In an example, a computing apparatus includes a hardware platform, having a processor and a memory, and instructions encoded within the memory to instruct the processor to receive a peak power demand for a landing maneuver of a VTOL aircraft powered at least partly by a battery, receive flight profile data for a flight profile of the VTOL aircraft, and configuration data for the VTOL aircraft, estimate power consumption of the flight profile in context of the configuration, and estimate a peak power capacity available for the landing maneuver, and provide an error notice if the peak power capacity does not meet the peak power demand.

In accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling power in an aircraft. The method includes, monitoring an electric energy storage module electrically connected to an electrical bus for an exceedance of a first current limit and monitoring a generator module connected to the electrical bus for an exceedance of a second current limit. If the current limit of either of the electric energy storage module or the generator module is exceeded by a predetermined exceedance amount, the method includes reducing a power consumption for an electric machine by a predetermined bias until the exceedance of the electrical energy storage and the exceedance of the generator module are both less than or equal to zero.

In accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling power in an aircraft. The method includes, monitoring an electric energy storage module electrically connected to an electrical bus for an exceedance of a first current limit and monitoring a generator module connected to the electrical bus for an exceedance of a second current limit. If the current limit of either of the electric energy storage module or the generator module is exceeded by a predetermined exceedance amount, the method includes reducing a power consumption for an electric machine by a predetermined bias until the exceedance of the electrical energy storage and the exceedance of the generator module are both less than or equal to zero.

Methods, systems, and assemblies for operating an aircraft having a turboprop engine are described. The method comprises obtaining a measured torque of the turboprop engine from a mechanical torque piston measurement system and displaying the measured torque in a cockpit of the aircraft. During operation of the turboprop engine, a torque measurement saturation condition of the torque piston measurement system is monitored to detect when the torque piston measurement system is outside of an operating range. A synthesized torque of the turboprop engine is determined based on one or more actual engine operating parameters of the turboprop engine. In response to detecting that the torque piston measurement system is outside of the operating range, the synthesized torque is displayed in the cockpit of the aircraft.

An unmanned aerial vehicle according to certain embodiments generally includes a chassis, a power supply mounted to the chassis, a control system operable to receive power from the power supply, at least one rotor operable to generate lift under control of the control system, and a winch mounted to the chassis. The winch includes a reel and a motor. The reel has a line wound thereon, the line having a free end. The reel includes a circumferential channel in which a wound portion of the line is wound onto the reel. The circumferential channel includes an inner portion, an outer portion, and a passage connecting the inner portion and the outer portion. The motor is operable to rotate the reel under control of the control system to thereby cause the line to wind onto and off of the reel, thereby causing the free end of the line to raise and lower.

An unmanned aerial vehicle according to certain embodiments generally includes a chassis, a power supply mounted to the chassis, a control system operable to receive power from the power supply, at least one rotor operable to generate lift under control of the control system, and a winch mounted to the chassis. The winch includes a reel and a motor. The reel has a line wound thereon, the line having a free end. The reel includes a circumferential channel in which a wound portion of the line is wound onto the reel. The circumferential channel includes an inner portion, an outer portion, and a passage connecting the inner portion and the outer portion. The motor is operable to rotate the reel under control of the control system to thereby cause the line to wind onto and off of the reel, thereby causing the free end of the line to raise and lower.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has a flight-only mode with a motor only rotating propellers and not rotating on-board wheels to configure the UAV to fly away from a surface of a structure, and a crawling-only mode in which the UAV is configured to crawl on the surface due to the motor only rotating the wheels while not rotating the propellers. In the flight-only mode, a clutch disengages a motor from the wheels so that the motor only engages the propellers to fly to lift from the surface. In the crawling-only mode, the clutch disengages the motor from the propellers so that the motor only engages the wheels to move the UAV on the surface.

The disclosure relates to a hybrid-electrical drive system for an aircraft having two subsystems that are largely independent of each other. A stator winding of a common electrical machine is assigned to each of the subsystems such that both subsystems may be supplied with electrical energy from the common electrical machine. If a defect occurs in one of the subsystems, the drive system may be configured such that electrical energy from a battery of the non-defective subsystem may be transferred into the defective subsystem by utilizing the two stator winding systems.

The disclosure relates to a hybrid-electrical drive system for an aircraft having two subsystems that are largely independent of each other. A stator winding of a common electrical machine is assigned to each of the subsystems such that both subsystems may be supplied with electrical energy from the common electrical machine. If a defect occurs in one of the subsystems, the drive system may be configured such that electrical energy from a battery of the non-defective subsystem may be transferred into the defective subsystem by utilizing the two stator winding systems.

A method of generating a customized secondary power distribution assembly (SPDA) includes generating one or more customizable SPDAs. Each of the one or more customizable SPDAs is a construct corresponding with a microprocessor configured to control a set of customizable channels in each of a set of virtual line replaceable modules (vLRMs). The method also includes creating a mapping between one of the one or more customizable SPDAs and the customized SPDA, the mapping indicating line replaceable modules (LRMs) of the customized SPDA and defining each channel of each LRM, and deploying the customized SPDA in an application. The microprocessor is initiated to control the customized SPDA according to the mapping at startup.