An engine system with a multi-gas-generator, tip-turbine driven lift fan with pressurized air circulation control for use on vertical and short-take-off and landing (V/STOL) aircraft is disclosed. Gas generators located around the periphery of the fan drive the fan through action on a fan blade-tip turbine or provide compressed gas (hot or cold) to circulation control devices. Variable pitch fan blades improve part-power cruise performance. Enclosed in a nacelle, the engine employs circulation control to enhance V/STOL performance. In some embodiments, a core cruise turbine gas generator mounted in the center of the fan duct powers the fan during cruise mode. In some hybrid gas and electric power embodiments, the core cruise gas generator is replaced by an electric motor that draws power from a battery in the fuselage. The battery may be charged by an electric generator driven by a gas generator around the periphery of the fan.

An aircraft includes a wing having a first upstream longeron and a second downstream longeron extending in the direction of the span of said wing, and at least one propulsion unit supported by the wing. The propulsion unit includes a turboprop engine and a propeller. The propeller includes an external annular casing fixed to a suction surface of the wing, and at least to the first upstream longeron via at least one first and second fastener.

A vehicle, includes a main body. A fluid generator is coupled to the main body and produces a fluid stream. At least one fore conduit and at least one tail conduit are fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are fluidly coupled to the fore conduit, coupled to the main body and respectively coupled to a starboard side and port side of the vehicle. The fore ejectors respectively comprise an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the tail conduit. The tail ejector comprises an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. A primary airfoil element is coupled to the tail portion. A surface of the primary airfoil element is located directly downstream of the first and second fore ejectors such that the fluid from the first and second fore ejectors flows over the such surface.

A ducted-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, one or more ducts, and a spindle that rotatably couples the one or more ducts to the fuselage. Each duct includes a hub that is configured to support a rotor, a plurality of stators that are coupled to the hub, a duct ring that is coupled to the plurality of stators, and a fitting that is coupled to a first stator of the plurality of stators. The fitting has a tubular collar that defines a first aperture that extends through the fitting. The collar is configured to receive a portion of the spindle. The first stator includes a rib that is spaced inward from the fitting and that defines a second aperture that is aligned with the first aperture and that is configured to receive an end of the spindle.

To enhance the containment capability of a ducted fan device at the time of FBO without hindering the weight reduction thereof, in a ducted fan device including a fan shroud (52) having an annular shape in plan view and an electric fan disposed at a center of the fan shroud (52) and having a fan blade (58, 64), the fan shroud (52) has a multilayer structure including a fiber layer (74) and a resin layer (70, 72), and has an opposing section (A) including a part that opposes a tip of the fan blade (58, 64) and a non-opposing section (B) that does not oppose the tips of the fan blade (58, 64), the opposing section and the non-opposing section being arranged in an axial direction, wherein in the non-opposing section (B), the fiber layer (74) is impregnated with part of resin forming the resin layer (70, 72), and in the opposing section (A), the fiber layer (74) is not impregnated with the resin forming the resin layer (70, 72).

A ducted-fan unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of low-energy high-rate maneuvers for both vertical roll control and horizontal pitch control. The UAV includes ducted fans which are with respective piezoelectric-actuated thrust vectoring flaps. Thrust vector control is achieved by controlling the angular positions of a plurality of thrust vector flaps pivotably coupled at respective outlets of a plurality of ducts having fan rotors at the inlets. Each thrust vectoring flap has only one degree of freedom in the frame of reference of the UAV, namely, rotation about a single axis that is perpendicular to the axis of the duct. The angular position of the flap is controlled by sending electrical signals to a piezoelectric actuator (e.g., a piezoelectric bimorph actuator) having a voltage sufficient to cause the piezoelectric actuator to bend.

A lift nacelle may comprise an airflow generator; a sidewall system coupled to the airflow generator and spanning in a first direction, wherein the sidewall system defines a nacelle interior space, wherein the airflow generator defines one of a forward boundary or an aft boundary of the nacelle interior space; and a lift body disposed in the nacelle interior space and spanning substantially perpendicular to the first direction and substantially perpendicular to an upward lift direction. The airflow generator may be configured to accelerate airflow in an aft direction into the nacelle interior space through the forward boundary of the nacelle interior space. The airflow may contact and/or interact with the lift body creating lift in response.

A system includes an electric motor. A drive shaft is connected to be driven by the electric motor. A propulsor is connected to be driven by the shaft. The propulsor is configured to pivot to a first orientation configured to produce lift when the motor rotates the shaft in a first direction, and to pivot to a second orientation configured to produce thrust when the motor rotates the shaft in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction.

An aircraft includes a wing with integrated ducted fans and ribs. Each respective ducted fan comprises a duct ring, a guide grille arranged within the duct ring, and an electric motor supported by the guide grille. The ribs are integrated into the guide grille. Each respective electric motor can be cylindrical, and the ribs can run tangentially along the electric motors.

The present invention relates to a wing assembly (10) for an aircraft with a fuselage and at least one pair of wings, the wing assembly (10) defining a direction of flow (F) with respect to which the wing assembly (10) is configured to create lift for the aircraft, comprising a main section (12), which is configured to be mounted to the fuselage in a fixed manner so as to extend from the fuselage in an extension direction of the wing; and a plurality of flap sections (14) each with a body part (16), which are mounted to the main section (12) in a pivotable manner so as to be individually pivotable around a pivot axis (A) by means of a pivoting means (18) over a range of angular orientations including a horizontal orientation in which the body part (16) of the flap section (14) is substantially aligned with the main section (12) to form an elongate and substantially continuous cross-section; and a vertical orientation in which the flap section (14) is angled downwards with respect to the main section (12). The invention further relates to an aircraft equipped with at least one pair of such wing assemblies.