B64C29/00

PROPULSION SYSTEM THERMAL MANAGEMENT

A flying vehicle propulsion system including a propulsor, a drive system and a heat exchanger. The drive system is arranged to drive the propulsor and the heat exchanger is arranged to thermally regulate at least part of the drive system. The propulsor is arranged to move fluid, thereby producing a propulsor fluid flow having a main direction. The system is arranged such that in a first operation configuration, at least part of the propulsor fluid flow is incident on the heat exchanger, thereby thermally regulating the at least part of the drive system.

MOTOR INTEGRATED TYPE FLUID MACHINE, VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFT, AND DESIGN METHOD FOR MOTOR INTEGRATED TYPE FLUID MACHINE
20230048852 · 2023-02-16 ·

A motor integrated type fluid machine suctions a fluid from a suction port and discharges the suctioned fluid from a discharge outlet. The machine includes: a shaft portion provided at a center of a rotation axis; a rotating portion rotating around the shaft portion; an outer peripheral portion provided on an outer periphery of the shaft portion; and an outer peripheral drive motor rotating the rotating portion. The rotating portion includes a hub rotatably supported by the shaft portion, blades provided on an outer peripheral side of the hub and provided side by side in a circumferential direction of the rotation axis, and a rotating outer peripheral portion having an annular shape along the circumferential direction. A ratio of a rigidity of the rotating outer peripheral portion against a centrifugal force to a rigidity of the rotating portion against the centrifugal force is 50% to 95%.

HYBRID ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT WITH GYROSCOPIC STABILIZATION CONTROL
20230051515 · 2023-02-16 ·

A hybrid electric aircraft equipped with gyroscopic stabilization control is provided. In one aspect, a hybrid electric aircraft includes a turbo-generator having a gas turbine engine and an electric generator operatively coupled thereto for generating electrical power. The turbo-generator defines a rotation axis. The aircraft also includes one or more electrically-driven propulsors for producing thrust for the aircraft. In addition, the aircraft includes a pivot mount operatively coupled with the turbo-generator. To provide gyroscopic stabilization control of the aircraft, the pivot mount is controlled to adjust the rotation axis of the turbo-generator relative to a prime stability axis of the aircraft. Additionally or alternatively, a rotational speed of the turbo-generator can be changed to provide gyroscopic stabilization control of the aircraft.

System and method for automated flight correction in an electric aircraft
11577822 · 2023-02-14 · ·

A system for automated flight correction is an electric aircraft that includes an input control configured to receive a user input and generate a control datum as a function of the user input, at least a sensor connected to the electric aircraft that is configured to detect a status datum and transmit the status datum to a flight controller, a flight controller communicatively connected to the input control and the at least a sensor configured to receive the control datum from the input control, receive the status datum from the flight controller and determine a command datum as a function of the control datum and status datum, and an actuator connected to the flight controller configured to receive the command datum from the flight controller and command at least a flight component as a function of the command datum.

Systems and methods for estimating flight range of an electric aircraft
11577848 · 2023-02-14 · ·

A system for estimating flight range of an electric aircraft. The system generally includes at least a sensor and a flight controller. The at least a sensor is communicatively connected to at least a flight component. The at least a sensor is configured to detect a performance datum of the at least a flight component. The flight controller is communicatively connected to the at least a sensor. The flight controller is configured to receive the performance datum from the at least a sensor, determine an energy performance datum from the performance datum, determine a flight performance datum from the performance datum, generate a projected flight range datum as a function of the energy performance datum and the flight performance datum, and display the projected flight range datum. A method for estimating flight range of an electric aircraft is also provided.

Aircraft

An aircraft includes a short-range radar that is configured to detect a trajectory, which is specified based on a position detection of the aircraft by a ground station.

High speed rotorcraft propulsion configuration
11577831 · 2023-02-14 · ·

A tiltrotor aircraft having a propulsion configuration that divorces the engine core power from the thrust fan, using a combined gearbox with a plurality of clutches to couple and decouple one or more rotor systems and one or more thrust fans. The aircraft can be operable for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) in a helicopter mode, forward flight in a proprotor mode, and high-speed forward flight in an airplane (jet) mode. The propulsion configuration provides shaft horsepower (SHP) to rotors for VTOL flight, while also providing SHP to the thrust fan for high speed flight. Allowing the rotor and the thrust fan to be clutched on and off, sequentially, enables transition from rotor-borne VTOL flight to wing-borne thrust fan flight, and back.

Vibration attenuator

A vibration attenuator for a rotor of an aircraft has a housing adapted for rotation with the rotor about an axis. A first ring is rotatably carried within the housing on a first bearing, a first weight being coupled to the first ring for rotation therewith relative to the housing about the axis. A second ring is rotatably carried by the first ring on a second bearing, a second weight being coupled to the second ring for rotation therewith relative to the housing and to the first ring. A first motor is configured for rotating the first ring relative to the housing, and a second motor is configured for rotating the second ring relative to the housing and to the first ring. The first and second motors are operated to rotate the weights within the housing and position the weights relative to each other for attenuating vibrations.

Line replaceable centerbody assemblies for ducted propulsion

A ducted propulsion assembly for an aircraft includes a duct and a plurality of stators. The distal ends of the stators are coupled to the duct. The ducted propulsion assembly includes a line replaceable centerbody assembly isostatically coupled to the proximal ends of the stators. The line replaceable centerbody assembly includes one or more electric motors driving an output driveshaft. The ducted propulsion assembly also includes a proprotor assembly interchangeably coupled to and rotatable with the output driveshaft of the line replaceable centerbody assembly. The proprotor assembly is rotatable in a rotational plane to generate thrust.

Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and related methods

Winged tilt-rotor vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and related methods are disclosed. Aircraft comprise an airframe comprising one or more wings; one or more tilt-adjustable rotors positioned forward of the one or more wings; and one or more fixed-tilt rotors positioned behind at least one of the one or more wings. Methods comprise tilting only one or more forward rotors positioned in front of one or more wings of the aircraft, and not tilting one or more rearward rotors positioned behind at least one of the one or more wings.