Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft can provide opportunities to incorporate aerial transportation into transportation networks for cities and metropolitan areas. However, VTOL aircraft can be sensitive to uneven weight distributions, e.g., the payload of an aircraft is primarily loaded in the front, back, left, or right. When the aircraft is loaded unevenly, the center of mass of the aircraft may shift substantially enough to negatively impact performance of the aircraft. Thus, in turn, there is an opportunity that the VTOL may be loaded unevenly if seating, luggage placement, and/or positions of internal components are not coordinated. Among other advantages, dynamically assigning the payloads and adjusting components of the VTOL aircraft can increase VTOL safety by ensuring the VTOL aircraft is loaded evenly and meets all weight requirements; can increase transportation efficiency by increasing rider throughput; and can increase the availability of the VTOL services to all potential riders.

Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft can provide opportunities to incorporate aerial transportation into transportation networks for cities and metropolitan areas. However, VTOL aircraft can be sensitive to uneven weight distributions, e.g., the payload of an aircraft is primarily loaded in the front, back, left, or right. When the aircraft is loaded unevenly, the center of mass of the aircraft may shift substantially enough to negatively impact performance of the aircraft. Thus, in turn, there is an opportunity that the VTOL may be loaded unevenly if seating, luggage placement, and/or positions of internal components are not coordinated. Among other advantages, dynamically assigning the payloads and adjusting components of the VTOL aircraft can increase VTOL safety by ensuring the VTOL aircraft is loaded evenly and meets all weight requirements; can increase transportation efficiency by increasing rider throughput; and can increase the availability of the VTOL services to all potential riders.

An autonomous cargo container retrieval and delivery system locates a select cargo container and maneuvers an unmanned aerial vehicle proximate to the container for retrieval. The vehicle positions itself to engage the cargo container using a grasping mechanism, and, responsive to engaging the cargo container, retracts the cargo container toward the vehicle. As the cargo container is retracted toward the vehicle, weight sensors within the retrieval mechanism sense the weight and the weight distribution of the cargo container, and, can modify the cargo container's location on the vehicle to optimize vehicle flight operations or replace the container on the ground and alert the operator that the cargo container is too heavy or has an improper weight distribution. Upon mating the cargo container with the vehicle, a coupling mechanism latches or secures the cargo container to the vehicle for further flight and/or ground operations.

An autonomous cargo container retrieval and delivery system locates a select cargo container and maneuvers an unmanned aerial vehicle proximate to the container for retrieval. The vehicle positions itself to engage the cargo container using a grasping mechanism, and, responsive to engaging the cargo container, retracts the cargo container toward the vehicle. As the cargo container is retracted toward the vehicle, weight sensors within the retrieval mechanism sense the weight and the weight distribution of the cargo container, and, can modify the cargo container's location on the vehicle to optimize vehicle flight operations or replace the container on the ground and alert the operator that the cargo container is too heavy or has an improper weight distribution. Upon mating the cargo container with the vehicle, a coupling mechanism latches or secures the cargo container to the vehicle for further flight and/or ground operations.

An unmanned helicopter platform includes a fuselage, a tail coupled with the fuselage, a payload rail coupled with and extending along the fuselage and a main rotor assembly coupled with the fuselage. The tail includes a tail rotor and a tail rotor motor. The main rotor assembly includes a main rotor having an axis of rotation and a main rotor motor. The payload rail allows mechanical connection of payloads to the fuselage and positioning of the payloads such that a center of gravity of the payloads is alignable with the axis of rotation.

A hover-capable flying machine such as a drone includes a robotic arm extending from the body, and an instrumentality for balancing the machine in response to disturbances such as those caused by picking up and dropping of the payload by the extended robotic arm. In embodiments, the end of the arm is equipped with a balancing rotor assembly that may provide lift sufficient to counteract the weight of the payload and/or of the arm. In embodiments, the machine's power pack is shifted in response to the disturbances. The power pack may be moved, for example, on a rail within and/or extending beyond the machine in a direction generally opposite to the extended arm. The power pack may also be built into a bandolier-like device that can be rolled-in and rolled out, thus changing the center of gravity of the machine.

A hover-capable flying machine such as a drone includes a robotic arm extending from the body, and an instrumentality for balancing the machine in response to disturbances such as those caused by picking up and dropping of the payload by the extended robotic arm. In embodiments, the end of the arm is equipped with a balancing rotor assembly that may provide lift sufficient to counteract the weight of the payload and/or of the arm. In embodiments, the machine's power pack is shifted in response to the disturbances. The power pack may be moved, for example, on a rail within and/or extending beyond the machine in a direction generally opposite to the extended arm. The power pack may also be built into a bandolier-like device that can be rolled-in and rolled out, thus changing the center of gravity of the machine.

Aerial vehicles may be configured to control their attitudes by changing one or more physical attributes. For example, an aerial vehicle may be outfitted with propulsion motors having repositionable mounts by which the motors may be rotated about one or more axes, in order to redirect forces generated by the motors during operation. An aerial vehicle may also be outfitted with one or more other movable objects such as landing gear, antenna and/or engaged payloads, and one or more of such objects may be translated in one or more directions in order to adjust a center of gravity of the aerial vehicle. By varying angles by which forces are supplied to the aerial vehicle, or locations of the center of gravity of the aerial vehicle, a desired attitude of the aerial vehicle may be maintained irrespective of velocity, altitude and/or forces of thrust, lift, weight or drag acting upon the aerial vehicle.

Aerial vehicles may be configured to control their attitudes by changing one or more physical attributes. For example, an aerial vehicle may be outfitted with propulsion motors having repositionable mounts by which the motors may be rotated about one or more axes, in order to redirect forces generated by the motors during operation. An aerial vehicle may also be outfitted with one or more other movable objects such as landing gear, antenna and/or engaged payloads, and one or more of such objects may be translated in one or more directions in order to adjust a center of gravity of the aerial vehicle. By varying angles by which forces are supplied to the aerial vehicle, or locations of the center of gravity of the aerial vehicle, a desired attitude of the aerial vehicle may be maintained irrespective of velocity, altitude and/or forces of thrust, lift, weight or drag acting upon the aerial vehicle.

A method for controlling a flying projectile which rotates during flight, comprising: determining an angle of rotation of an inertial mass spinning about an axis during flight; and controlling at least one actuator for altering at least a portion of an aerodynamic structure, selectively in dependence on the determined angle of rotation and a control input, to control aerodynamic forces during flight. An aerodynamic surface may rotate and interact with surrounding air during flight, to produce aerodynamic forces. A sensor determines an angular rotation of the spin during flight. A control system, responsive to the sensor, produces a control signal in dependence on the determined angular rotation. An actuator selectively alters an aerodynamic characteristic of the aerodynamic surface in response to the control signal.