Provided are flight control mechanisms, such as omnidirectional thrust mechanisms (OTMs), and methods of using such mechanisms. These mechanisms may be positioned in wings, tails, or other components of aircraft. A mechanism may comprise a center member and top and bottom panels. The center member may comprise two curved segments joint at a center edge. The top and bottom panels may be independently pivotable relative to the center member. At high speeds, the top panel and/or the bottom panel may be pivoted outward to change the lift, drag, roll, and/or other flight conditions. The mechanism may also include a gas nozzle to direct compressed gas to the center member. The center member and/or the top and bottom panels redirect this gas resulting in forces in one of four directions, which are used for controlling the aircraft at low speeds, down to hover.

Technologies for providing blended wing body aircraft control surfaces are described herein. In some examples, one or more of the control surfaces have angular configurations that reduce the formation of air vortexes when in upward or downward configurations, thereby reducing the drag on the aircraft when the control surfaces are being used.

Systems and methods for controlling a fixed-wing aircraft during flight are disclosed. The aircraft comprises first and second flight control surfaces of different types. The method comprises determining that a pilot command of the first flight control surface will excite a structural flexible mode of the aircraft and then executing the pilot command of the first flight control surface in conjunction with a command of the second flight control surface to mitigate the effect of the excitation of the structural flexible mode of the aircraft.

Provided are flight control mechanisms, such as omnidirectional thrust mechanisms (OTMs), and methods of using such mechanisms. These mechanisms may be positioned in wings, tails, or other components of aircraft. A mechanism may comprise a center member and top and bottom panels. The center member may comprise two curved segments joint at a center edge. The top and bottom panels may be independently pivotable relative to the center member. At high speeds, the top panel and/or the bottom panel may be pivoted outward to change the lift, drag, roll, and/or other flight conditions. The mechanism may also include a gas nozzle to direct compressed gas to the center member. The center member and/or the top and bottom panels redirect this gas resulting in forces in one of four directions, which are used for controlling the aircraft at low speeds, down to hover.

Provided are flight control mechanisms, such as omnidirectional thrust mechanisms (OTMs), and methods of using such mechanisms. These mechanisms may be positioned in wings, tails, or other components of aircraft. A mechanism may comprise a center member and top and bottom panels. The center member may comprise two curved segments joint at a center edge. The top and bottom panels may be independently pivotable relative to the center member. At high speeds, the top panel and/or the bottom panel may be pivoted outward to change the lift, drag, roll, and/or other flight conditions. The mechanism may also include a gas nozzle to direct compressed gas to the center member. The center member and/or the top and bottom panels redirect this gas resulting in forces in one of four directions, which are used for controlling the aircraft at low speeds, down to hover.

An aircraft empennage includes a lower vertical fin member attached to a rear portion of a fuselage, and an upper stabilizer assembly connected to the lower vertical member by an articulating mount configured to allow movement of the upper stabilizer assembly relative to the lower vertical member to adjust pitch trim of the fuselage. The upper stabilizer assembly includes first and second horizontal stabilizer portions and at least one upper vertical member.

An aircraft empennage includes a lower vertical fin member attached to a rear portion of a fuselage, and an upper stabilizer assembly connected to the lower vertical member by an articulating mount configured to allow movement of the upper stabilizer assembly relative to the lower vertical member to adjust pitch trim of the fuselage. The upper stabilizer assembly includes first and second horizontal stabilizer portions and at least one upper vertical member.

The invention relates to an aircraft having a tailless fuselage. The fuselage has a body which includes a transverse trailing edge. The aircraft further includes a wing having two sides which protrude from opposite sides of the fuselage. The body typically has a fineness ratio of between 3 and 7. Each side of the wing has an inner section having a first dihedral angle and an outer section having a second dihedral angle, the second dihedral angle being less than the first dihedral angle. At least part of the outer section is typically swept back. The configuration of the aircraft provides it with improved flight efficiency.

The invention relates to an aircraft having a tailless fuselage. The fuselage has a body which includes a transverse trailing edge. The aircraft further includes a wing having two sides which protrude from opposite sides of the fuselage. The body typically has a fineness ratio of between 3 and 7. Each side of the wing has an inner section having a first dihedral angle and an outer section having a second dihedral angle, the second dihedral angle being less than the first dihedral angle. At least part of the outer section is typically swept back. The configuration of the aircraft provides it with improved flight efficiency.

An aircraft encompasses a main-body, a frame-structure to support the main-body, main and auxiliary rotors provided to the frame-structure and a controller for controlling rotations of the main and auxiliary rotors. In a first mode, the controller delivers a same control signal for rotating the set of the main and auxiliary rotors, and when one of the main and auxiliary rotors becomes abnormal, the controller delivers the same control signal for compensating a decrease of the lift. In a second mode, the controller delivers a control signal only to the normal rotor for increasing the rotation of the normal rotor. Sets of the main and auxiliary rotors in divided regions adjacent to a subject divided region are rotated in a direction counter to the subject divided region. By the first and second modes, the lifts are equalized for balancing the aircraft.