A vibratory motion reduction system for a pylon assembly includes an inner member having an opening extending therein that receives a first end of the pylon assembly, an outer member moveably attached to the inner member, a tuning mass attached to the inner member and the outer member such that a vibratory motion of the pylon assembly accelerates the tuning mass, a spring member that couples to a second end of the pylon assembly, and the spring member and the tuning mass reduce the vibratory motion of the pylon assembly.

An input attitude associated with an input device of an aircraft is received. A supplemental attitude is generated, including by selecting a position-based supplemental attitude to be the supplemental attitude in the event the input device is in a disengaged state and selecting a velocity-based supplemental attitude to be the supplemental attitude in the event the input device is in an engaged state. The input attitude and the supplemental attitude are combined in order to obtain a combined attitude. The aircraft is controlled using the combined attitude.

A tethered uni-rotor network of satellite vehicles combines fixed-wing and rotorcraft designs. A central hub with multiple tethers to satellite vehicles radiates outward in a hub-and-spoke arrangement. Satellites have lifting airfoil surfaces, stabilizers, control surfaces, fuselages, and propulsion systems. The system operates in a persistent state of rotation, driven by satellite propulsion units. As the satellite vehicles move through space, the airfoils generate lift which supports each satellite vehicle and the central hub. As the system rotates, centrifugal forces pull each satellite vehicle outwards, which keeps each tether taught. The tethers are attached at innermost portions of each lifting surface; the energy storage mass is located at the outermost portion; the tension alleviates bending moment common to fixed-wing aircraft, reducing the weight within the structural members, utilize higher aspect ratio wings to reduce induced drag, and thin-thickness high-camber airfoil profiles achieve higher lift-to-drag ratios yield a more aerodynamically efficient aircraft.

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 system is provided in one example embodiment and may include a first reservoir for a lubricant; a second reservoir for the lubricant, wherein the first reservoir and the second reservoir are interconnected; a first pumping element to pump the lubricant from the first reservoir at a first flow rate; a second pumping element to pump the lubricant at a second flow rate, wherein the first flow rate and the second flow rate are different; and a gearbox coupled to the first pumping element and the second pumping element. The first reservoir may have a larger volume than the second reservoir and the first flow rate may be higher than the second flow rate.

An air-conditioning system includes a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle, and a drone. The drone is configured to be secured, in a secured state, to the motor vehicle and released from the motor vehicle. The drone is a flying drone that is driven using propellers. The drone, in the secured state, serves to air-condition the motor vehicle using the propellers by pushing air into the passenger vehicle through a roof of the vehicle. The roof defines openings that correspond to a propeller circumference that allow air, generated by the propellers, to flow into the passenger vehicle.

A vertical landing of an aircraft is performed using the first battery where the aircraft is unoccupied when the vertical landing is performed, the unoccupied aircraft includes the first battery, and the unoccupied aircraft excludes a second, removable battery. In response to detecting that the second, removable battery is detachably coupled to the aircraft, a power source for the aircraft is switched from the first battery to the second, removable battery. After switching the switch power source, a vertical takeoff of the aircraft is performed using the second, removable battery, wherein the aircraft is occupied when the vertical takeoff is performed.

A system for maintaining attitude control under degraded or depleted energy source conditions using multiple electric propulsors includes a plurality of propulsors, at least an energy source providing electric power to the plurality of propulsors and a vehicle controller communicatively coupled to each propulsor and configured to calculate initial power levels for the plurality of propulsors, the initial power levels including an initial power level for each propulsor, determine an energy output capacity of the least an energy source under load, calculate, by the vehicle controller, an aggregate potential demand of the plurality of propulsors as a function of the initial power levels, determine that electric potential is insufficient to match the aggregate potential demand, and for each initial power level generate a reduced power level, the reduced power level less than the initial power level and direct a corresponding propulsor to consume electrical power at the reduced power level.

A ducted-fan unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of low-energy high-rate maneuvers for both vertical roll control and horizontal pitch control. The maneuverability of the UAV is enhanced by equipping the ducted fans with respective piezoelectric-actuated thrust vectoring flaps. Thrust vector control is achieved by controlling the angular positions of a plurality of thrust vector flaps pivotably coupled at respective outlets of a plurality of ducts having fan rotors at the inlets. Each thrust vectoring flap has only one degree of freedom in the frame of reference of the UAV, namely, rotation about a single axis that is perpendicular to the axis of the duct. The angular position of the flap is controlled by sending electrical signals to a piezoelectric actuator (e.g., a piezoelectric bimorph actuator) having a voltage sufficient to cause the piezoelectric actuator to bend.

A system and method enabled to increase efficiency during a VTOL aircraft's transition. A VTOL aircraft enabled to operate multiple lift fans arranged into separately controllable groups, wherein the VTOL aircraft initially has vertical flight but transitions to horizontal flight. A first group of lift fans may be kept at full throttle, a second group of lift fans may be throttled to balance thrust and/or weight, and a third group of lift fans may be shut off.