A modular flat-packable drone kit includes a plurality of components that can be assembled into a drone. Components of the drone kit include elements that may be cut from a flat sheet of material, thereby enabling low cost manufacturing and compact packaging and may be assembled without specialized tools. A set of drones may operate in a standalone mode or may be coupled together and operated in a group configuration.

A fractal unmanned aircraft system (200) includes a first module (100), a second module (100) and a third module, (100) each having a top member (120) and a first thruster (130) affixed thereto. Each module (100) is laterally coupled to each other. A fourth module (100) has a bottom that is affixed to the top members (120) of the first module(100), the second module (100) and the third module (100) so as to form a tetrahedral structure. A power source (220) supplies power to the first thrusters (130). A control circuit (222) controls the unmanned aircraft system so as to cause the fractal unmanned aircraft system (200) to fly in a controlled manner.

A vertiport exchange station has a plurality of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) air taxis, a plurality of landing/takeoff pads arranged in a rectangular pattern, a passenger terminal for arrival and departure of passengers, a plurality of electric motor driven chassis each adapted to carry a pod adapted to carry one or more passengers, a transfer path guiding the chassis in a closed loop, and a control system. One or more incoming passengers enter a pod at the passenger terminal, an air taxi is guided to a specific pad, the chassis carrying the pod is transported to a point near the specific pad, is guided to stop on the specific pad, the air taxi is guided to connect to the pod, the pod is detached from the chassis, and the air taxi is guided to ascend and to proceed to a programmed destination.

A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, including: a vehicle controller circuit programmed to operate the VTOL aircraft without an onboard human operator; a rotor system; an airframe; and an external cargo coupling to receive an external payload of at least approximately 300 pounds beneath the airframe.

A mobility vehicle hub configured to function as a terminal for an air mobility vehicle, a ground mobility vehicle, or a water mobility vehicle, includes a plurality of layers through a combination of: a water layer connected to the surface of water and having an entrance for a water mobility vehicle; a port layer having a take-off and landing pad for an air mobility vehicle; or a ground layer configured to be connected to a ground and having an entrance for a ground mobility vehicle, wherein an elevation passage is provided between the layers, the elevation passage has an internal space extending in an up-down direction of the mobility vehicle hub, the internal space is connected to each of the water, port and ground layers, and the air mobility vehicle, the ground mobility vehicle, or the water mobility vehicle is lifted or lowered through the internal space.

Systems and methods for extending the interior cargo bay of fixed-wing cargo aircraft into a replaceable tailcone bay are disclosed. The system includes an aircraft and a removable tailcone configured couple to the aft end of the fuselage. The aircraft fuselage includes a cargo bay and an aft end opening into the cargo bay. The tailcone, when attached, encloses the aft end opening the cargo bay. The tailcone can include an interior volume configured to extend the fuselage cargo bay such that the interior volume defines an aft end of a cargo bay of the cargo aircraft. In some examples, the tailcone includes a plurality of segments, which can be configured to extend from the aft end of the aircraft to adjust a length of the cargo extension provided by the tailcone.

A method is proposed for installing system components in a portion of an aircraft fuselage. The method provides at least one planar structural arrangement to be secured on or in the aircraft fuselage, secures system components on the structural arrangement, couples system lines to the system components and arranges the system lines on the structural arrangement. The method includes positioning of the structural arrangement with the system components and system lines arranged thereon at a designated installation location of the structural arrangement, and mechanical coupling of the structural arrangement to the aircraft fuselage.

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

A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The vehicle can include a module that enables the vehicle to adjust the position of the center of mass to trim the vehicle for efficient operations or to alter the stability and control parameters of the vehicle.

A system and method for distributing control over a drone and an active-payload carried by the drone to loosely coupled drone controller and payload controller, are disclosed. The active-payload includes a self-embedded payload controller and at least one controllable thrust source or moving weight. The drone controller identifies a current active-payload type that is coupled to the drone for performing one or more tasks and selects a control-type, which defines degrees of freedom (DOFs) to be controlled by the drone controller and released DOFs to be controlled by the payload controller, accordingly. The drone and active-payload perform the one or more task, wherein the drone controller controls maneuver instructions in drone controller controlled DOFs and simultaneously and asynchronously the payload controller controls maneuver instructions in the released DOFs by exerting controllable force or torque in the released DOFs by the at least one thrust source and/or moving weight.