The present specification relates generally to unmanned aerial vehicles, and specifically to a vertical take-off and lift unmanned aerial vehicle configured for high speed, long-distance flight, and vertical take-off and lift, while carrying a significant payload. The aerial vehicle includes a first propeller and a second propeller, each comprising at least two blades and each disposed on opposite lateral edges of the aerial vehicle; a tail segment forming a trailing edge of the aerial vehicle, wherein the tail segment comprises: an elevator; and a first wing and a second wing, each comprising an aileron. The aerial vehicle further includes four fins, wherein the four fins are affixed to lateral edges behind the first propeller or the second propeller and configured as endplates; a motor; and a power supply.

Systems and methods relate to a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platform that can include a stator and a rotor magnetically levitated by the stator. The rotor and stator can be annular, such that the rotor rotates about a rotational axis. The stator can include magnets that provide guidance, levitation, and drive forces to drive the rotor, as well as to control operation of rotor blades of the rotor that can be independently rotated to specific pitch angles to control at least one of lift, pitch, roll, or yaw of the VTOL platform. Various controllers can be used to enable independent and redundant control of components of the VTOL platform.

Systems and methods relate to a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platform that can include a stator and a rotor magnetically levitated by the stator. The rotor and stator can be annular, such that the rotor rotates about a rotational axis. The stator can include magnets that provide guidance, levitation, and drive forces to drive the rotor, as well as to control operation of rotor blades of the rotor that can be independently rotated to specific pitch angles to control at least one of lift, pitch, roll, or yaw of the VTOL platform. Various controllers can be used to enable independent and redundant control of components of the VTOL platform.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft has a first drivable configuration in which the pilot seat is positioned between the wings and facing the direction of forward travel. The VTOL may be driven in the first configuration as a normal automobile. In the first configuration the wings are aligned with the direction of forward travel and their surfaces are vertically oriented. In the first configuration, the VTOL may also attain altitude and be maneuvered using thrust from propulsion sources. In a second configuration, the pilot seat is rotated 90 degrees from the direction of forward travel to a direction of forward flight. Forward flight is achieved using thrust to rotate the wings from the vertical orientation to a lift-providing orientation. In concert with the rotation of the wings, the pilot seat is counter-rotated to maintain the seat facing the direction of forward flight.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft has a first drivable configuration in which the pilot seat is positioned between the wings and facing the direction of forward travel. The VTOL may be driven in the first configuration as a normal automobile. In the first configuration the wings are aligned with the direction of forward travel and their surfaces are vertically oriented. In the first configuration, the VTOL may also attain altitude and be maneuvered using thrust from propulsion sources. In a second configuration, the pilot seat is rotated 90 degrees from the direction of forward travel to a direction of forward flight. Forward flight is achieved using thrust to rotate the wings from the vertical orientation to a lift-providing orientation. In concert with the rotation of the wings, the pilot seat is counter-rotated to maintain the seat facing the direction of forward flight.

A VTOL fixed wing aircraft capable of high-speed forward flight. The aircraft has a main wing internally reinforced with front and aft spars. Spar boxed are located in roll-balanced locations along the wing. Each spar box serves as a connection point for a support linkage that supports a leading-edge and trailing-edge propulsion unit. The leading-edge propulsion unit is fitted with a puller propeller and designed for articulated movement between a VTOL position in front of the wing leading edge and a forward flight position below the wing leading edge. The trailing-edge propulsion unit is fitted with a pusher propeller and designed for articulated movement between a VTOL position in behind the wing trailing edge and a forward flight position above the wing leading edge. The propeller includes a propulsor thrust ring having an aerodynamic profile and a thrust nozzle to capture and vector radial air leakage into thrust.

A biplane flying device includes a fuselage, an upper wing, a lower wing, a first propulsion assembly and a second propulsion assembly. The upper wing is connected to one side of the fuselage. The upper wing has a first end and a second end opposite to each other. The lower wing is connected to the fuselage and opposite to the upper wing. The lower wing has a third end and a fourth end opposite to each other. The first end is opposite to the third end, and the second end is opposite to the fourth end. The first propulsion assembly is connected between the first end, the third end and the fuselage. The second propulsion assembly is connected between the second end, the fourth end and the fuselage.

Disclosed is a tail-sitter aircraft. The aircraft comprises a fuselage for carrying a payload, a first lift body and a second lift body offset from the first lift body normal to a plane of the first lift body, and one or more first rotors and one or more second rotors. The first rotor(s) are mounted to the first lift body and the second rotor(s) are mounted to the second lift body. The aircraft also includes a controller that, in some cases, is configured to change a speed of one or more of said propulsion units relative to a speed of one or more other ones of said propulsion units, to adjust an orientation of the aircraft around one or more primary axes. The primary axes are the pitch, roll and yaw axes. In some cases, a position of the payload relative to the lift bodies is adjustable.

Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.

Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.