulsion units, such as internal ducted fans, which flow air below the upper wing element and above the lower wing element such that the air flows through the multi-element lifting system. The control wing element may be articulated to route air vertically downward to allow for short or vertical take-off and landing. An aircraft with a multi-element wing assembly and a multi-element tail assembly raised above the wing assembly. An aircraft which resides on the ground with the wing assembly and the tail assembly pitched up.

Abstract: The system can include an on-board thermal management subsystem. The system 100 can optionally include an off-board (extravehicular) infrastructure subsystem. The on-board thermal management subsystem can include: a battery pack, one or more fluid loops, and an air manifold. The system 100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable components.

Abstract: A deployment mechanism for use on an aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using deployable thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. The deployment mechanism may use linear actuation of a linkage assembly to deploy thrust producing rotor assemblies from a vertical thrust hove configuration to a horizontal thrust forward flight configuration. The aerial vehicle may include left side rotor assemblies and right side rotor assemblies which may be deployed by deployment mechanisms.

Abstract: A vertical take-off and landing aircraft which uses fixed rotors for both VTOL and forward flight operations. The wing rotors are tilted forward and provide some forward propulsion during horizontal flight. The rotors are positioned to achieve a high span efficiency. The rotors are positioned to even out the lift across the span of the synthetic wing. The synthetic wing may also have airfoils which may provide structural support for the rotors as well as providing lift during forward flight.

Abstract: An extension linkage for a wing flap can include at least one arm that includes two elements connected by a joint. The linkage can include an actuation mechanism, additional arms and/or each arm can include more than two elements, tie rods and/or cross pieces connecting two or more arms, and any other suitable components. The linkage functions to translate and rotate a body attached to one end of the arm relative to a primary structure attached to a second end of the arm. The linkage resides entirely within a space defined by the upper skin and the lower skin of the wing rearward of the mounting when in a retracted configuration.

Abstract: A multi-segment oblique flying wing aircraft which has three distinct segments including two outer wing segments and a central wing segment. The central segment may be thicker in the vertical direction and adapted to hold pilots and passengers. The outer wing segments may be substantially thinner and may taper as they progress outboard from the wing center. The multi-segment oblique flying wing aircraft be adapted for rotating into a high speed flight configuration, or may be adapted for take-off and cruise at a constant angle. In an extreme flight case, the central wing segment may rotate to a local sweep of ninety degrees.

Abstract: An aircraft including an airframe and a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the airframe, wherein each propulsion assembly includes an electric motor, a propeller coupled to the electric motor, and a tilt mechanism that connects the propulsion assembly to the airframe and transforms the propulsion assembly between a forward configuration and a hover configuration; wherein the plurality of propulsion assemblies is transformable between a forward arrangement and a hover arrangement, wherein each of the plurality of propulsion assemblies is in the forward configuration in the forward arrangement, wherein each of the plurality of propulsion assemblies is in the hover configuration in the hover arrangement, wherein the spacing between at least two of the propellers of the plurality of propulsion assemblies changes between the forward arrangement and the hover arrangement.

Abstract: A deployment mechanism for use on an aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using deployable thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. The deployment mechanism may use linear actuation of a linkage assembly to deploy thrust producing rotor assemblies from a vertical thrust hove configuration to a horizontal thrust forward flight configuration. The aerial vehicle may include left side rotor assemblies and right side rotor assemblies which may be deployed by deployment mechanisms.

Abstract: A vertical take-off and landing aircraft and method which uses fixed rotors for both VTOL and forward flight operations. The rotors are positioned to achieve a high span efficiency. The rotors are positioned to even out the lift across the span of the wing. The wing may also have narrow front and rear airfoils which may provide structural support as well as providing lift during forward flight, or may have a single center wing. The wing rotors are tilted forward and provide some forward propulsion during horizontal flight.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using a set of wing mounted thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to vertical takeoff with the rotors in a rotated, take-off attitude then transitions to a horizontal flight path, with the rotors rotated to a typical horizontal configuration. The aerial vehicle may have deployment mechanisms which deploy electric motor driven propellers from a forward facing to a vertical orientation. The deployment mechanisms deploy the rotor forward and up as they deploy from a forward flight configuration to a vertical thrust configuration. A single motor may drive two co-axial propellers, with a first propeller driven when the motor spins in a first direction, and a second propeller driven when the motor spins in a second direction.

Abstract: A power system with a reliability enhancing battery architecture for electric motors adapted for use in an aerial vehicle. Individual batteries may be used to power a subset two or more motors in systems with six or more motors, for example. Each motor may be powered by two or more subsets of batteries, allowing accommodation for motor failure. With a failed motor in a vertical take-off or landing mode, power may be diverted to other motors to continue proper attitude control, and to provide sufficient thrust. With a failed motor a second motor offset from the failed motor may be powered down to facilitate attitude control.

Abstract: A vertical take-off and landing aircraft with a multi-element lifting system with integrated propulsion. The multi-element lifting system may have an upper wing element, a lower wing element, and a control wing element which is located below the upper wing element and above, and rearward of, the lower wing element. The system uses internal propulsion units, such as internal ducted fans, which flow air below the upper wing element and above the lower wing element such that the air flows through the multi-element lifting system. The control wing element may be articulated to route air vertically downward to allow for short or vertical take-off and landing. An aircraft with a multi-element wing assembly and a multi-element tail assembly raised above the wing assembly. An aircraft which resides on the ground with the wing assembly and the tail assembly pitched up.

Abstract: A vertical take-off and landing aircraft which uses fixed rotors for both VTOL and forward flight operations. The wing rotors are tilted forward and provide some forward propulsion during horizontal flight. The rotors are positioned to achieve a high span efficiency. The rotors are positioned to even out the lift across the span of the synthetic wing. The synthetic wing may also have airfoils which may provide structural support for the rotors as well as providing lift during forward flight.

Abstract: A solid motor coil with conductive pathways as part of a unitary construction. The conductive pathways are separated by resistive insulating layers. The conductive pathways may vary in their location within the cross-section of the motor coil, which may significantly reduce eddy current losses. The solid motor coil may result in a higher packing factor than previous designs. The solid motor coil may reduce the eddy current loss per conductor, with commensurate reduction in peak temperature rise. An electric motor with solid motor coils provides improved heat conduction and improved efficiency, allowing for a smaller motor package at higher power levels.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle configured with air intake in an otherwise higher drag location. In some aspects, the aerial vehicle is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The aircraft may intake the air to provide air to a hydrogen fuel cell system within the aircraft. The aircraft may have electric motor driven rotor assemblies which provide thrust for both vertical take-off and landing and forward flight operations. The electric motor driven rotor assemblies may be powered by electric power from the fuel cell system. The air intake may be on the forward portion of a nacelle placed in what would be a high drag location, such as at the junction of the wings and the fuselage, or the junction of the vertical stabilizers and the fuselage, for example.

Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft includes a starboard wing, a port wing, first and second tilt rotors coupled to the port and starboard wings respectively, and first and second batteries. A pair of control surfaces are arranged on a first side of the mid-sagittal plane of the aircraft, the pair comprising a first and a second control surface. A first flight actuator is electrically connected to the first battery and a second flight actuator is electrically connected to the second battery. The first and second flight actuators are mechanically connected to the first and second control surfaces respectively.

Abstract: An oblique flying wing aircraft with internal ducting and airflow. The aircraft may have propulsion units within the wing body. The propulsion units may be off-axis internal to the wing to utilize locations with larger internal space available. In some aspects, the multi-segment oblique flying wing aircraft may have three distinct segments including two outer wing segments and a central wing segment. The central segment may be thicker in the vertical direction and adapted to hold pilots and passengers. The outer wing segments may be substantially thinner and may taper as they progress outboard from the wing center. The multi-segment oblique flying wing aircraft be adapted for rotating into a high-speed flight configuration, or may be adapted for take-off and cruise at a constant angle.