A span-loaded, highly flexible flying wing, having horizontal control surfaces mounted aft of the wing on extended beams to form local pitch-control devices. Each of five spanwise wing segments of the wing has one or more motors and photovoltaic arrays, and produces its own lift independent of the other wing segments, to minimize inter-segment loads. Wing dihedral is controlled by separately controlling the local pitch-control devices consisting of a control surface on a boom, such that inboard and outboard wing segment pitch changes relative to each other, and thus relative inboard and outboard lift is varied.

An adjustable cable attachment system for a VTOL aircraft includes a VTOL airframe. A winch is operatively connected to an underside of the airframe with the aircraft in a horizontal flight mode. An adjustable cable is operatively connected to the winch to adjustably relocate a slung load with respect to the center of gravity of the aircraft to balance the aircraft. A fixed cable is operatively connected to the underside of the airframe with the aircraft in the horizontal flight mode.

The present application is at least directed to an automatically stabilized aerial platform. The platform includes one or more containers including one or more liquids. The platform also includes one or more sensors coupled to the one or more liquids. The platform also includes one or more flight controllers operatively coupled to the one or more sensors. The flight controllers are configured to automatically adjust flight control elements in real-time to compensate for sensor values indicating sloshing of the one or more liquids beyond a specified limit. The instant application is also directed to a method of automatic real-time stabilization of an aerial platform carrying at least one liquid.

The present application is at least directed to an automatically stabilized aerial platform. The platform includes one or more containers including one or more liquids. The platform also includes one or more sensors coupled to the one or more liquids. The platform also includes one or more flight controllers operatively coupled to the one or more sensors. The flight controllers are configured to automatically adjust flight control elements in real-time to compensate for sensor values indicating sloshing of the one or more liquids beyond a specified limit. The instant application is also directed to a method of automatic real-time stabilization of an aerial platform carrying at least one liquid.

A vertical takeoff and landing transport plane is characterized in that a structure formed in the top-bottom direction of an airframe penetrates a rear structure of the vertical takeoff and landing transport plane in order to let a tailwind escape, and characterized by comprising, in the rear structure of the vertical takeoff and landing transport plane, a device for generating thrust rearward behind the rear on the top side of the airframe from the bottom of the airframe.

A vertical takeoff and landing transport plane is characterized in that a structure formed in the top-bottom direction of an airframe penetrates a rear structure of the vertical takeoff and landing transport plane in order to let a tailwind escape, and characterized by comprising, in the rear structure of the vertical takeoff and landing transport plane, a device for generating thrust rearward behind the rear on the top side of the airframe from the bottom of the airframe.

An apparatus includes: a mechanical interface configured to couple an object to a frame of an aircraft; one or more processors; and a computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform functions that include: detecting a control input provided to an actuator of the aircraft and/or an output of a sensor that indicates a state of the actuator; determining, based on the control input provided to the actuator and/or the output of the sensor, a procedure for moving the object relative to the frame; and using the mechanical interface to perform the procedure.

An apparatus includes: a mechanical interface configured to couple an object to a frame of an aircraft; one or more processors; and a computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform functions that include: detecting a control input provided to an actuator of the aircraft and/or an output of a sensor that indicates a state of the actuator; determining, based on the control input provided to the actuator and/or the output of the sensor, a procedure for moving the object relative to the frame; and using the mechanical interface to perform the procedure.

Vertical take off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a multi-propeller propulsion system (the system), an outer protective cage surrounding the system, an autonomous power source, a sensing system, and a control system. The sensing system has an orientation sensor and a displacement sensor. The system has at least two propellers spaced apart in a non-coaxial manner. The control system controls the flight or hovering of the UAV. The control system reverses thrust on at least one propeller distal from a point of contact with an obstacle while controlling a motor of a proximal propeller from the contact point to generate lift, the thrust of the distal and proximal propellers being controlled to exert lift on the UAV to counteract gravitational force thereon and apply a moment of rotation about the point of contact to stabilize the position of the UAV or to counteract torque resulting from inertia.

A method of aeroservoelastic coupling suppression, and particularly, the field of real time adaptive cancellation of elastic modes in discrete-time signals which measure the dynamics of a flexible structure. The flexible structure comprises a structure with elastic variable characteristics, and more particularly, a structure with non-linear aerodynamics. A method is disclosed for adaptively cancelling, in real time, N elastic modes in discrete-time signals which measure the dynamics of the flexible structure. Also disclosed is a computer program implemented on a computing device, a system and an aircraft implementing the mentioned method.