In one embodiment, a drone is provided with several inflatable tubes that each connect a propeller component to a body of the drone. In order to increase the handling of the drone, a patch is placed on the top surface of each inflatable tube that includes some number of shape memory alloy wires. The shape memory alloy wires shrink and become rigid when an electric current is applied to them. The optimal locations on each tube to place the patches, and the shape of the patches, is determined using a topology optimization. Later, the wires in the patches can be selectively activated or deactivated by an operating entity to provide an additional means to control the drone. Additionally, the drone is equipped with several landing arms which may include a shape memory alloy torsion coil spring to help the arm deployment during landing.

In one embodiment, a drone is provided with several inflatable tubes that each connect a propeller component to a body of the drone. In order to increase the handling of the drone, a patch is placed on the top surface of each inflatable tube that includes some number of shape memory alloy wires. The shape memory alloy wires shrink and become rigid when an electric current is applied to them. The optimal locations on each tube to place the patches, and the shape of the patches, is determined using a topology optimization. Later, the wires in the patches can be selectively activated or deactivated by an operating entity to provide an additional means to control the drone. Additionally, the drone is equipped with several landing arms which may include a shape memory alloy torsion coil spring to help the arm deployment during landing.

The flying object according to one embodiment comprises: a main body; a main wing formed on a side surface of the main body; a duct-shaped first propulsion part which is provided outside the main wing and can be tilted; a second propulsion part arranged behind the main body; horizontal tail wings formed on both side surfaces of the second propulsion part; and a control part for controlling the movement of the first propulsion part, second propulsion part, and horizontal tail wings, wherein the control part controls the second propulsion part and the horizontal tail wings according to the tilt angle of the first propulsion part.

The flying object according to one embodiment comprises: a main body; a main wing formed on a side surface of the main body; a duct-shaped first propulsion part which is provided outside the main wing and can be tilted; a second propulsion part arranged behind the main body; horizontal tail wings formed on both side surfaces of the second propulsion part; and a control part for controlling the movement of the first propulsion part, second propulsion part, and horizontal tail wings, wherein the control part controls the second propulsion part and the horizontal tail wings according to the tilt angle of the first propulsion part.

A method of displacing rotors of an aircraft between a hover mode and an aircraft mode includes rotating a spindle drivingly connected to the rotors about a spindle axis to displace the rotors between the hover and aircraft modes until a component displaceable with the spindle abuts against a downstop of the aircraft and applies a load against the downstop. The method includes passively maintaining the component against the downstop to maintain the load applied against the downstop. An aircraft is also disclosed.

A method of displacing rotors of an aircraft between a hover mode and an aircraft mode includes rotating a spindle drivingly connected to the rotors about a spindle axis to displace the rotors between the hover and aircraft modes until a component displaceable with the spindle abuts against a downstop of the aircraft and applies a load against the downstop. The method includes passively maintaining the component against the downstop to maintain the load applied against the downstop. An aircraft is also disclosed.

To provide an aerial vehicle that can improve the driving feel and riding comfort of a rider. An aerial vehicle according to the present technology includes: a vehicle body extending in the front-rear direction; a saddle section provided on an upper side of the vehicle body; a motive power section provided on an underside of the vehicle body, at a position below the saddle section; and a rotary wing section which is provided at at least one of the front and rear of the motive power section, and which rotates by using the motive power section as a motive power source.

The invention describes a Vacuum Shell Airfoil which includes: (1) a circular shell, and (2) multiple fins where each of the multiple fins includes a bottom, a top, a front, a back, a first side and a second side wherein at least a portion of the bottom of each of the multiple fins is attached to the circular shell. The Vacuum Shell Airfoil can also include: a stabilization ring positioned above the circular shell where at least a portion of at least two fins are attached to the stabilization ring, a stabilization ring that is positioned above the circular shell where at least a portion of each of the multiple fins is attached to the stabilization ring, multiple fins which are radially positioned along the circular shell, which may further include a cylindrical guard rail positioned around the Vacuum Shell Airfoil. The circular shell of the Vacuum Shell Airfoil may be constructed of carbon fiber and the multiple fins may also be constructed of carbon fibers. The Vacuum Shell Airfoil can be used to more efficiently produce the lift that is necessary to propel and suspend aircraft such as Vertical Take Off and Land (VTOL) aerospace vehicles.

Systems, devices, and methods for stopping the rotation of propellers used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) such as drones are disclosed. The propellers are stopped in response to detecting when beams of light adjacent the propellers are blocked.

Systems, devices, and methods for stopping the rotation of propellers used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) such as drones are disclosed. The propellers are stopped in response to detecting when beams of light adjacent the propellers are blocked.