This disclosure describes a configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) in which the fuselage of the UAV is center mounted and at least some of the motors are configured to encompass at least a portion of the fuselage. In such a configuration, the stator and rotor of the motor extend around a perimeter of the fuselage, the propellers are coupled to an outer perimeter of the rotor, and the propellers extend radially outward away from the fuselage. Likewise, a closed wing may be coupled to the fuselage and positioned to encompass the radially extending propellers and at least a portion of the fuselage.

The ‘Air Wheel’ rotor is a rotor with blades of variable pitch and variable twist. The ‘Air Wheel’ rotor comprises one or more hubs connected to the closed axisymmetric wing via flexible blades. There is provided a wide range of combinations of the wing relative width and coning angle typical for a lifting rotor with a thin planar wing attached to the tips of long blades, for a shrouded fan in a wide annular wing, or an impeller in a rotating cylindrical wing is provided.

The ‘Air Wheel’ rotor combines and enhances the advantages of a rotor and a wing. The ‘Air Wheel’ rotor has high aerodynamic properties, and eliminates limitations of the rotor size and flight speed. The ‘Air Wheel’ rotor can be used for designing vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising one or more motors, one or more non-destructive testing data collectors, and an electro-magnet, may be used to inspect a structure to which it can magnetically attach by having the UAV approach the structure and activating the electro-magnet when the UAV is a predetermined distance to the structure to be inspected. Once maneuvered close enough to the structure to allow the electro-magnet to magnetically attach to the structure to be inspected, the UAV may be secured against the structure using the electro-magnet proximate an area to be inspected such that the non-destructive testing data collector is disposed proximate the area to be inspected. Data may then be collected using the non-destructive testing data collector.

A system for video imaging and photographing using an autonomous aerial platform. The system may be a quad rotor system using electrically powered propellers. The aerial platform may be commanded by the user to follow an object of interest. The aerial platform may have multiple configurations for its thrust units such that they are clear of the field of view of the imaging device in a first configuration, such that they protect the imaging device during landing in a second configuration, and that allows for efficient storage in a stowed configuration.

A system for video imaging and photographing using an autonomous aerial platform. The system may be a quad rotor system using electrically powered propellers. The aerial platform may be commanded by the user to follow an object of interest. The aerial platform may have multiple configurations for its thrust units such that they are clear of the field of view of the imaging device in a first configuration, such that they protect the imaging device during landing in a second configuration, and that allows for efficient storage in a stowed configuration.

Example implementations provide fluid-borne vehicles comprising a body and a plurality of thrust vectoring modules, each thrust vectoring module comprising a set of thrust producing means, wherein a first thrust producing means, mounted on a first mounting bar having a first mounting bar axis, is rotatable about the mounting bar axis and the mounting bar axis is rotatable about an arm having an arm axis that is nonparallel to the mounting bar axis; and a second thrust producing means, mounted on a second mounting bar having a second mounting bar axis, is rotatable about the second mounting bar axis and the second mounting bar axis is rotatable about the arm axis that is nonparallel to the second mounting bar axis.

Example implementations provide fluid-borne vehicles comprising a body and a plurality of thrust vectoring modules, each thrust vectoring module comprising a set of thrust producing means, wherein a first thrust producing means, mounted on a first mounting bar having a first mounting bar axis, is rotatable about the mounting bar axis and the mounting bar axis is rotatable about an arm having an arm axis that is nonparallel to the mounting bar axis; and a second thrust producing means, mounted on a second mounting bar having a second mounting bar axis, is rotatable about the second mounting bar axis and the second mounting bar axis is rotatable about the arm axis that is nonparallel to the second mounting bar axis.

Disclosed is a VTOL aircraft, and a method of operating the same. The VTOL aircraft employs a propulsion system comprising at least one propulsion unit, which can be rotated to generate lift during VTOL operations and thrust during cruise. A folding wing is employed to provide lift during cruise, and to meet external size constraints during storage and VTOL operations.

A signal associated with a motor is obtained where the motor is included in a aircraft that has flight capabilities. A motor wear metric that represents an amount of wear experienced by the motor is determined based at least in part on the signal. It is determined, at a flight computer that is included in the aircraft, whether to restrict the flight capabilities of the aircraft based at least in part on the motor wear metric. The flight capabilities of the aircraft are restricted in the event it is so determined.

A proprotor blade for a ducted aircraft including a duct includes a main body having a distal end and a sacrificial blade tip coupled to the distal end of the main body. The sacrificial blade tip includes a deformable core material and a shell layer at least partially covering the deformable core material. The sacrificial blade tip deforms upon contact with the duct, thereby reducing damage to the ducted aircraft.