A battery powered helicopter uses one or more torque arms as the power source directly driving the main rotor blades, causing them to rotate. The helicopter does not require a combustion engine, a clutch, a reducer, a tail driver, a tail boom, a tail rotor, or a fuel supply system. The output shaft of the high-energy motor is coaxial with the main rotor shaft. The centrifugal force of one or more motor(s) is negligible or minimized. The torque arm assembly includes a plurality of torque arms. Each of the torque arms of the plurality of torque arms includes a propeller and a driving system.

A helicopter rotor transmission in which the average lubricant monitoring and replenishment intervals are to be significantly increased. The helicopter rotor transmission has a central cavity, in which runs a bearing mast that is fixed in a locationally and rotationally manner, which is held passing through the gear housing at least partially in the direction of the central axis. An internally toothed gear ring of a rotatable rotor mast can be rotated about the central axis, with fixed rotation of the planetary gears about their planetary gear axes, such that the rotor mast can be set in rotation by means of a gear ring driver attached to the gear ring.

The invention relates to a drive system for a vehicle, comprising at least one asymmetrical rotor (18), which has at least one rotor blade (20) extending radially from a rotor axle, and a counterweight (22) which is opposite the rotor axle, the system further comprising a control device for the electric motor (24), which connects the electric motor (24) to a battery for the power supply thereof, and is configured and designed, during a revolution cycle, which includes 1-3 revolutions of the rigid rotor blade (20), to bring about at least one acceleration phase, in which the electric motor (24) can be accelerated to accelerate the rotor (18), and at least one braking phase, in which the electric motor (24) can be braked, the control device being designed, during at least part of the braking phase, to connect the electric motor (24) to at least one battery element (28) in generator mode.

A method for equalizing rolling moments at high advance ratios is disclosed including impelling an aircraft in a forward direction at an airspeed by means of a thrust source and rotating a rotor of the aircraft at an angular velocity with respect to the airspeed effective to cause a positive total lift on each blade due to air flow over the blades in the retreating direction when the blade is moving in the retreating direction. The rotor includes an even number of blades placed at equal angular intervals around the rotor hub. One or both of cyclic pitch and rotor angle of attack are adjusted such that a rolling moment of the retreating blade due to reverse air flow is between 0.3 and 0.7 times a rolling moment on the advancing blade due to lift.

A method for equalizing rolling moments at high advance ratios is disclosed including impelling an aircraft in a forward direction at an airspeed by means of a thrust source and rotating a rotor of the aircraft at an angular velocity with respect to the airspeed effective to cause a positive total lift on each blade due to air flow over the blades in the retreating direction when the blade is moving in the retreating direction. The rotor includes an even number of blades placed at equal angular intervals around the rotor hub. One or both of cyclic pitch and rotor angle of attack are adjusted such that a rolling moment of the retreating blade due to reverse air flow is between 0.3 and 0.7 times a rolling moment on the advancing blade due to lift.

A helicopter uses electric propeller torque arm as power source directly driving main rotor to rotate. The helicopter may be battery powered. The helicopter may be without an engine, a clutch, a reducer, a tail driver, a tail boom, a tail rotor and a fuel supply system. The main design goal is to have the output shaft of the high-energy motor being coaxial with the main rotor shaft or having output shafts of a plurality of motors as close as possible to the main rotor shaft. The centrifugal force of the motor(s) is negligible or minimized. The torque arm assembly includes a plurality of torque arms. Each of the torque arm of the plurality of torque arms includes a propeller and a driving system. In the case of a malfunction, the helicopter's main rotor will spin like a maple leaf and will facilitate the spin autorotation landing.

A rotorcraft that utilizes both a main compound rotor and a plurality of tiltrotors is disclosed. The main rotor and the thrusters can provide vertical lift for vertical take-off and landing of the rotorcraft. The thrusters of the rotorcraft can articulate to a horizontal position to facilitate horizontal flight. The main rotor of the rotorcraft can continue to provide vertical lift for the rotorcraft in horizontal flight, as well as operate in an autorotation mode. In the event of a failure of the main power source of the rotorcraft, the main rotor in autorotation mode can safety land the rotorcraft. In the autorotation mode, the main rotor can create electrical energy that is stored in a battery and can be used to power the plurality of thrusters. The rotorcraft can also be configured in an anti-torque mode, where the thrusters cancel out the torque of the main rotor.

Aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing, hovering, and efficient forward flight are described. An aircraft includes two side mounted tiltable proprotors and a central rotor disposed above the proprotors. The proprotors are tiltable between at least a horizontal position for forward flight and a vertical position for vertical or hovering flight. The central rotor may be powered for vertical and transitional flight modes and may turn by free autorotation during forward flight. The proprotors may be differentially tilted during vertical or hovering flight to counter torque effects of the central rotor. The central rotor may be foldable and/or easily detachable from the aircraft to facilitate storage and transportation. Left and right proprotors may provide both forward thrust and attitude control. Control inputs to left and right proprotors may be connected directly to an autopilot creating closed loop actuation using motor RPM feedback.

Aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing, hovering, and efficient forward flight are described. An aircraft includes two side mounted tiltable proprotors and a central rotor disposed above the proprotors. The proprotors are tiltable between at least a horizontal position for forward flight and a vertical position for vertical or hovering flight. The central rotor may be powered for vertical and transitional flight modes and may turn by free autorotation during forward flight. The proprotors may be differentially tilted during vertical or hovering flight to counter torque effects of the central rotor. The central rotor may be foldable and/or easily detachable from the aircraft to facilitate storage and transportation. Left and right proprotors may provide both forward thrust and attitude control. Control inputs to left and right proprotors may be connected directly to an autopilot creating closed loop actuation using motor RPM feedback.

The invention relates to an aircraft comprising a drive system having a power unit, at least one drive battery, and at least one electric motor drawing electrical energy from the at least one drive battery, wherein the power unit comprises a two-cylinder reciprocating-piston engine having two cylinder-piston units in tandem arrangement and comprises at least one generator for generating electrical energy, wherein each cylinder-piston unit has a crankshaft, and wherein the crankshafts are mechanically coupled to each other, and wherein at least one crankshaft is mechanically connected to the at least one generator. The invention also relates to additional improvements of the aircraft and to an operating method.