A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.

A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thrust to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.

A compact, compound gyroplane employing torque compensated main rotor and hybrid power train is disclosed. The invention incorporates a torque-compensated main rotor system with a common Collective pitch control but no Cyclic function, which can be driven transiently during flight to allow vertical take-off, landing and hovering flight operations; torque compensation is via a coaxial counter-rotating (CACR) rotor system, or alternatively using one or more electronically-controlled, fixed-pitch, thruster motors. A mechanical or electro-mechanical hybrid power system allows a single engine to power vertical lift and forward propulsion; the use of electric motors for lift and torque compensation facilitates electronic (and potentially autonomous) control of critical phases of flight.

A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thnist to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.

A multi-rotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a propulsion engine coupled to the fuselage that generates thnist to propel the aircraft along a first vector during forward flight, and rotors coupled to the fuselage, each rotor comprising blades, each rotor coupled to a motor, and each motor configured to supply power to and draw power from the coupled rotor. The aircraft includes a flight control system configured to control the motors coupled to the rotors in a power managed regime in which a net electrical power, consisting of a sum of the power being supplied to or drawn from each rotor by its motor, is maintained within a range determined by a feedback control system of the flight control system. The flight control system can also be leveraged to adjust rotor control inputs to modify at least one of thrust, roll, pitch, or yaw of the multi-rotor aircraft.

A multirotor aircraft that includes a chassis, at least three engines that are equipped with propellers, and one or more axial free wings that are connected to the chassis by axial connections. The leading edges of the one or more axial free wings are designed to face constantly same direction when the multirotor flying, and the attack angles of the one or more axial free wings are designed to be changed relatively to the chassis due to flow of air over the one or more axial free wings.

A hybrid multi-rotor aircraft, includes a plurality of vertical propulsion rotors and at least one forward propulsion rotor. The aircraft also includes a rotor compartment within for each of the vertical propulsion rotors such that a vertical propulsion rotor may be stowed within its respective rotor compartment. A deployable rotor-compartment cover for each rotor compartment is provided and may be moved to an open state to allow the vertical propulsion rotors to be deployed and moved to a closed state to cover their respective vertical propulsion rotors when the vertical propulsion rotors or in a closed state.

An autogyro includes a fuselage with a rotor. The rotor includes rotor blades which are arranged on an upper face of the fuselage, and a rotor drive which temporarily drives the rotor via a first motor. The rotor blades autorotate via an airflow.

An autogyro includes a fuselage with a rotor. The rotor includes rotor blades which are arranged on an upper face of the fuselage, and a rotor drive which temporarily drives the rotor via a first motor. The rotor blades autorotate via an airflow.

A system for altitude control of an autogyro includes an unpowered rotor for generating lift and a forward propulsion system for generating a horizontal thrust component of a thrust vector for propelling the autogyro forward during flight. The system for altitude control also includes at least one thrust steering control devices configured to steer thrust generated by the forward propulsion system such that the forward propulsion system generates a vertical thrust component of the thrust vector.