Abstract: An aircraft includes a wing where a first rotor and a second rotor are coupled to the wing at a fixed position relative to the wing. The aircraft also includes a fuselage and a bearing. The bearing mechanically couples the wing and the fuselage and permits the wing and the fuselage to rotate with respect to each other about an axis of rotation. The bearing permits the fuselage to rotate under the influence of gravity to be in a same orientation relative to ground when the wing is in a first orientation relative to the ground as well as a second orientation relative to the ground.

Abstract: Hand controls for an aircraft, including a single axis hand control which is configured to control movement of an aircraft along a vertical axis where the aircraft includes a plurality of rotors that are attached to the aircraft at a fixed position and the plurality of rotors rotate independently of one another. The hand controls further include a three axis hand control which is configured to control movement of the aircraft within a plane defined by a roll axis and a pitch axis, as well as about a yaw axis.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a float which provides buoyancy when the aircraft floats on a surface of water. The aircraft also includes a rotor where the rotor is configured to rotate in a horizontal plane and blow a wake across a side of the float. The rotor and the float are positioned relative to each other such that there is no aerodynamic separation between the wake blown by the rotor and the side of the float.

Abstract: A multicopter with boom mounted rotors is disclosed. In various embodiments, a multicopter includes multiple rotors, each mounted substantially horizontally on a distal end of a boom. The multicopter further includes a plurality of boom extensions, each boom extension being associated with a corresponding boom and each boom extension being configured to extend an associated distal end of said corresponding boom by an amount determined based at least in part on a swept area associated with a rotor mounted at or near said associated distal end. The multicopter includes a material, such as netting, secured to the aircraft and of a size sufficient to reach a far end of one or more of said boom extensions.

Abstract: A vertical takeoff and flying at a constant altitude are performed using an aircraft. The aircraft includes a fuselage, a left arm (attached to the fuselage), a right arm (attached to the fuselage), a left float (attached to the left arm), a right float (attached to the right arm), and a plurality of rotors. The plurality of rotors includes a left inner rotor and a right inner rotor (attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the left float and the right float, respectively) and a left outer rotor and a right outer rotor (attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the left arm and the right arm, respectively).

Abstract: A system to deploy a parachute is disclosed. In various embodiments, a plurality of rockets are attached to a perimeter of the parachute. Each of the rockets is configured to fly initially in a first direction substantially in a direction of deployment of the parachute and to fly subsequently along a trajectory that includes a component that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of deployment and extends radially from a center of the parachute.

Abstract: A float has a front-to-back length, a width, and a height where the front-to-back length of the float is strictly greater than the height of the float which in turn is strictly greater than the width of the float. At least a bottom portion of the float is watertight. The float includes an access panel to access the inside of the float. A battery is inside the float and is accessible via the access panel.

Abstract: A multicopter aircraft with a wide span rotor configuration is disclosed. In various embodiments, a multicopter as disclosed herein includes a fuselage and a plurality of rotors. The plurality of rotors includes inner rotors and outer rotors, with the inner rotors being substantially surrounded by the outer rotors or the fuselage. The inner rotors and the outer rotors may be tilted based at least in part on their arrangement in relation to the fuselage.

Abstract: A self-adjusting flight control system is disclosed. In various embodiments, an input interface receives an input signal generated by an inceptor based at least in part on a position of an input device comprising the inceptor. A processor coupled to the input interface determines dynamically a mapping to be used to map input signals received from the inceptor to corresponding output signals associated with flight control and uses the determined mapping to map the input signal to a corresponding output signal. The processor determines the mapping at least in part by computing a running average of the output signal over an averaging period and adjusting the mapping at least in part to associate a neutral position of the input device comprising the inceptor with a corresponding output level that is determined at least in part by the computed running average.

Abstract: Hand controls for an aircraft, including a single axis hand control which is configured to control movement of an aircraft along a vertical axis where the aircraft includes a plurality of rotors that are attached to the aircraft at a fixed position and the plurality of rotors rotate independently of one another. The hand controls further include a three axis hand control which is configured to control movement of the aircraft within a plane defined by a roll axis and a pitch axis, as well as about a yaw axis.

Abstract: A system to deploy a parachute is disclosed. In various embodiments, a plurality of rockets are attached to a perimeter of the parachute. Each of the rockets is configured to fly initially in a first direction substantially in a direction of deployment of the parachute and to fly subsequently along a trajectory that includes a component that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of deployment and extends radially from a center of the parachute.

Abstract: A multicopter aircraft with a wide span rotor configuration is disclosed. In various embodiments, a multicopter as disclosed herein includes a fuselage and a plurality of rotors. The plurality of rotors includes inner rotors and outer rotors, with the inner rotors being substantially surrounded by the outer rotors or the fuselage. The inner rotors and the outer rotors may be tilted based at least in part on their arrangement in relation to the fuselage.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage which includes an unenclosed cockpit, a left arm where the proximal end is attached to the fuselage, a right arm where the proximal end is attached to the fuselage, a left float which is attached to the left arm between the proximal and distal ends, a right float which is attached to the right arm between the proximal and distal ends, and a plurality of rotors which includes a left inner rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the left float, a right inner rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the right float, a left outer rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the left arm, and a right outer rotor that is attached at a fixed angle to a top surface of the distal end of the right arm.

Abstract: A float has a front-to-back length, a width, and a height where the front-to-back length of the float is strictly greater than the height of the float which in turn is strictly greater than the width of the float. At least a bottom portion of the float is watertight. The float includes an access panel to access the inside of the float. A battery is inside the float and is accessible via the access panel.

Abstract: A set of commands for each of a plurality of actuators to alter an aircraft's state responsive to one or more inputs is produced. The set of commands is provided to fewer than all actuators comprising the plurality of actuators.

Abstract: A ballistic parachute associated with an aircraft is deployed where the aircraft includes a first part and a second part, the two parts are detachably coupled to each other when the ballistic parachute is deployed, and the ballistic parachute is coupled to the first part of the aircraft. A landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is determined and it is decided whether to decouple the two parts, including by deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited. If it is decided to decouple the two parts from each other, they are decoupled from each other.

Abstract: A set of commands for each of a plurality of actuators to alter an aircraft's state responsive to one or more inputs is produced. The set of commands is provided to fewer than all actuators comprising the plurality of actuators.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a plurality of rotors and a fuselage. The plurality of rotors are attached to the aircraft at a fixed roll angle and a fixed pitch angle and the plurality of rotors rotate independently of one another. The fuselage includes a side wall with a top edge where the top edge of the side wall is higher than the plurality of rotors.

Abstract: A ballistic parachute is released to slow descent of a cabin and an airframe where the airframe supports a plurality of rotors and the cabin removably attaches to the airframe. A ground condition is detected and it is decided whether to detach the airframe from the cabin. The airframe is detached from the cabin in response to the decision.

Abstract: A multicopter aircraft with a wide span rotor configuration is disclosed. In various embodiments, a multicopter as disclosed herein includes a fuselage and a plurality of rotors. The plurality of rotors includes inner rotors and outer rotors, with the inner rotors being substantially surrounded by the outer rotors or the fuselage. The inner rotors and the outer rotors may be tilted based at least in part on their arrangement in relation to the fuselage.