Abstract: A ducted fan drone has a plurality of bent tube propulsors that enshroud rotating fan blades in a manner the eliminates contact with the blades during operation, thereby allowing drone operation in confined areas without risk of injury to people, animals, objects, or the drone itself by incidental contact with the rotating fan blades. The bent tube propulsors have an air passage, an air inlet into the air passage, and an air exit out of the air passage. The air passage has an upwardly bent portion relative to a longitudinal axis of the ducted fan drone, a downwardly bent portion relative to the longitudinal axis, and horizontal section extending between the upwardly and downwardly bent portions. A fan propulsor is disposed within the air passage of each bent tube propulsor at a position along the horizontal section.

Abstract: A ducted fan drone has a plurality of bent tube propulsors that enshroud rotating fan blades in a manner the eliminates contact with the blades during operation, thereby allowing drone operation in confined areas without risk of injury to people, animals, objects, or the drone itself by incidental contact with the rotating fan blades. The bent tube propulsors have an air passage, an air inlet into the air passage, and an air exit out of the air passage. The air passage has an upwardly bent portion relative to a longitudinal axis of the ducted fan drone, a downwardly bent portion relative to the longitudinal axis, and horizontal section extending between the upwardly and downwardly bent portions. A fan propulsor is disposed within the air passage of each bent tube propulsor at a position along the horizontal section.