A system for a blended wing body aircraft with a combustion engine is illustrated. The aircraft comprises a blended wing body, at least a fuel source located within the blended wing body and configured to store a fuel, wherein the fuel includes liquid hydrogen, and at least a propulsor configured to propel the blended wing body aircraft. The at least a propulsor comprises a combustion engine configured to burn the fuel from the fuel source and produce mechanical work to power the at least a propulsor.

A system for a blended wing body aircraft with a combustion engine is illustrated. The aircraft comprises a blended wing body, at least a fuel source located within the blended wing body and configured to store a fuel, wherein the fuel includes liquid hydrogen, and at least a propulsor configured to propel the blended wing body aircraft. The at least a propulsor comprises a combustion engine configured to burn the fuel from the fuel source and produce mechanical work to power the at least a propulsor.

The invention relates to a hybrid electric drive system (10) for multi-motor aircraft (20). The hybrid electric drive system comprises at least a first and a second hybrid electric drive unit (31, 32), each of which comprises: an internal combustion engine (41, 42), a motor-generator unit (71, 72) and a gear box (51, 52) for transmitting drive power to a propeller (61, 62). In order to supply the motor-generator units (71, 72) with electrical energy, the drive system (10) has a fuel cell (73), which in turn is supplied with hydrogen by means of a fuel tank (74). In the fuel cell (73), hydrogen is converted into electricity, which then supplies the motor-generator unit (71, 72) with electrical power by means of the transmission device (80) and power converters (81) and (82), in order to drive the propellers (61, 62). Advantages: On the basis of a turboprop aircraft (20) with approximately 40 to 90 passengers, approximately 40% of the energy during a 1-hour mission can be provided emission-free by means of hydrogen and fuel cell. This means no CO2 emissions at all during the cruising flight and also no climate-damaging exhaust-gas and contrail effects at cruising altitude (FL250), which are a significant share of aviation emissions.

The invention relates to a hybrid electric drive system (10) for multi-motor aircraft (20). The hybrid electric drive system comprises at least a first and a second hybrid electric drive unit (31, 32), each of which comprises: an internal combustion engine (41, 42), a motor-generator unit (71, 72) and a gear box (51, 52) for transmitting drive power to a propeller (61, 62). In order to supply the motor-generator units (71, 72) with electrical energy, the drive system (10) has a fuel cell (73), which in turn is supplied with hydrogen by means of a fuel tank (74). In the fuel cell (73), hydrogen is converted into electricity, which then supplies the motor-generator unit (71, 72) with electrical power by means of the transmission device (80) and power converters (81) and (82), in order to drive the propellers (61, 62). Advantages: On the basis of a turboprop aircraft (20) with approximately 40 to 90 passengers, approximately 40% of the energy during a 1-hour mission can be provided emission-free by means of hydrogen and fuel cell. This means no CO2 emissions at all during the cruising flight and also no climate-damaging exhaust-gas and contrail effects at cruising altitude (FL250), which are a significant share of aviation emissions.

A rotorcraft provided with a yaw motion control system comprising a fairing and a rotor provided with blades, the blades being arranged in the fairing and able to rotate about an axis of rotation of the rotor, the fairing comprising a casing defining an air stream, the air stream extending in a direction of flow of the air within the fairing from an intake section towards an outlet section. The rotorcraft comprises an ice protection system comprising at least one grille arranged upstream of the air stream in the air flow direction, the grille facing the intake section parallel to the axis of rotation and the casing, no grille facing at least one unprotected section of the intake section in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.

A rotorcraft provided with a yaw motion control system comprising a fairing and a rotor provided with blades, the blades being arranged in the fairing and able to rotate about an axis of rotation of the rotor, the fairing comprising a casing defining an air stream, the air stream extending in a direction of flow of the air within the fairing from an intake section towards an outlet section. The rotorcraft comprises an ice protection system comprising at least one grille arranged upstream of the air stream in the air flow direction, the grille facing the intake section parallel to the axis of rotation and the casing, no grille facing at least one unprotected section of the intake section in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.

A method of determining component health including measuring an electrical characteristic of a component during operation using a sensor coupled to the component having internal circuitry to be monitored and to a configurable external sensing device to as specified by configuration settings stored in the external sensing device and comparing the measured electrical characteristic to a baseline using a computational device within the configurable external sensing device in order to determine component health.

Active superhydrophobic surface structures are actively-controlled surface structures exhibiting a superhydrophobic state and an ordinary state. Active superhydrophobic surface structures comprise an outer elastomeric covering defining an exposed surface, a controlled group of MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) actuators at least covered by the elastomeric covering, and, a controlled region of the exposed surface corresponding to the controlled group. The controlled region has a superhydrophobic state in which the controlled region is textured. The controlled region also has an ordinary state in which the controlled region is smooth (i.e., less textured than in the superhydrophobic state). Active superhydrophobic surface structures may be part of an apparatus that includes a controller and/or one or more sensors. The controller, sensors, and the controlled region may form a feedback loop in which the active superhydrophobic surface is actively controlled.

Active superhydrophobic surface structures are actively-controlled surface structures exhibiting a superhydrophobic state and an ordinary state. Active superhydrophobic surface structures comprise an outer elastomeric covering defining an exposed surface, a controlled group of MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) actuators at least covered by the elastomeric covering, and, a controlled region of the exposed surface corresponding to the controlled group. The controlled region has a superhydrophobic state in which the controlled region is textured. The controlled region also has an ordinary state in which the controlled region is smooth (i.e., less textured than in the superhydrophobic state). Active superhydrophobic surface structures may be part of an apparatus that includes a controller and/or one or more sensors. The controller, sensors, and the controlled region may form a feedback loop in which the active superhydrophobic surface is actively controlled.

Anti-icing stacks for protecting an aerodynamic surface are described. In some embodiments, an anti-icing stack includes an anti-icing layer, an elastomeric erosion protection layer, and an additional layer. The erosion protection layer is disposed between the anti-icing layer and the additional layer. The additional layer has a thickness greater than the thickness of the erosion protection layer and a tensile modulus of no more than the tensile modulus of the erosion protection layer. The additional layer may be a foam adhesive layer.