An energy absorbing landing system for an aircraft having a fuselage includes landing legs rotatably coupled to the fuselage configured to outwardly rotate when receiving a landing load having a magnitude. The energy absorbing landing system also includes an energy absorption unit coupled to the fuselage and cables coupling the energy absorption unit to the landing legs. The energy absorption unit is configured to selectively apply a resistance to the outward rotation of the landing legs via the cables based on the magnitude of the landing load, thereby absorbing the landing load when the aircraft lands.

A multicopter (10) is disclosed, which has fuselage (12) and a lift structure (14). The fuselage (12) is suitably a stand-within structure for a single occupant (50), or a harness (120) which connects the occupant (50) to the lift structure (14). The lift structure (14) is formed from a plurality of spars (16) that extend outwardly from the fuselage. Each spar (16) carries, at their distal ends (22), a rotor (24) which provides thrust and/or lift for the multicopter (10). The lift structure (14) includes four or more spars (16) arranged so as to define a central aperture (18) within which the fuselage and/or occupant (50). The lift structure (14) may be moveable relative to the fuselage (12) so that the centre of lift can be moved relative to the centre of gravity, which can facilitate a transition between ground effect and normal flight, as well as reducing the structural requirements of the fuselage (12).

Flight equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an aerial vehicle having a body and at least one rotor held on the body; a plurality of supporters mounted to the aerial vehicle and supporting a protective member stretched therebetween so as to surround an outside of the body; a support information detection unit configured to detect support information indicating a support state of the protective member; and a mounting state determiner configured to determine whether the support state of the protective member is suitable or unsuitable, based on a value detected by the support information detection unit.

Flight equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an aerial vehicle having a body and at least one rotor held on the body; a plurality of supporters mounted to the aerial vehicle and supporting a protective member stretched therebetween so as to surround an outside of the body; a support information detection unit configured to detect support information indicating a support state of the protective member; and a mounting state determiner configured to determine whether the support state of the protective member is suitable or unsuitable, based on a value detected by the support information detection unit.

A rotorcraft includes a plurality of fan assemblies. Each fan assembly of the plurality of fan assemblies includes a drivetrain having a gearbox with an input shaft and a mast coaxially aligned with the input shaft, and a plurality of electric motors coupled to the input shaft. Each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors is coupled to the input shaft via a sprag clutch.

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.

A carrier aircraft, comprising: a body for carrying at least one object or passenger; and multiple rotatable fan devices disposed on two sides of said body; wherein an angle of rotation of one of said rotatable fan devices can be changed, such that said carrier aircraft flies along a direction at an angle, said angle being between 0 degrees to 30 degrees.

There is provided a system and a method for controlling a vehicle. A path is determined, to be followed by the vehicle between a starting location and an intended destination location. The vehicle is controlled to follow the determined path. An indication may be received from the vehicle of the presence of a potential difficulty in respect of the determined path. The method determines the source of any potential difficulty and interacts with the source thereby to re-configure at least one of the source and the vehicle to enable onward progress of the vehicle along the determined or an updated path. The system comprises a controller and a vehicle interface. The controller implements the method and interacts with the vehicle via the vehicle interface. The method and the system may control the vehicle to conduct a field service operation in respect of a network node of a wireless communications network.

The invention relates to an aircraft thruster (30) comprising at least a first propeller (32) provided with a plurality of radial blades (34) extending about an axis (A) of rotation of the said first propeller (32), which is driven in rotation by a first electric motor (36), the electrical supply means of which comprise power circuits (42) carried by a fairing of the thruster characterised in that the power circuits (42) are arranged in an annular manner in an annular part (40) integral with the fairing of the thruster (30), this annular part (40) being arranged around the said first propeller (32).

An aircraft includes a fuselage that provides an aircraft passenger cell and a plastically deformable protective body secured on the fuselage. The plastically deformable protective body can be secured on the bottom of the fuselage and/or laterally on the fuselage. The plastically deformable protective body can be secured releasably on the fuselage, for example, via a screw connection.