A duct for a ducted-rotor aircraft may include internal structural components such as a spindle that is supported by a fuselage of the aircraft, first and second annular spars that are attached to an end of the spindle, a central hub that supports a motor of the aircraft, a plurality of stators that extend from the central hub to the second spar, and a plurality of ribs that are attached to the first spar and the second spar at respective opposed ends. The spindle may include an attachment interface to which the first and second spars are attached. The attachment interface may be disposed at the second end of the spindle. The attachment interface may define first and second arc-shaped planar surfaces to which the first and second spars, respectively, are attached.

A duct for a ducted-rotor aircraft may include internal structural components such as a spindle that is supported by a fuselage of the aircraft, first and second annular spars that are attached to an end of the spindle, a central hub that supports a motor of the aircraft, a plurality of stators that extend from the central hub to the second spar, and a plurality of ribs that are attached to the first spar and the second spar at respective opposed ends. The spindle may include an attachment interface to which the first and second spars are attached. The attachment interface may be disposed at the second end of the spindle. The attachment interface may define first and second arc-shaped planar surfaces to which the first and second spars, respectively, are attached.

The invention is for a VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) rotorcraft with the annular contra-rotating rotary wings and auxiliary propulsor. The rotary wing of the annular contra-rotating rotary wings is driven by a plurality of tangential forces applied at multiple locations of the inner hub or at the tip of the blade. The annular contra-rotating rotary wings can be shrouded with a nacelle for the improvement of propulsive efficiency, reduction of noise and protection of the rotary wing. The fuselage is mounted along the center axis of the rotary to be outside of the thrust slipstream. The auxiliary propulsor includes a quad independent pusher propeller to propel the rotorcraft to reach faster forward speed.

The invention is for a VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) rotorcraft with the annular contra-rotating rotary wings and auxiliary propulsor. The rotary wing of the annular contra-rotating rotary wings is driven by a plurality of tangential forces applied at multiple locations of the inner hub or at the tip of the blade. The annular contra-rotating rotary wings can be shrouded with a nacelle for the improvement of propulsive efficiency, reduction of noise and protection of the rotary wing. The fuselage is mounted along the center axis of the rotary to be outside of the thrust slipstream. The auxiliary propulsor includes a quad independent pusher propeller to propel the rotorcraft to reach faster forward speed.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for gas transport is disclosed. The UAV includes a fuselage enclosing a volume, and a gas reservoir enclosed within the fuselage, filling at least a majority of the volume. The gas reservoir is configured to receive and store a gas at a pressure no greater than 100 bar. The UAV also includes a propulsion system having at least one engine, each of the at least one engine coupled to a prop that is driven by the at least one engine using energy derived from the gas stored in the gas reservoir. The UAV also includes a control system communicatively coupled to the propulsion system and configured to operate the unmanned aerial vehicle to autonomously transport the gas. The UAV may have a footprint while on the ground, and the footprint of the UAV may be no larger than three standard parking spaces.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for gas transport is disclosed. The UAV includes a fuselage enclosing a volume, and a gas reservoir enclosed within the fuselage, filling at least a majority of the volume. The gas reservoir is configured to receive and store a gas at a pressure no greater than 100 bar. The UAV also includes a propulsion system having at least one engine, each of the at least one engine coupled to a prop that is driven by the at least one engine using energy derived from the gas stored in the gas reservoir. The UAV also includes a control system communicatively coupled to the propulsion system and configured to operate the unmanned aerial vehicle to autonomously transport the gas. The UAV may have a footprint while on the ground, and the footprint of the UAV may be no larger than three standard parking spaces.

Freezing of an electrical component of a VTOL rotor is prevented. The aircraft 100 includes a fuselage 12, a VTOL rotor 20 including one or more blades 23 that is supported on the boom 18 to be spaced apart from the fuselage for generating thrust in a vertical direction during take-off and landing, a motor 21 that is stored in the boom and is configured to cause the one or more blades to rotate, and an inverter 22 for controlling the motor, a detection unit 80 configured to detect a temperature of at least one apparatus of the motor or the inverter, and a control unit 99 configured to run the at least one apparatus based on a thrust request for a plurality of VTOL rotors and a detection result of the temperature.

Freezing of an electrical component of a VTOL rotor is prevented. The aircraft 100 includes a fuselage 12, a VTOL rotor 20 including one or more blades 23 that is supported on the boom 18 to be spaced apart from the fuselage for generating thrust in a vertical direction during take-off and landing, a motor 21 that is stored in the boom and is configured to cause the one or more blades to rotate, and an inverter 22 for controlling the motor, a detection unit 80 configured to detect a temperature of at least one apparatus of the motor or the inverter, and a control unit 99 configured to run the at least one apparatus based on a thrust request for a plurality of VTOL rotors and a detection result of the temperature.

A rotary-wing drone includes a drone body that includes an electronic board controlling the piloting of the drone, and four link arms that include a rigidly connected propulsion unit. The link arms form lift-producing wings.

A rotary-wing drone includes a drone body that includes an electronic board controlling the piloting of the drone, and four link arms that include a rigidly connected propulsion unit. The link arms form lift-producing wings.