A disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft includes the following. A skirt widens toward the bottom. A disc-shaped rotor is positioned on a lower side of the skirt and rotates with relation to the skirt. A plurality of blades are provided standing on an upper surface of the rotor and are positioned radially from a center of the rotor. A cutout is formed in each of the plurality of blades. When the rotor rotates, centrifugal force causes an airflow along the blade rotating with the rotor, the airflow swirls in a spiral by a flow of air flowing over the cutout of the blade in a direction substantially orthogonal to the blade, the airflow flows in a radial direction of the rotor along the blade while swirling in the spiral, and the airflow ejected downward by the skirt causes ascending.

Systems and methods for achieving levitation via a photophoretic effect are provided. In certain embodiments, a structure of ultralight materials is provided, for example a BoPET film and carbon nanotubes and has a top and bottom side, made of two separate materials. When the bottom side is illuminated by light at certain intensity, it can result in an upward lift force being applied to the entire structure, causing the structure to levitate.

Systems and methods for achieving levitation via a photophoretic effect are provided. In certain embodiments, a structure of ultralight materials is provided, for example a BoPET film and carbon nanotubes and has a top and bottom side, made of two separate materials. When the bottom side is illuminated by light at certain intensity, it can result in an upward lift force being applied to the entire structure, causing the structure to levitate.

In various embodiments, three-dimensional models of terrestrial structures are developed and scaled utilizing images acquired during the flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle.

A cycloidal rotor air vehicle includes an airframe, a first cycloidal rotor assembly supported by the airframe and configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation relative to the airframe, the first cycloidal rotor assembly including a blade having a longitudinal axis oriented parallel to the first axis of rotation, a first motor configured to rotate the first cycloidal rotor assembly about the first axis of rotation, a first servo coupled to the blade of the first cycloidal rotor assembly and configured to adjust the pitch of the blade, and a control system supported on the airframe and configured to control the operation of the first motor and the first servo.

An airframe or a part thereof 3, for example a skin assembly or a profile such as a structural profile, comprises: a wall W having an aperture A therethrough, wherein the wall W provides a frame F surrounding, at least in part, the aperture A; a panel P conforming with the aperture A; and wherein the airframe or the part 3 thereof is configurable in: a first configuration, wherein the panel P and the frame F are mutually spaced apart; and a second configuration, wherein the panel P is received in the frame F and wherein the frame F resists movement of the panel P in two or three mutually orthogonal directions.

A method of operating a moving object on which a drone is mounted includes detecting, by the moving object, occurrence of an event; determining whether to use the drone, on the basis of the detected event; and determining an operation mode, among a first operation mode and a second operation mode, of the drone when the drone is used.

A multi-segment oblique flying wing aircraft which has three distinct segments including two outer wing segments and a central wing segment. The central segment may be thicker in the vertical direction and adapted to hold pilots and passengers. The outer wing segments may be substantially thinner and may taper as they progress outboard from the wing center. The multi-segment oblique flying wing aircraft be adapted for rotating into a high speed flight configuration, or may be adapted for take-off and cruise at a constant angle. In an extreme flight case, the central wing segment may rotate to a local sweep of ninety degrees.

A cargo aircraft configured to carry a portion of its payload in a cargo bay volume enclosed by a moveable nose door and supported by a structural extension of the fuselage that extends forward into the moveable nose door is disclosed. Examples include an aircraft with a continuous cargo bay extending from an aft end of a fixed portion into forward portion inside a nose door, where the portion of the cargo bay in the nose door is supported by a cantilevered support structure extending forward a length from a cargo opening into the fixed portion and such that the support structure extends into the nose door when the door is closed. The length of the support structure defines a supported cargo volume of at least about 15% of the overall volume of the fuselage forward of an aft end of the support structure.

A system for modular aircraft includes at least a common component, wherein the at least a common component includes at least a flight component. The system includes at least a modular component, wherein the at least modular component includes at least a fuselage component and a collar component. The system includes at least an interface component, wherein the at least an interface component is configured to connect the at least a common component at a first end to the at least a modular component at a second end.