A robotic end effector includes a line painting system and a spray painting system for painting features on a surface. The line painting system includes a flexible wick for flowing lines onto the surface.

A robotic end effector includes a line painting system and a spray painting system for painting features on a surface. The line painting system includes a flexible wick for flowing lines onto the surface.

Disclosed herein is an aircraft that comprises a body, a wing, and a strut. The wing is coupled to and extends from the body. A strut inboard end portion is coupled to and extends from the body and a strut outboard end portion is coupled to and extends from an intermediate portion of the wing. The wing further comprises a first thinned portion adjacent the intermediate portion of the wing. An overall thickness of the first thinned portion of the wing decreases and increases in a spanwise direction along the wing. The strut further comprises a second thinned portion adjacent the outboard end portion of the strut. An overall thickness of the second thinned portion of the strut decreases and increases in a spanwise direction along the strut.

A vortex generator arrangement for an aircraft, a flow control system and an aircraft comprising such vortex generator arrangement. The arrangement includes a surface portion facing a first region of space to constitute a flow surface, a vortex generating element, an element support structure connected to the element, a mounting structure. The element support structure and the element together are rotatable between first and second positions and a biasing device, retainer and release are provided. The rotational axis extends transversely with respect to the surface portion. The projection of the element onto a projection plane is smaller in the first rotational position than in the second rotational position, the projection plane extending perpendicularly to a tangent plane of the surface portion at a reference point of the surface portion and to a predetermined direction parallel to the extension of the tangent plane.

A vortex generator arrangement for an aircraft, a flow control system and an aircraft comprising such vortex generator arrangement. The arrangement includes a surface portion facing a first region of space to constitute a flow surface, a vortex generating element, an element support structure connected to the element, a mounting structure. The element support structure and the element together are rotatable between first and second positions and a biasing device, retainer and release are provided. The rotational axis extends transversely with respect to the surface portion. The projection of the element onto a projection plane is smaller in the first rotational position than in the second rotational position, the projection plane extending perpendicularly to a tangent plane of the surface portion at a reference point of the surface portion and to a predetermined direction parallel to the extension of the tangent plane.

A flying drone, which includes a fuselage; a propulsion powered at least by electrical accumulators and/or photovoltaic cells; and first and second wings. The first wing is defined by a wingspan and by an upper surface area, where the upper face of the first wing is essentially covered by photovoltaic cells. The second wing has practically the same wingspan and upper surface area as the first wing. The second wing is offset along the fuselage and in height relative to the first wing. The upper face of the second wing is essentially covered with photovoltaic cells.

A flying drone, which includes a fuselage; a propulsion powered at least by electrical accumulators and/or photovoltaic cells; and first and second wings. The first wing is defined by a wingspan and by an upper surface area, where the upper face of the first wing is essentially covered by photovoltaic cells. The second wing has practically the same wingspan and upper surface area as the first wing. The second wing is offset along the fuselage and in height relative to the first wing. The upper face of the second wing is essentially covered with photovoltaic cells.

An aircraft has an internal combustion engine and a wing including a hollow structural member. The aircraft has an electrical network including: at least one alternating current electrical generator configured to be driven by the internal combustion engine; an electrical motor configured to drive an aircraft propulsor; at least one conductor configured to electrically couple the electrical motor and the electrical generator; wherein the electrical conductor is formed of the hollow structural member of the aircraft wing.

An aircraft has an internal combustion engine and a wing including a hollow structural member. The aircraft has an electrical network including: at least one alternating current electrical generator configured to be driven by the internal combustion engine; an electrical motor configured to drive an aircraft propulsor; at least one conductor configured to electrically couple the electrical motor and the electrical generator; wherein the electrical conductor is formed of the hollow structural member of the aircraft wing.

In one embodiment, systems and methods include using an evaporator coil with a solid oxide fuel cell generator to generate energy for an aircraft vehicle. The system comprises a solid oxide fuel cell generator operable to generate energy. The system further comprises a first tank fluidly coupled to the solid oxide fuel cell generator configured to discharge a fluid to the solid oxide fuel cell generator and to receive the fluid from an evaporator coil coupled to the solid oxide fuel cell generator. The system further comprises a second tank fluidly coupled to the first tank and having a volume of the fluid, wherein the second tank is configured to discharge the fluid to the first tank, wherein the evaporator coil receives the discharged fluid from the second tank and increases the temperature of the discharged fluid prior to the first tank receiving the discharged fluid.