A flap actuator for adjusting the orientation of a flap or the like, the actuator. The actuator includes: a static arcuate member having a radius of curvature; a piezoelectric motor biased to be in operable contact with the static arcuate member; a housing for housing the piezoelectric motor; and a flap orientation shaft operably connecting between the housing and the flap. The distance between the shaft and the static arcuate member is essentially equal to the radius of curvature of the static arcuate member.

A flap actuator for adjusting the orientation of a flap or the like, the actuator. The actuator includes: a static arcuate member having a radius of curvature; a piezoelectric motor biased to be in operable contact with the static arcuate member; a housing for housing the piezoelectric motor; and a flap orientation shaft operably connecting between the housing and the flap. The distance between the shaft and the static arcuate member is essentially equal to the radius of curvature of the static arcuate member.

A system of fall back flight control configured for use in electric aircraft includes an input control configured to receive a pilot input and generate a control datum. System includes a flight controller communicatively coupled to the input control and configured to receive the control datum and generate an output datum. The system includes the actuator having a primary mode in which the actuator is configured to move the at least a portion of the electric aircraft as a function of the output datum and a fall back mode in which the actuator is configured to move the at least a portion of the aircraft as a function of the control datum. The actuator configured to receive the control datum, receive the output datum, detect a loss of communication with the flight controller, and select the fall back mode as a function of the detection.

A method for controlling a position of a flap of an aircraft includes: receiving, by an actuator, a signal indicative of a desired flap position; when the desired flap position is a retracted flap position: moving the carriage along a track to a first carriage position thereby pivoting the flap to the retracted flap position where the flap is at a neutral flap angle; when the desired flap position is an intermediate flap position: moving the carriage along the track to a second carriage position thereby pivoting the flap to the intermediate flap position where the flap is at a negative flap angle; when the desired flap position is an extended flap position: moving the carriage along the track to a third carriage position thereby pivoting the flap to the extended flap position where the flap is at a positive flap angle. An aircraft flap deployment system is also disclosed.

A control apparatus (100) includes an acquisition unit (121) that acquires captured data in which an object around a moving object is captured by an imaging unit, where the moving object is one of a moving object that is irradiated with spontaneous emission light and a mobbing object that moves with a predetermined pattern, and a determination unit (122) that determines that the object is an obstacle if the captured data acquired by the acquisition unit (121) includes a specific pattern.

A control apparatus (100) includes an acquisition unit (121) that acquires captured data in which an object around a moving object is captured by an imaging unit, where the moving object is one of a moving object that is irradiated with spontaneous emission light and a mobbing object that moves with a predetermined pattern, and a determination unit (122) that determines that the object is an obstacle if the captured data acquired by the acquisition unit (121) includes a specific pattern.

Aircraft pitch control systems and methods are disclosed. An aircraft pitch control system (28) comprises a movable horizontal stabilizer (24) and an elevator (26) movably coupled to the horizontal stabilizer. The elevator is electronically geared to the horizontal stabilizer.

A flap and spoiler system of an aircraft wing including a spoiler having a spoiler leading edge and a spoiler trailing edge. The flap and spoiler system also includes a flap having a flap leading edge and a flap trailing edge, an axis of rotation through the flap, and a top surface portion above the axis of rotation. The top surface portion has a first semi-circular shape such that, when the flap rotates about the axis of rotation, the spoiler trailing edge remains substantially stationary. When the spoiler trailing edge remains substantially stationary the spoiler is not driven by a spoiler drive.

A drive apparatus for differentially actuating a plurality of high-lift surfaces of an aircraft may include a common rotary and a plurality of clutches incorporated into the common driveline. The plurality of clutches may include a first clutch provided between a first outboard driveline section and a central driveline section of the common driveline, and a second clutch provided between a second outboard driveline section and the central driveline section of the common driveline. A first and second power drive unit (PDU) may be arranged remote from a fuselage of the aircraft and mechanically coupled to the common driveline at a drive connection disposed in a region of the first clutch and the second clutch, respectively. The first clutch and the second clutch may mechanically connect and disconnect the first and second outboard driveline section from the central driveline section, respectively.

A motor control system includes a motor and a motor control device. The motor control device includes an acquisition unit, a. diagnosis unit, and a control unit. The acquisition unit acquires control data. The control data includes a command, transmitted from each of a plurality of controllers, with respect to the motor. The plurality of controllers are configured to communicate with the motor control device. The diagnosis unit makes a diagnosis of multiple sets of the control data provided by the plurality of controllers and acquired by the acquisition unit. The control unit controls the motor by using a single set of control data selected based on a result of the diagnosis made by the diagnosis unit from the multiple sets of the control data.