A flow body for an aircraft includes a recess in a surface of the flow body, a first structural component with a porous material and may also include a second structural component with a porous material. The recess includes a front recess region and a rear recess region. The first structural component is arranged in, or on, the front recess region and the second structural component may be arranged in, or on, the rear recess region. An aircraft having the flow body, a weapons system having the flow body and a method for manufacturing a flow body for a vehicle are also described.

A flow body for an aircraft includes a recess in a surface of the flow body, a first structural component with a porous material and may also include a second structural component with a porous material. The recess includes a front recess region and a rear recess region. The first structural component is arranged in, or on, the front recess region and the second structural component may be arranged in, or on, the rear recess region. An aircraft having the flow body, a weapons system having the flow body and a method for manufacturing a flow body for a vehicle are also described.

A radar-absorbing fiber-reinforced structure includes a fiber composite discharging part. The fiber composite discharging part includes a first electrode part and a second electrode part, which are spaced apart from each other by a dielectric layer and receive different voltages. The fiber composite discharging part is configured to discharge plasma in response to a voltage difference thereby changing a reflected wave or transmitted wave of a radar incident on the radar-absorbing fiber-reinforced structure to reduce reflectivity of the radar. At least one of the first electrode part and the second electrode part include a conductive fiber having a tensile strength equal to or more than 0.5 GPa.

A reinforced, foldable component for an aircraft is provided, configured to stabilize a high frequency aeroelastic fluttering movement. The reinforced component may include a frame structure defining at least one air chamber, and a plurality of sealed compartments. A shear thickening fluid is disposed in at least one of the sealed compartments, exhibiting a decreasing viscosity responsive to an impact force. The frame structure may define one of an inflatable wing structure, a fairing structure, an aileron structure, and a stabilizer structure, and the like. The foldable component may include an exterior layer with an exterior surface exposed to an external environment and an interior layer adjacent the at least one air chamber, wherein the plurality of sealed compartments are disposed between the exterior layer and the interior layer. The exterior layer or the interior layer may include an impact-resistant fabric layer including a shear thickening material.

A reinforced, foldable component for an aircraft is provided, configured to stabilize a high frequency aeroelastic fluttering movement. The reinforced component may include a frame structure defining at least one air chamber, and a plurality of sealed compartments. A shear thickening fluid is disposed in at least one of the sealed compartments, exhibiting a decreasing viscosity responsive to an impact force. The frame structure may define one of an inflatable wing structure, a fairing structure, an aileron structure, and a stabilizer structure, and the like. The foldable component may include an exterior layer with an exterior surface exposed to an external environment and an interior layer adjacent the at least one air chamber, wherein the plurality of sealed compartments are disposed between the exterior layer and the interior layer. The exterior layer or the interior layer may include an impact-resistant fabric layer including a shear thickening material.

A vehicle includes a surface for contacting a fluid medium through which the vehicle is propelled. The vehicle also includes an array of transducers and a controller. The transducers in the array are arranged across the vehicle's surface for generating pressure waves in the fluid medium. Each transducer in the array is arranged to vibrate for generating a respective pressure wave, which propagates away from the surface in the fluid medium. The controller vibrates the transducers in the array so that the pressure waves control the drag of the vehicle from the fluid medium.

Systems and methods are described herein to implement transverse momentum injection at low frequencies to directly modify large-scale eddies in a turbulent boundary layer on a surface of an object. A set of transverse momentum injection actuators may be positioned on the surface of the object to affect large-scale eddies in the turbulent boundary layer. The system may include a controller to selectively actuate the transverse momentum injection actuators with an actuation pattern to affect the large-scale eddies to modify the drag of the fluid flow on the surface. In various embodiments, the transverse momentum injection actuators may be operated at frequencies less than 10,000 Hertz.

An aircraft propulsion system with a drag reduction portion adapted to reduce skin friction on at least a portion of the external surface of an aircraft. The drag reduction portion may include an inlet to ingest airflow. The aircraft may also have an internally cooled electric motor adapted for use in an aerial vehicle. The motor may have its stator towards the center and have an external rotor. The rotor structure may be air cooled and may be a complex structure with an internal lattice adapted for airflow. The stator structure may be liquid cooled and may be a complex structure with an internal lattice adapted for liquid to flow through. A fluid pump may pump a liquid coolant through non-rotating portions of the motor stator and then through heat exchangers cooled in part by air which has flowed through the rotating portions of the motor rotor. The drag reduction portion and the cooled electric motor portion may share the same inlet.

An aircraft surface cover is provided. The aircraft surface cover includes a cover member that is configured to be removably secured to an aircraft structure. The cover member includes an exterior surface that has a microtextured surface including microtexture ribs that are configured to improve aerodynamic performance of the aircraft structure.

Systems and methods for increasing lift of an aircraft lifting surface, may include: a leading-edge assembly; a plurality of high-lift propellers, coupled to the slat assembly and configured to be stowed within a compartment of the lifting surface; a high-lift motor to provide motive force to at least one of the plurality of the high-lift propellers; and a deployment linkage configured to move the slat assembly and plurality of high-lift propellers between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration, wherein in the stowed configuration the high-lift propellers are stowed within the compartment of the lifting surface and at least a portion of the slat assembly covers the compartment of the lifting surface, and in the deployed configuration the high-lift propellers are positioned external to the aircraft lifting surface to direct airflow from the high-lift propellers past the leading-edge assembly.