A system and a method for reducing drag on the aft-fuselage of an aircraft are provided, which system and method utilize at least one finlet provided on each side of the aft-fuselage of an aircraft for reducing drag—on the aft-fuselage, which finlets are (i) positioned at the rear half of an upswept portion of the aft-fuselage starting at a breakline, (ii) positioned in the path of the vortices generated by the aft-fuselage, and (iii) oriented at 1 to 9 degrees angle relative to the local airflow about the aft-fuselage of the aircraft to straighten the airflow about the aft-fuselage. In addition, the finlets generate an induced secondary vortex having an opposite rotation direction relative to the rotation direction of the vortices generated by the aft-fuselage, thereby counteracting the vortices generated by the aft-fuselage.

An aeroseal comprises a substantially straight portion having a first engagement end and a second engagement end opposite the first engagement end. The aeroseal also comprises a first engagement extension extending transversely from the first engagement end of the substantially straight portion and having a distal end. The aeroseal further comprises a second engagement extension extending transversely from the second engagement end of the substantially straight portion and having a distal end. The aeroseal also comprises a substantially curved portion interconnecting the distal end of the first engagement extension and the distal end of the second engagement extension to form an acute angle between the first and second engagement extensions and facing away from the substantially straight portion.

An aerodynamic body includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface includes a first portion of a first axisymmetric body. The lower surface is mated with the upper surface. The lower surface includes a waverider shape. The waverider shape is derived from the shockwave generated by a second axisymmetric body.

An aircraft is provided and includes an airframe, an extending tail, a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly, a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe, at least one sensor and at least one inertial measurement unit (IMU) to sense current flight conditions of the aircraft, an interface to execute controls of a main rotor assembly in accordance with control commands and at least one flight control computer (FCC) to issue the control commands. The at least one FCC includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory having logic and executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed, cause the CPU to issue the control commands based on the current flight conditions and a result of an execution of the logic for the current flight conditions.

A windshield for an aircraft cockpit is provided which includes a glazed windshield part which has a single curvature corresponding to a portion of the envelope of a cone extending between a lower plane and an upper plane which intersect an axis of the cone. The single curvature of the glazed part of the windshield enables the glazed part to be produced more easily, for example by rolling or by hydroforming. It also makes it possible to create configurations for a cockpit for two pilots, a single pilot or even no pilot, on the basis of a single aerodynamic shape of the fuselage of the aircraft by only adapting the structure of the windshield. Also provided are a windshield frame for such a windshield, a windshield assembly including such a windshield frame and such a windshield, and an aircraft equipped with such a windshield.

An unmanned aerial vehicle including a frame elongated along a frame axis, the frame has a leading side and an aft side, the frame further includes a left end portion and a right end portion, a first forward rotor assembly connected to the left end portion of the frame, a second forward rotor assembly connected to the right end portion of the frame, the first forward rotor assembly and the second forward rotor assembly being positioned on the leading side of the frame, a compartment connected to the frame, the compartment having a leading side, and a curved leading-edge fairing disposed on the frame, wherein a portion of the curved leading-edge fairing extends to cover the leading side of the compartment, and wherein the curved leading-edge fairing reduces drag during flight in a forward direction to enable a substantially level flight profile.

Provided is a filtering apparatus configured to interact with objects of interest within a medium. The properties of the filtering apparatus can be configured to modify the trajectory of individual objects of interest which interact with the filtering apparatus within several orders of magnitude of the mean free path of objects of interest. Surfaces of a filtering apparatus can be constructed to preferentially redirect objects of interest in a desired direction, such as a direction substantially parallel to a surface, or substantially along the length of a channel connecting two reservoirs. This can modify the net diffusion of objects of interest relative to the surface, which can modify the bulk fluid flow velocity magnitude along the surface. This can be employed to reduce the viscous drag on a surface moving relative to a fluid, or to generate thrust, or to convert thermal energy of a fluid into useful work.

The invention discloses a lift source for an aircraft comprising a fuselage and wings, wherein first channels are formed in the wings, a plurality of first inlets are formed in upper surfaces of the wings, a plurality of first pressure ports are formed in lower surfaces of the wings and are communicated with the first inlets via the first channels; and spoiler devices are arranged in the first channels and under the effect of the spoiler devices, form high-speed fluid layers on the upper surfaces of the wings, thereby generating a pressure difference from the lower surfaces of the wings which counteracts an external fluid pressure on the upper surfaces of the wings in the opposite direction, so a lift is generated by reduction of fluid resistance when fluid flows through the upper and lower surfaces of the wings, thereby developing a high-speed aircraft with a larger lift and thrust.

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to extend a leading-edge vortex of a highly-swept wing aircraft wing are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a shoulder wing coupled to a fuselage of an aircraft above a highly-swept wing of the aircraft, the shoulder wing operative in a first position to extend a leading-edge vortex spanwise along the highly-swept wing of the aircraft.

An autonomous cargo delivery aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft includes a fuselage having an aerodynamic shape with a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second sides. First and second wings are coupled to the fuselage proximate the first and second sides, respectively. A distributed thrust array includes a first pair of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first wing and a second pair of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second wing. A flight control system is operably associated with the distributed thrust array and configured to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. The first side of the fuselage includes a door configured to provide access to a cargo bay disposed within the fuselage from an exterior of the aircraft with a predetermined clearance relative to the first pair of propulsion assemblies.