A VTOL aircraft (1), including: a fuselage (2) for transporting passengers and/or load; a front wing (3) attached to the fuselage (2); an aft wing (4) attached to the fuselage (2), behind the front wing (3) in a direction of forward flight (FF); a right connecting beam (5a) and a left connecting beam (5b), which connecting beams (5a, 5b) structurally connect the front wing (3) and the aft wing (4), which connecting beams (5a, 5b) are spaced apart from the fuselage (2); and at least two propulsion units (6) on each one of the connecting beams (5a, 5b). The propulsion units (6) include at least one propeller (6b, 6b′) and at least one motor (6a) driving the propeller (6b, 6b′), preferably an electric motor, and are arranged with their respective propeller axis in an essentially vertical orientation (z).

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, a method, system and apparatus for an aircraft may be shown and described. An exemplary embodiment may be an autonomous aircraft which can vertically takeoff and land (VTOL). The VTOL aircraft may have a modular pod which carries a removable payload. The entire VTOL aircraft may be portable. An exemplary embodiment may fit into a standard sized freight container. A propulsion system may be based on distributed electric propulsion. An exemplary embodiment may implement variable pitch propellers and collective pitch variation.

A modular battery system provides propulsive power to the rotor system of an aircraft. The modular battery system includes an array of battery modules arranged in at least one stack. Each battery module includes a plurality of battery cells, a first side having positive and negative receptacles and a second side, that is opposite of the first side, having positive and negative plugs. The receptacles and plugs are configured such that adjacent battery modules in a side-by-side relationship are electrically coupled together via plug and receptacle connections and such that the battery modules are electrically coupled together in parallel. An interconnection electrically couples each stack of battery modules together via plug and receptacle connections with one of the battery modules in each stack such that the stacks of battery modules are electrically coupled together in parallel.

A modular battery system provides propulsive power to the rotor system of an aircraft. The modular battery system includes an array of battery modules arranged in at least one stack. Each battery module includes a plurality of battery cells, a first side having positive and negative receptacles and a second side, that is opposite of the first side, having positive and negative plugs. The receptacles and plugs are configured such that adjacent battery modules in a side-by-side relationship are electrically coupled together via plug and receptacle connections and such that the battery modules are electrically coupled together in parallel. An interconnection electrically couples each stack of battery modules together via plug and receptacle connections with one of the battery modules in each stack such that the stacks of battery modules are electrically coupled together in parallel.

A propulsion assembly for a rotorcraft includes a raceway having a tapered inner surface and a mast configured to receive the raceway at a raceway receiving station. The mast has a tapered outer surface at the raceway receiving station. The propulsion assembly includes a mast bearing assembly having a plurality of bearings facing the mast to engage the raceway. The tapered inner surface of the raceway is friction welded to the tapered outer surface of the mast at the raceway receiving station to form a tapered friction weld line.

A first propeller has a shorter blade length and a lower inertia than a second propeller. An electromagnetic field emitter is coupled to one of the first propeller or the second propeller and an electromagnetic field receptor is coupled to the other one that is not coupled to the electromagnetic field emitter. The electromagnetic field emitter emits an electromagnetic field. In response to the electromagnetic field: the electromagnetic field receptor and its coupled propeller rotate in a first rotational direction; and the electromagnetic field emitter and its coupled propeller rotate in a second and counter-rotational direction. In response to a second electromagnetic field associated with increasing torque: the first propeller increases and subsequently decreases its rotational speed; and the second propeller increases its rotational speed at a slower rate than the increase in the rotational speed of the first propeller.

A rotor for an aircraft is described, comprising an input shaft rotatable around a first axis; an output member rotatable around a second axis; a coupling element functionally interposed between the input shaft and the output member and adapted to transmit the motion from the input shaft to the output member; the coupling element is configured to allow, in use, a fixed or variable inclination between the respective first and second axes; the coupling element comprises at least a first corrugated element made of an elastically deformable material; the first corrugated element allows the inclination through elastic deformation.

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a body, a first wing, a second wing, a first rotor assembly, a third rotor assembly, and a fourth rotor assembly. The body has a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity. The first wing and the second wing are disposed on two sides of the body. The first rotor assembly is mounted to the first wing, and the second rotor assembly is mounted to the second wing. The third rotor assembly includes a third motor and a third propeller connected to the third motor. The third motor is mounted in the first accommodating cavity and partially exposed to the body. The fourth rotor assembly includes a fourth motor and a fourth propeller connected to the fourth motor. The fourth motor is mounted in the second accommodating cavity and partially exposed to the body.

A vehicle includes a tilt rotor that is aft of a fixed wing and that is attached to the fixed wing via a pylon. A flight computer configured to instruct the tilt rotor to produce a maximum downward angle including by updating an actuator authority database associated with the flight computer to reflect the maximum downward angle, and generating a rotor control signal for the tilt rotor using the updated actuator authority database that reflects the maximum downward angle, wherein the maximum downward angle is adjustable.

An aircraft capable of carrying at least 400 pounds of payload, has four rotors systems, each of the rotor systems being independently driven by an electric motor or other torque-producing source. Each of the rotor systems provide sufficient thrust such that the aircraft is capable of controlled vertical takeoff and landing, even if one of the variable pitch rotor is inoperable. An electronic control system is configured to control the rotational speed and pitch of at least one of the rotor systems in each of the first and second rotor pairs. The rotors may be arranged in coaxial stacks or maybe otherwise configured.