An aircraft having a high efficiency forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe having at least one wing. A distributed propulsion system is attached to the airframe and includes a first plurality of propulsion assemblies and a second plurality of propulsion assemblies. A flight control system is operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. The aircraft is configured for thrust-borne lift in a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and wing-borne lift in the forward flight mode. In the vertical takeoff and landing flight mode, each of the propulsion assemblies is configured to generate vertical thrust. In the forward flight mode, the propulsion assemblies of the first plurality of propulsion assemblies are configured to generate forward thrust and the propulsion assemblies of the second plurality of propulsion assemblies are configured to shut down.

Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.

The present invention provides a stackable drone and a drone swarm comprising at least two stackable drones. Each drone comprising: a fuselage comprising a first end and a second end; a mating structure arranged in the fuselage and configured to have an opening at the first end of the fuselage, the mating structure forming a mating recess on a first side of the fuselage, the mating recess having an opening at the first side of the fuselage for receiving a mating projection from a further stacking unmanned aerial vehicle. The stackable drones do not require a large area of ground for take-off and landing, require only a small space for storage and transportation. When landing, based on the conical or pyramidal structure, the drone may slide down by gravitational force into the mating recess of another drone thereunder without needs of high precision positioning or alignment system.

Modular units having one or more bays or compartments are installed into openings of aerial vehicles that are sized and configured to accommodate the modular units. Multiple items may be loaded into the respective bays or compartments of the modular unit, which is installed into an opening of an aerial vehicle, and carried by the aerial vehicle to locations where the items are to be delivered. Hatches or coverings of the bays or compartments are selectively operated to deploy the items therefrom at the designated locations. A modular unit may be selected for use in a mission based on a number of bays or compartments therein, or any other features of the modular unit, and installed in any number of aerial vehicles having appropriately sized and configured openings.

Additive manufactured airframe structure having a plurality of additive manufactured airframe segments operable to be linked together in an assembled direction. Each of the plurality of additive manufactured airframe segments are separate from one another in an unassembled configuration. Plurality of reinforcement elements operable to be received in a receiving portion of the plurality of airframe segments and extending through the plurality of airframe segments in a normal direction. Receiving portion is located on the interior of a respective one of the plurality of airframe segments.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a fuselage assembly, a further portion that attaches with the fuselage assembly, and a propulsion assembly coupled with the further portion. The propulsion assembly is constructed and arranged to provide propulsion for the UAV. The fuselage assembly includes a fuselage body constructed and arranged to operate as a forward portion of the UAV, lateral stringers coupled with the fuselage body and extending laterally along the fuselage body, and a set of interchangeable covers to cover at least a portion of a payload bay opening defined by the fuselage body. Utilizing such a fuselage assembly offers a highly configurable mounting architecture to accommodate a wide variety of payloads.

A multicopter is provided. The multicopter may include a main body part, a wing part having one end connected to the main body part, and the other end connected to a propeller assembly, and a foldable part disposed on the wing part to fold the wing part, wherein the wing part is located above the main body part with respect to a Z-axis.

The present specification relates generally to unmanned aerial vehicles, and specifically to a vertical take-off and lift unmanned aerial vehicle configured for high speed, long-distance flight, and vertical take-off and lift, while carrying a significant payload. The aerial vehicle includes a first propeller and a second propeller, each comprising at least two blades and each disposed on opposite lateral edges of the aerial vehicle; a tail segment forming a trailing edge of the aerial vehicle, wherein the tail segment comprises: an elevator; and a first wing and a second wing, each comprising an aileron. The aerial vehicle further includes four fins, wherein the four fins are affixed to lateral edges behind the first propeller or the second propeller and configured as endplates; a motor; and a power supply.

A method for constructing at least two fleets of aircraft of different families for which each aircraft has a front part comprising windows, a framing of the windows and a windshield front fairing, comprising, for each aircraft, constructing a module composed of the framing of all of the windows allowing outward visibility from the cockpit and of the windshield front fairing whose form is identical and constant for all the aircraft of the fleets and independent of a form of the fuselages thereof, and constructing a section of fuselage of which at least a part of an edge of the fuselage is of a form identical to an edge of the module, such that the module can be assembled directly with the contiguous fuselage section, whatever the aircraft of the fleets.

A modular transportation system to transport one or more persons and/or objects. The system may include a pod with wall segments that mount together to form an interior space to house the one or more persons and/or objects. The wall segments are modular and configured to connect together in a variety of different configurations to selectively configure the interior space. Vehicles are each configured to individually connect to the pod and to transport the pod from a first location to a second location. At least one of the vehicles is configured to transport the pod by land and at least one of the vehicles is configured to transport the pod by air.