A flow control method is a flow control method of controlling flow around a blade of a rotary wing, a plasma actuator being disposed at the blade. The flow control method includes: determining a characteristic frequency ratio that is a characteristic value among frequency ratios, each of the frequency ratios being a ratio between an actuator driving frequency and an angle of attack changing frequency, the actuator driving frequency being a frequency of an applied voltage applied to the plasma actuator, the angle of attack changing frequency being a frequency at which an angle of attack of the blade changes in accordance with a rotation angle of the blade; setting the actuator driving frequency such that the frequency ratio becomes the characteristic frequency ratio; and applying a voltage of the set actuator driving frequency to the plasma actuator to control the flow around the blade.

A flying machine includes: a flying machine body that includes a rotor blade; a protective member that forms a frame shape inside which the rotor blade is disposed, that is rotatably fixed to both end portions of the flying machine body, and that is pipe shaped; and a connecting wire that passes through an inner portion of the protective member to connect the flying machine body and an external device together.

Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for providing high thrust density plasma, and/or high control authority plasma. In specific embodiments, such high thrust density, and/or high control authority, plasma can be at or near atmospheric pressure. Embodiments pertain to a method and apparatus that use electron confinement via one or more magnetic fields, and/or one or more electric fields, in a manner to improve the ionization due to surface plasma actuators. Specific embodiments can improve ionization by several orders of magnitude. This improved ionization can result in a high electric field inside the sheath for the same applied voltage and can result in very high thrust.

An apparatus, method and system for combining aerodynamic design with engine power to increase synergy between the two and increase climb performance, engine-out performance, and fuel efficiency for a variety of aircraft or the like.

A vehicle includes a main body and a gas generator producing a gas stream. At least one fore conduit and tail conduit are fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are fluidly coupled to the at least one fore conduit. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the at least one tail conduit. The fore ejectors respectively include an outlet structure out of which gas from the at least one fore conduit flows. The at least one tail ejector includes an outlet structure out of which gas from the at least one tail conduit flows. First and second primary airfoil elements have leading edges respectively located directly downstream of the first and second fore ejectors. At least one secondary airfoil element has a leading edge located directly downstream of the outlet structure of the at least one tail ejector.

A flight propulsion system for Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) and Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft, having a two cyclorotors, installed in the front and rear portions of a pair-wings mechanism involving top wing and bottom wing, three degree-of-freedom DOF adjusting mechanism for pair-wings, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators, a bar mechanism for pitching oscillation and rotation speed controls and rear cyclorotor, a yawing mechanism for rear cyclorotor, all on each side of the flight vehicle. This propulsion system is particularly useful for VTOL aircraft. The main features are: high controllability and manoeuvrability, low noise and environmental pollutions, VTOL, STOL, hover state flights, marine and ground take-off and landing, high safety, suitable for different aircraft scales and for different missions and purposes, instant altering the flight direction.

A wing structure for an aircraft includes a stationary wing, a movable wing and at least one plasma actuator. The movable wing is configured to have a slot between the movable wing and the stationary wing. The at least one plasma actuator is configured to control air flow through the slot.

A vehicle includes a surface for contacting a fluid medium through which the vehicle is propelled. The vehicle also includes an array of transducers and a controller. The transducers in the array are arranged across the vehicle's surface for generating pressure waves in the fluid medium. Each transducer in the array is arranged to vibrate for generating a respective pressure wave, which propagates away from the surface in the fluid medium. The controller vibrates the transducers in the array so that the pressure waves control the drag of the vehicle from the fluid medium.

An aircraft (5) including an aerodynamic surface (6), an aerodynamics improvement device with a first electrode (27) embedded beneath and electrically isolated from the aerodynamic surface (6), a second electrode (28) electrically isolated from the first electrode (27), a voltage generator (30) adapted to apply a voltage between the first and the second electrode, further comprising a layer of electrically insulating material (26) between the second electrode (28) and the aerodynamic surface (6). Methods for detecting ice on and de-icing an aerodynamic surface (6), and for delaying a boundary layer transition and separation from the aerodynamic surface.

Shield assemblies for an aircraft landing gear include an aerodynamic shield, a first support bracket assembly, and a second support bracket assembly. The first support bracket assembly is configured to couple with a structural member of the aircraft landing gear, to support a first end of the aerodynamic shield, and to have a first position that is fixed relative to the structural member in an x-direction, a y-direction, and a z-direction. The first support bracket assembly has a first clamp that is configured to fix the first support bracket assembly relative to the structural member in the x-direction. The second support bracket assembly is configured to support a second end of the aerodynamic shield and to have a second position that is fixed relative to the structural member in the y-direction and the z-direction.