Abstract: An aircraft includes an active drag control system such as a Laminar Flow Control (LFC) system having a port LFC apparatus and a starboard LFC apparatus. The aircraft has a control system to test how efficiently the LFC system is working by differentially operating the port LFC apparatus and the starboard LFC apparatus, for example by deactivating either LFC apparatus, and measuring the effect on the direction of flight of the aircraft. The control system also can change the direction of the aircraft, and trim the aircraft, by differentially operating the port LFC apparatus and the starboard LFC apparatus.

Abstract: An aircraft and flow guide system including a flow guide structure are provided. The aircraft has an airflow generator, and a duct extending from the airflow generator to an outlet through which an airflow generated by the airflow generator is expelled. The flow guide structure is positioned towards the outlet, and has a set of flow guide surfaces defining a plurality of channels. At least some of the flow guide surfaces divert at least some of the airflow from a first direction in which the airflow travels immediately upstream of the flow guide structure towards a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. The flow guide structure is reorientable to cause the at least some of the flow guide surfaces to divert at least some of the airflow towards a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.

Abstract: Battery powered quadrotors or drones have a limited operation time. To extend operation time, a powered tether can be used. This tether provides power to the drone allowing it to stay up indefinitely. Most tethered drones are captured to the base station. The tether can reel in and out as the drone moves, but the drone can't go higher or further than the maximum length of the tether. If the tether can be automatically disconnected, the drone could fly off for some remote mission, assuming the drone had an onboard power source such as rechargeable batteries. The present invention relates to a self-powered drone tether that comprises a rechargeable drone in flight which is referred to as the rechargeable drone, a drone that carries a powered tether which is referred to as the tether drone, a coupling mechanism between the rechargeable drone and the tether drone, and a base station with a powered tether and tether deployment system.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method where retractable ducts or shrouds are extended over propeller(s) that are fixed in wing channels on an aircraft during takeoff and landing to increase flight safety and efficiency. Fully extending the duct or shroud during takeoff increases lift and upward thrust, while retracting the duct or shroud and stowing the duct or shroud inside of the wing during forward cruise decreases aircraft drag and increases lift. Duct or shroud extension during takeoff also enables critical safety and noise cancellation functionality. The method provided for safe and efficient takeoff can be applied in reverse order for safe and efficient landing.

Abstract: An extremely quiet short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft includes: two wings, wherein each wing comprises an engine system; a fuselage structurally connected to each wing; and a ducted fan thruster positioned on the fuselage in an orientation that is rotated relative to the typical orientation on a helicopter. An extremely quiet STOL aircraft includes: two wings, wherein each wing comprises an engine system; a fuselage structurally connected to each wing; channel shrouds surrounding at least one of the engine systems; and a ducted fan thruster positioned on the fuselage. An extremely quiet STOL aircraft includes: two wings, wherein each wing comprises an engine system, the engine system comprising two engine dual packs; a fuselage structurally connected to each wing; and a ducted fan thruster positioned on the fuselage.

Abstract: A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) light aircraft comprising: a tilt-wing comprising port and starboard wings; a power train having: an electric motor coupled to a rotor for providing the aircraft with thrust for flight mounted to each of the port and starboard wings; a battery configured to store electric energy to power the electric motors; an electric generator; and a combustion engine configured to drive the generator to produce electric energy for storage in the battery; and a controller configured to autonomously control the tilt-wing and power train to provide VTOL takeoffs and landing having relatively short hover periods.

Abstract: A tiltrotor has a range of motion between a forward flight position and a hovering position, where a pylon and the tiltrotor are coupled via a telescoping actuator, a rigid bottom bar, and a fixed hinge that is attached between the rigid bottom bar and the tiltrotor. The tiltrotor moves from the forward flight position to the hovering position includes extending the telescoping actuator so that the tilt rotor rotates about the fixed hinge.

Abstract: A circulation control system for an aerial vehicle. The system comprises an air supply unit attached to the aerial vehicle configured to generate a specified amount of mass air flow; an air delivery system, the air supply unit and the air delivery system being connected via at least one tube that turns at least one right angle; a circulation control wing through which air from the air supply unit is delivered through the air delivery system, the circulation control wing comprising at least one plenum configured to blow the air out of a slot in a trailing edge of the wing, and at least one dual radius flap positioned behind the slot.

Abstract: The invention relates to aviation equipment. An object of this invention is to develop a new aerodynamic device which can extend the range of aerodynamic devices for aviation, increase the efficiency of the air flow power use, increase the efficiency of the lifting force and improve the efficiency of controlling the wing resultant forces. For this purpose, the aerodynamic device has an aerodynamic wing (2) with a blower (1) of gaseous working fluid (such as air) mounted above the wing (2), in accordance with the invention, the aerodynamic wing (2) has a specific shape it is designed in the form of a double-curved open surface made up by a system of longitudinal grooves (7,8) along the whole wing surface The wing (2) has a convergent segment (4) and a divergent segment (6); between the convergent and the divergent segments there is a smooth transitional segment (5). The wing outlines have end elements (11).

Abstract: A toy glider includes a slim, longitudinally extending strut, fuselage or frame having front and rear end portions. A nose portion is placed at the front end portion. A cylindrically shaped wing is attached to the frame at the nose portion. A tail section is provided at the rear end portion. In one embodiment, the tail section includes a pair of rings (e.g., cylinders) on opposing sides of the fuselage. In another embodiment, the tail section has a horizontal and two inclined components.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a main wing (where the main wing is a fixed wing) and a main wing rotor that extends outward on a trailing edge side of the main wing. The aircraft also includes a truncated fuselage, a canard and a canard rotor that is attached to the canard. The aircraft flies at least some of the time using aerodynamic lift acting on the main wing and flies at least some of the time by airflow produced by the main wing rotor. The aircraft is able to fly in those manners because the main wing rotor and the canard rotor are both fixed rotors, each with an axis of rotation that is tilted downward from horizontal at an angle between 20° to 40°, inclusive.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an engine mounted to a wing by a first support, such as a strut, configured to secure the engine to the wing in a position above the wing. A second support, secured to a fuselage portion of the aircraft, is defined by a bridge structure configured to separately and independently secure the engine to the fuselage. The engine is thus secured by the first support directly to the aircraft wing, and via the second support, in concert with the first, to a portion of an aircraft fuselage spaced laterally of the engine-to-wing attachment. In one embodiment the bridge structure, which extends between the engine and fuselage, may be bowed upwardly so as to define a convex curvature when viewed along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Such a curvature may, inter alia, optimize aerodynamic spacing of the bridge from the wing to minimize undesirable shock waves.

Abstract: An airborne vehicle having a wing-body which defines a wing-body axis and appears substantially annular when viewed along the wing-body axis, the interior of the annulus defining a duct which is open at both ends. A propulsion system is provided comprising one or more pairs of propulsion devices, each pair comprising a first propulsion device mounted to the wing-body and positioned on a first side of a plane including the wing-body axis, and a second propulsion device mounted to the wing-body and positioned on a second side of the plane including the wing-body axis.

Abstract: An airborne vehicle having a wing-body which defines a wing-body axis and appears substantially annular when viewed along the wing-body axis, the interior of the annulus defining a duct which is open at both ends. A propulsion system is provided comprising one or more pairs of propulsion devices, each pair comprising a first propulsion device mounted to the wing-body and positioned on a first side of a plane including the wing-body axis, and a second propulsion device mounted to the wing-body and positioned on a second side of the plane including the wing-body axis.

Abstract: An airborne vehicle having a wing-body which defines a wing-body axis and appears substantially annular when viewed along the wing-body axis, the interior of the annulus defining a duct which is open at both ends. A propulsion system is provided comprising one or more pairs of propulsion devices, each pair comprising a first propulsion device mounted to the wing-body and positioned on a first side of a plane including the wing-body axis, and a second propulsion device mounted to the wing-body and positioned on a second side of the plane including the wing-body axis. A direction of thrust of the first propulsion device can be adjusted independently of the direction of thrust of the second propulsion device and/or a magnitude of thrust of the first propulsion device can be adjusted independently of the magnitude of thrust of the second propulsion device.

Abstract: An energy absorbing system may include a structure formed of an inner face sheet and an outer face sheet and having a core positioned therebetween. The structure may have a leading edge. An impact member formed of a plastically deformable material may be positioned with the inner face sheet within an area of the leading edge. The impact member may absorb energy from an impact of a projectile with the leading edge and redistributing the energy of the impact to the structure.

Abstract: An air transport vehicle of the present invention comprises a tubular body, said body comprising an upper half and a lower half. The upper half is positioned above the lower half and connected thereto. A central bore is formed between the upper half and the lower half. The bore extends longitudinally from the nose end of the vehicle to the tail end of the vehicle. The vehicle also comprises at least one propulsion device, preferably positioned inside the bore. The vehicle further comprises at least one bulkhead. The bulkhead connects the upper half to the lower half, and extending longitudinally inside the bore, thus dividing the bore into parallel subsections. In preferred embodiments, the upper half and the lower half comprise cavities, used among other things, for cargo and passenger transport.

Abstract: An air vehicle comprising only one wing, which is thin and substantially flat, the wing being elongate and preferably diamond-shaped, and a pod removably coupled to the wing for relative rotation about an axis normal to the major surfaces of the wing, the pod bearing a propulsor for the air vehicle. The propulsor may be a propeller with a Custer duct for static lift.

Abstract: A flow path splitter duct is provided. The flow path splitter duct includes a main hub, a first outlet hub and a second outlet hub. The main hub has a plurality of inlet ports each being separated by at least one wall. The first outlet hub has a plurality of first duct outlet ports, each of the first duct outlet ports are in fluid communication with only one of the corresponding plurality of inlet ports. The second outlet hub has a plurality of second duct outlet ports, each of the second duct outlet ports are in fluid communication with only one of the corresponding plurality of inlet ports, wherein engine exhaust gas that enters one of the plurality of inlet ports is simultaneously diverted to only one of the first duct outlet ports and to only one of the second duct outlet ports. A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft is also provided that includes the flow path splitter duct. A method of using the same is also provided.

Abstract: An aircraft comprising a Channel Wing having blown channel circulation control wings (CCW) for various functions. The blown channel CCW includes a channel that has a rounded or near-round trailing edge. The channel further has a trailing-edge slot that is adjacent to the rounded trailing edge of the channel. The trailing-edge slot has an inlet connected to a source of pressurized air and is capable of tangentially discharging pressurized air over the rounded trailing edge. The aircraft further has a propeller that is located in the channel and ahead of the rounded trailing edge of the channel. The propeller provides a propeller thrust exhaust stream across the channel wing to propel the aircraft through the air and to provide high lift.

Abstract: The present invention is a 2 passenger aircraft capable of vertical and conventional takeoffs and landings, called a jyrodyne. The jyrodyne comprises a central fuselage with biplane-type wings arranged in a negative stagger arrangement, a horizontal ducted fan inlet shroud located at the center of gravity in the top biplane wing, a rotor mounted in the shroud, outrigger wing support landing gear, a forward mounted canard wing and passenger compartment, a multiple vane-type air deflector system for control and stability in VTOL mode, a separate tractor propulsion system for forward flight, and a full-span T-tail. Wingtip extensions on the two main wings extend aft to attach to the T-tail. The powerplants consist of two four cylinder two-stroke reciprocating internal combustion engines.

Abstract: An aircraft has a flying wing and two wingtip hulls installed on the wingtips of the flying wing. Both of the wingtip hulls contain lighter-than-air gas to generate static lift. These wingtip hulls not only contribute to lift-generating but also help the aircraft achieve roll stability and control. Forward propulsion systems are installed at the upper-front positions of the flying wing. When vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) capability is required, one or more lift-fan propulsion systems can be installed on the flying wing. The lift-fan propulsion systems can either be driven by their own engines or by the power transmitted from the forward propulsion systems. Payload can be carried inside the flying wing or be hung under or held above the flying wing.

Abstract: The present invention is a 2 passenger aircraft capable of vertical and conventional takeoffs and landings, called a jyrodyne. The jyrodyne comprises a central fuselage with biplane-type wings arranged in a negative stagger arrangement, a horizontal ducted fan inlet shroud located at the center of gravity in the top biplane wing, a rotor mounted in the shroud, outrigger wing support landing gear, a forward mounted canard wing and passenger compartment, a multiple vane-type air deflector system for control and stability in VTOL mode, a separate tractor propulsion system for forward flight, and a full-span T-tail. Wingtip extensions on the two main wings extend aft to attach to the T-tail. The powerplants consist of two four cylinder two-stroke reciprocating internal combustion engines.

Abstract: A ring-wing aircraft suited particularly, although not exclusively, to use in micro-unmanned air vehicles (UAV's) with ring-wings. An aircraft (10) according to the invention comprises a ring-wing (11) defining a duct (16) with a longitudinally-extending central axis (31), propulsion element (15) located within the duct and moveable aerofoils (13, 18) for controlling the aircraft in flight, the ring-wing being truncated obliquely at one end, that end being the rear (11b) when in horizontal flight, to form a ring-wing with opposed sides of unequal length. This arrangement produces center of mass offset from the central axis of the ring-wing, the pendulum effect will ensure that the aircraft will roll so that its center of mass will always be at the lowest height possible when the aircraft is airborne. Therefore the aircraft has a preferred orientation, and the control surfaces can be oriented with respect to this preferred orientation.

Abstract: A robotic or remotely controlled flying platform (10) with reduced drag stabilizing control apparatus constructed having an air duct (12) with an air intake (14) on the top and an exhaust (16) at the bottom, containing supported therein a clockwise rotating fan (22) and a counter-clockwise rotating fan (24). Directly below the perimeter of the air duct exhaust are mounted a plurality of trough shaped air deflection assemblies (32) each including a rotatably adjustable half trough (44) for selectively scooping a portion of the drive air, and a stationary adjacent half trough (36) for receiving the scooped drive air and redirecting it outward and upward from the air duct.