A shock wave suppression device is configured to suppress a shock wave generated on a blade surface of a blade, the shock wave suppression device including a bump cover provided to follow the blade surface and deformable to protrude outward from the blade surface, and a displacing unit configured to displace the bump cover between a steady state to follow the blade surface and a deformed state to protrude outward from the blade surface. The bump cover has a curved shape in the deformed state configured to be a continuous surface from an upstream side to a downstream side in a flow direction of a fluid flowing through the blade surface.

A morphing airfoil system includes an airfoil having a bulkhead structured to form a leading edge of the airfoil. A first spool is rotatably coupled to the bulkhead, and a second spool is rotatably coupled to the bulkhead opposite the first spool. An airfoil skin has a first end secured to the first spool, a second end secured to the second spool, and a portion extending between the first and second spools to form an exterior surface of the airfoil. The airfoil skin is structured to be windable around the first and second spools such that a configuration of the airfoil is controllable by rotating at least one of the first spool and the second spool so as to wind a portion of the airfoil skin around, or unwind a portion of the airfoil skin from, the at least one of the first spool and the second spool.

A multirotor aircraft that includes a chassis, vertical rotors, foldable wings, and a means for deploying and folding the foldable wing. The foldable wing is attached to the chassis and the means for deploying and folding the foldable wing is designed to deploy and open the foldable wing from a folded and closed state to a deployed and opened state, and vice versa. The gravity center of the folded wing in a folded and closed state is near and close to the gravity center of the multirotor aircraft, and by that enabling to fold and close the foldable wing when hovering, landing and during takeoff and to deploy and open it when flying forward.

A multirotor aircraft that includes a chassis, vertical rotors, foldable wings, and a means for deploying and folding the foldable wing. The foldable wing is attached to the chassis and the means for deploying and folding the foldable wing is designed to deploy and open the foldable wing from a folded and closed state to a deployed and opened state, and vice versa. The gravity center of the folded wing in a folded and closed state is near and close to the gravity center of the multirotor aircraft, and by that enabling to fold and close the foldable wing when hovering, landing and during takeoff and to deploy and open it when flying forward.

A method for forming an aircraft component includes forming an inner portion of the aircraft component. The method further includes forming an outer layer of the aircraft component using extrusion of an elastomeric material. The method further includes coupling the outer layer of the aircraft component to the inner portion of the aircraft component.

Systems, methods, and other implementations described herein relate to a manner of detecting kinking or other bending on a bendable structure. In one implementation, a bendable structure is configured to kink at different locations. First and second sensors surface-mounted antiparallel along the bendable structure have bending responses that increase with increasing amounts of bending, and that are increasingly sensitive along their lengths. The bending responses from first and second sensors are received at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time. The formation of a kink is identified in response to identifying that the bending responses are indicative of unkinked bending at the first time and indicative of kinked bending at the second time. In response to identifying the formation of the kink, the location of the kink is identified based on the bending responses at the first time.

Systems and methods include providing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft with a cargo pod having a selectively inflatable bladder system that firmly secures a payload disposed within the cargo pod when the bladder system is pressurized. The bladder system also controls the location, position, and/or orientation of the payload in order to adjust, control, and/or maintain the center of gravity of the aircraft during flight. The aircraft includes an impact protection system that further pressurizes the bladder system to protect the payload and/or that disperses a flame-retardant fluid into the cargo pod to protect electrical components of the aircraft. The aircraft is fully autonomous and self-directed via a preprogrammed location-based guidance system to allow for accurate delivery of the payload to its intended destination. The bladder system is depressurized in response to a landing event to allow for e f the payload from the cargo pod.

Systems and methods include providing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft with a cargo pod having a selectively inflatable bladder system that firmly secures a payload disposed within the cargo pod when the bladder system is pressurized. The bladder system also controls the location, position, and/or orientation of the payload in order to adjust, control, and/or maintain the center of gravity of the aircraft during flight. The aircraft includes an impact protection system that further pressurizes the bladder system to protect the payload and/or that disperses a flame-retardant fluid into the cargo pod to protect electrical components of the aircraft. The aircraft is fully autonomous and self-directed via a preprogrammed location-based guidance system to allow for accurate delivery of the payload to its intended destination. The bladder system is depressurized in response to a landing event to allow for e f the payload from the cargo pod.

A structure adapted to traverse a fluid environment exerting an ambient fluid pressure is provided. The structure includes an elongate body extending from a root to a wingtip and encapsulating at least one interior volume containing an interior fluid exerting an interior fluid pressure that is different from the ambient fluid pressure. A method of retrofitting a structure adapted to traverse a fluid environment exerting an ambient fluid pressure, the structure comprising an elongate body extending from a root to a wingtip and having at least one interior volume is also provided. The method includes sealing the elongate body to encapsulate the at least one interior volume containing an interior fluid; associating at least one valve with the at least one interior volume; and modifying interior fluid content via the at least one valve to produce an interior fluid pressure that is different from the ambient fluid pressure.

Systems, methods, and other implementations described herein relate to a manner of detecting kinking or other bend on a bendable structure. In one implementation, a bendable structure is configured to kink at different locations. First and second sensors surface-mounted antiparallel along the bendable structure have bending responses that increase with increasing amounts of bending, and that are increasingly sensitive along their lengths. The bending responses from first and second sensors are received at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time. The formation of a kink is identified in response to identifying that the bending responses are indicative of unkinked bending at the first time and indicative of kinked bending at the second time. In response to identifying the formation of the kink, the location of the kink is identified based on the bending responses at the first time.