Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to self-piloted, electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that are safe, low-noise, and cost-effective to operate for cargo-carrying and passenger-carrying applications over relatively long ranges. A VTOL aircraft has at least one wing that is rotatable relative to a fuselage of the VTOL aircraft for transitioning the VTOL aircraft between a hover configuration and a forward-flight configuration. Rotation of the wing may be passively controlled using aerodynamic forces, thereby obviating the need of using an actuator for actively controlling the rotation.

Abstract: A monitoring system (5, 205) for an aircraft (10) has sensors (20, 30) that are used to sense the air movement around the aircraft. The monitoring system may use information from the sensors to estimate the effects of the air movement on the aircraft and to determine how to control components of the aircraft, such as flight control surfaces and a propulsion system, to compensate for such effects. The monitoring system may also assess aircraft performance based on the air movement information and provide control inputs for improving such performance. It is also possible for the monitoring system to determine more optimal flight paths for avoiding collision threats based on the air movement information.