Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage and a wing assembly that is rotatable between a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the fuselage in flight modes and a substantially parallel orientation relative to the fuselage in a wing stowage mode. The wing assembly includes a wing that is pivotable between forward flight and VTOL orientations by a pivot angle. A distributed thrust array is coupled to the wing that includes outboard and inboard propulsion assemblies, each propulsion assembly having an axis of rotation that has a fixed angle relative to a chord axis of the wing. In a VTOL flight mode, the axis of rotation of each propulsion assembly is substantially vertical and the wing is in the VTOL orientation. In a forward flight mode, the wing is in the forward flight orientation and the axis of rotation of each propulsion assembly is tilted forward from the vertical by the pivot angle.

Abstract: An aerial resupply system (ARS) including a supply aircraft. The supply aircraft includes at least one of supply fuel, an ordinance, and data. The supply aircraft also includes a retractable boom system (RBS) configured for selective stowage within a fuselage of the supply aircraft and configured to supply at least one of supply fuel, the ordinance, and data to a location external to the fuselage.

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 first and second pylons coupled therebetween. A distributed thrust array is coupled to the airframe including a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first wing and a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second wing. A UAV carrier assembly is coupled between the first and second pylons. The UAV carrier assembly has a plurality of UAV stations each configured to selectively transport and release a UAV. A flight control system is configured to control each of the propulsion assemblies and launch each of the UAVs during flight.

Abstract: A cargo transporting system for a tailsitter aircraft includes a cargo receptacle rotatably coupled to an underside of a wing and a cargo assembly selectively coupled to the cargo receptacle. By rotating the cargo receptacle, the cargo transporting system can transition between a deployed position and a retracted position. In the deployed position, the cargo receptacle is substantially perpendicular to the wing, and accommodates ground personnel charged with connecting or removing the cargo assembly from the cargo transporting system. In the retracted position, the cargo receptacle is substantially parallel to the wing, and positioned for flight operations.

Abstract: A tandem tiltrotor aircraft in which the tiltrotor assemblies are operably coupled at the forward and aft ends of the fuselage of the aircraft is disclosed. The tiltrotor assemblies are capable of rotating between a vertical lift position and a horizontal flight position. The in-line location of the tiltrotor assemblies allow the aircraft to have the vertical take-off and landing capabilities, and, in combination with the at least one wing, can be used in horizontal flight. The aft rotor assembly can assume a horizontal flight position that places the rotor blades forward of a vertical fin of the aircraft. In another embodiment, a winged triple tiltrotor aircraft is disclosed. In another embodiment, a winged quad tiltrotor aircraft is disclosed.

Abstract: An electric tandem rotorcraft is disclosed. The tandem rotorcraft can include a forward and an aft electric rotor assembly operably coupled to a fuselage of the rotor craft. The aft rotor assembly can be coupled to the fuselage via a tail structure. The rotorcraft can include a wing assembly that can be operably rotatable between a vertical lift configuration and a horizontal flight configuration. The wing assembly can be disposed between and/or below planes of rotation of the forward and aft rotor assemblies. The forward and aft rotor assemblies can have planes of rotation that overlap one another and may or may not intermesh. The forward and aft rotor assemblies can also be distanced such that their respective planes of rotation do not overlap.

Abstract: A fully compounding rotorcraft includes a fuselage having first and second wings extending therefrom and configured to provide lift compounding responsive to forward airspeed. A twin boom includes first and second tail boom members that extend aftward from the first and second wings. An empennage is coupled between the aft ends of the tail boom members. An anti-torque system includes a tail rotor that is rotatably coupled to the empennage. An engine is disposed within the fuselage and is configured to provide torque to a main rotor assembly via an output shaft and a main rotor gearbox. An auxiliary propulsive system is coupled to the fuselage and is configured to generate a propulsive thrust to offload at least a portion of a thrust requirement from the main rotor during forward flight, thereby providing propulsion compounding to increase the forward airspeed of the rotorcraft.

Abstract: A hybrid propulsion engine for a rotorcraft includes a core turboshaft engine having a gas path and an output shaft that provides torque to a main rotor. A fan module is disposed relative to the core turboshaft engine and is coupled to the output shaft. The fan module has a bypass air path that is independent of the gas path. A thrust nozzle is configured to mix exhaust gases from the core turboshaft engine with bypass air from the fan module and to discharge the mixture to provide propulsive thrust. In a turboshaft configuration, the fan module is closed to prevent the flow of bypass air therethrough such that the thrust nozzle does not provide propulsive thrust. In a turboshaft and turbofan configuration, the fan module is open allowing the flow of bypass air therethrough such that the thrust nozzle provides propulsive thrust, thereby supplying propulsion compounding for the rotorcraft.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a rotorcraft comprising a body having a longitudinal axis, a wing coupled to the body, a single tiltrotor assembly pivotally coupled to the body, and the tiltrotor assembly configured to move between a position generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis during a vertical flight mode and a position generally parallel to the longitudinal axis during a horizontal flight mode. The rotorcraft may further comprise an anti-torque system configured to counteract torque generated by the tiltrotor assembly during vertical flight. The rotorcraft may further comprise a center of gravity compensation system configured to manage a rotorcraft center of gravity during movement of the tiltrotor assembly between the vertical flight mode and the horizontal flight mode.

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes first and second engines, a binary lift fan system, first and second forced air bypass systems and first and second exhaust systems. The engines have turboshaft and turbofan modes. The lift fan system includes ducted fans in a tandem longitudinal orientation. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engines are in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engines provide rotational energy to the ducted fans generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engines are in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass systems such that the bypass air combines with the engine exhaust in the exhaust systems to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes an engine, a trinary lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes a plurality of ducted fans in a tandem lateral and forward orientation. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the ducted fans generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that bypass air combines with engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes first and second engines, a binary lift fan system, first and second forced air bypass systems and first and second exhaust systems. The engines have turboshaft and turbofan modes. The lift fan system includes ducted fans in a tandem longitudinal orientation. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engines are in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engines provide rotational energy to the ducted fans generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engines are in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass systems such that the bypass air combines with the engine exhaust in the exhaust systems to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes an engine, a trinary lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes a plurality of ducted fans in a tandem lateral and forward orientation. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the ducted fans generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that bypass air combines with engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

Abstract: A fully compounding rotorcraft includes a fuselage having first and second wings extending therefrom and configured to provide lift compounding responsive to forward airspeed. A twin boom includes first and second tail boom members that extend aftward from the first and second wings. An empennage is coupled between the aft ends of the tail boom members. An anti-torque system includes a tail rotor that is rotatably coupled to the empennage. An engine is disposed within the fuselage and is configured to provide torque to a main rotor assembly via an output shaft and a main rotor gearbox. An auxiliary propulsive system is coupled to the fuselage and is configured to generate a propulsive thrust to offload at least a portion of a thrust requirement from the main rotor during forward flight, thereby providing propulsion compounding to increase the forward airspeed of the rotorcraft.

Abstract: A cargo transporting system for a tailsitter aircraft includes a cargo receptacle rotatably coupled to an underside of a wing and a cargo assembly selectively coupled to the cargo receptacle. By rotating the cargo receptacle, the cargo transporting system can transition between a deployed position and a retracted position. In the deployed position, the cargo receptacle is substantially perpendicular to the wing, and accommodates ground personnel charged with connecting or removing the cargo assembly from the cargo transporting system. In the retracted position, the cargo receptacle is substantially parallel to the wing, and positioned for flight operations.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a high speed, vertical lift aircraft that has vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability and is capable of converting to a forward-flight mode (e.g., prop-mode). The rotors blades can be folded for high speed forward flight propelled by a turbine engine (e.g., jet-mode). The rotor blades on the tail sitter aircraft have a “stop-fold” capability, which means that the rotor blades are stopped in flight and folded back to reduce drag. This allows the tail sitter aircraft to achieve a higher speed than a tilt-rotor aircraft. In some embodiments, the tail sitter aircraft achieves both rotor-borne flight and jet-borne flight by having two separate engines. An additional advantage of the tail-sitter aircraft versus a horizontally oriented fixed engine aircraft is that supplemental jet thrust can be used for take-off if desired.

Abstract: An aircraft for capturing drones includes an airframe having a drone channel with first and second wings extending outboard thereof. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to each of the first and second wings such that the rotor disc of each propulsion assembly is outboard of the drone channel. A flight control system is coupled to the airframe and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A mesh bag is coupled to the drone channel forming a drone capture net. The aircraft is configured to convert between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft is also configured to overtake a drone during flight in the biplane orientation such that the drone passes through the drone channel into the mesh bag, thereby capturing the drone in the drone capture net.

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes an engine, a binary lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes a plurality of ducted fans in a tandem lateral orientation. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the ducted fans generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that the bypass air combines with the engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The propulsion system includes an turboshaft engine, a lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes at least one ducted fan. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the at least one ducted fan generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that the bypass air combines with the engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes an engine, a unitary lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes a ducted fan. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the ducted fan generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that the bypass air combines with the engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.