A method for the flying of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft which uses fixed rotors for both VTOL and forward flight operations. The rotors form a synthetic wing and are positioned to achieve a high span efficiency. The rotors are positioned to even out the lift across the span of the synthetic wing. The synthetic wing may also have narrow front and rear airfoils which may provide structural support as well as providing lift during forward flight, or may have a single center wing. The wing rotors are tilted forward and provide some forward propulsion during horizontal flight.

A method for the flying of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft which uses fixed rotors for both VTOL and forward flight operations. The rotors form a synthetic wing and are positioned to achieve a high span efficiency. The rotors are positioned to even out the lift across the span of the synthetic wing. The synthetic wing may also have narrow front and rear airfoils which may provide structural support as well as providing lift during forward flight, or may have a single center wing. The wing rotors are tilted forward and provide some forward propulsion during horizontal 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.

An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes an engine, a trinary lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes a plurality of ducted fans in a tandem lateral and forward orientation. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the ducted fans generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that bypass air combines with engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes an engine, a trinary lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes a plurality of ducted fans in a tandem lateral and forward orientation. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the ducted fans generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that bypass air combines with engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

An active flow control system for generating yaw control moments for an aircraft during forward flight. The system includes right and left yaw effectors disposed proximate the right and left wingtips of the wing. A pressurized air system includes a pressurized air source and a plurality of injectors operably associated with the right and left yaw effectors that influence the path of airflow above and below the yaw effectors. Based upon which of the injectors is injecting pressurized air, the right and left yaw effectors generate no yaw control moment, generate a yaw right control moment or generate a yaw left control moment.

An active flow control system for generating roll control moments for an aircraft during hover flight. The system includes right and left roll effectors disposed proximate the right and left wingtips of the wing. A pressurized air system includes a pressurized air source and a plurality of injectors operably associated with the right and left roll effectors. Based upon which of the injectors is injecting pressurized air, the right and left roll effectors generate no roll control moment, generate a roll right control moment or generate a roll left control moment.

An active flow control system for generating roll control moments for an aircraft during forward flight. The system includes right and left roll effectors disposed on a trailing edge of the wing. A pressurized air system includes a pressurized air source and a plurality of injectors operably associated with the right and left roll effectors that influence the path of airflow across the wing. Based upon which of the injectors is injecting pressurized air, the right and left roll effectors generate no roll control moment, generate a roll right control moment or generate a roll left control moment.

An active flow control system for generating roll control moments for an aircraft during forward flight. The system includes right and left roll effectors disposed on a trailing edge of the wing. A pressurized air system includes a pressurized air source and a plurality of injectors operably associated with the right and left roll effectors that influence the path of airflow across the wing. Based upon which of the injectors is injecting pressurized air, the right and left roll effectors generate no roll control moment, generate a roll right control moment or generate a roll left control moment.

This disclosure describes a configuration of a multirotor aircraft that will facilitate enhanced yaw control. The multirotor aircraft includes one or more adjustable members that will twist the frame of the multirotor aircraft, thereby adjusting the orientation of the motors and propellers and enhance the yaw control of the multirotor aircraft. In some implementations, the adjustable member(s) are passive and twist in response to differential thrusts generated by the propellers. In other implementations, the adjustable members are active and twist in response to a yaw command from the multirotor aircraft control system.