A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.

A method for determining a maneuvering reserve in an aircraft having a number of propulsion units, preferably a multirotor VTOL aircraft, most preferably an aircraft with electrically operated drive units for the rotors, including the steps: a) Determining a control vector, ?, for the aircraft, ?=(L M N F).sup.T, the components of which represent control torques of the aircraft around the roll axis, L, the pitch axis, M, and the yaw axis, N, and a total thrust, F, b) Approximating an existing four-dimensional control volume, D, of the aircraft by a four-dimensional ellipsoid, E, the axes of which represent the control torques, L, M, N, of the aircraft and the total thrust, F, c) Determining a normalized control vector, ?.sub.ind=(L.sub.ind M.sub.ind N.sub.ind F.sub.ind).sup.T for the aircraft, using axis dimensions, L.sub.max, M.sub.max, N.sub.max, F.sub.max, of the ellipsoid, in particular semi-axis dimensions of the ellipsoid; and d) Outputting at least the normalized control vector, ?.sub.ind, for determining a permissible flight maneuver in at least one dimension of the four-dimensional control volume.

An aircraft system includes an aircraft, which further includes at least one propeller to provide a flight power for the aircraft; a communication interface configured to communicate with a parachute; at least one storage medium, storing at least one set of instructions for controlling the aircraft system; and at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory. when the aircraft system is in operation, the at least processor executes the at least one set of instruction to: obtain a propeller locking instruction of the aircraft, and perform a corresponding operation based on the propeller locking instruction. The corresponding operation include a first operation. The first operation, corresponds to a scenario where the aircraft is in a flight state, includes: in response to the propeller locking instruction, the aircraft controlling the at least one propeller to stop and locking the at least one propeller, and deploying the parachute by the aircraft.

An aircraft system includes an aircraft, which further includes at least one propeller to provide a flight power for the aircraft; a communication interface configured to communicate with a parachute; at least one storage medium, storing at least one set of instructions for controlling the aircraft system; and at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory. when the aircraft system is in operation, the at least processor executes the at least one set of instruction to: obtain a propeller locking instruction of the aircraft, and perform a corresponding operation based on the propeller locking instruction. The corresponding operation include a first operation. The first operation, corresponds to a scenario where the aircraft is in a flight state, includes: in response to the propeller locking instruction, the aircraft controlling the at least one propeller to stop and locking the at least one propeller, and deploying the parachute by the aircraft.

A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.

Embodiments provide an electric aircraft with a plurality of lift fan assemblies that are configured to provide vertical lift, and one or more pusher propellers that are configured to provide forward thrust. The lift fan assemblies may be coupled to the wings of the aircraft via one or more support structures, and the wings may be coupled to an upper region of the fuselage. The pusher propeller(s) may be coupled to a tailing end of the fuselage. The lift fan assemblies and the pusher propeller(s) may provide thrust and movement in directions that are orthogonal to one another. A control system coupled to the aircraft may control the lift fan assemblies and the one or more pusher propellers to activate, increase in power, and decrease in power. The lift fan assemblies and the one or more pusher propellers may be operated separately, and may be active at different times.

This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.

This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.

A multicopter with angled rotors includes a fuselage and a plurality of rotors. At least some of the rotors are disposed on opposite sides of the fuselage and each is oriented at a corresponding angle to a substantially horizontal plane of the aircraft, the angle being of a magnitude such that a plane of rotation of the rotor does not intersect at least a critical portion of the fuselage.

Localization systems and methods for transmitting timestampable localization signals from anchors according to one or more transmission schedules. The transmission schedules may be generated and updated to achieve desired positioning performance. For example, one or more anchors may transmit localization signals at a different rate than other anchors, the anchor transmission order can be changed, and the signals can partially overlap. In addition, different transmission parameters may be used to transmit two localization signals at the same time without interference. A self-localizing apparatus is able to receive the localization signals and determine its position. The self-localizing apparatus may have a configurable receiver that can select to receive one of multiple available localization signals. The self-localizing apparatuses may have a pair of receivers able to receive two localization signals at the same time. A bridge anchor may be provided to enable a self-localizing apparatus to seamlessly transition between two localization systems.