The application relates to an aircraft, a method, an apparatus and a computer readable storage medium for controlling the aircraft with at least one sensor arranged thereon, the method including detecting a motor state of the aircraft, acquiring at least one sensing data of the at least one sensor, and controlling the aircraft to perform a startup operation or a shutdown operation according to the motor state and the at least one sensing data, so that the aircraft can be autonomously controlled to perform the startup operation or the shutdown operation, and the user experience is improved.

A wing for use in a flapping wing aircraft, having a strut assembly including a main strut and a plurality of support struts each oriented at an angular interval between 30 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to the support strut, at least a section of the support struts having a front section, a connecting section adjacent thereto, and a rear section adjacent thereto, and wherein each of said support struts is secured to said main strut by said connecting section, and further having a group of planking members made of a resilient and dimensionally stable sheet material and connected to said strut assembly.

A wing mounting, comprising: ⋅a base (11); ⋅a wing bracket (25) pivotally mounted to the base, configured to rotate relative to the base within an operational angular range; and ⋅at least one biasing element configured to bias the wing bracket away from the boundaries of the operational angular range, wherein the at least one biasing element (120) is configured to bias the wing bracket within a biasing range adjacent the respective boundaries of the operational angular range, but substantially not to bias the wing bracket within an inner angular range including the middle of the operational angular range.

A wing mounting, comprising: ⋅a base (11); ⋅a wing bracket (25) pivotally mounted to the base, configured to rotate relative to the base within an operational angular range; and ⋅at least one biasing element configured to bias the wing bracket away from the boundaries of the operational angular range, wherein the at least one biasing element (120) is configured to bias the wing bracket within a biasing range adjacent the respective boundaries of the operational angular range, but substantially not to bias the wing bracket within an inner angular range including the middle of the operational angular range.

A thrust generator comprising: a motor (17), and a wing mounting (10), comprising a base (11) and a wing (2, 20), the base connected to the motor and configured to rotate the wing mounting about a stroke axis (13) within an angular stroke range, wherein the wing comprises a wing panel (24) having a first longitudinal edge (5) and a second longitudinal edge (6), the wing panel defining a wing surface (4) between the first and second longitudinal edges, and wherein the wing panel is configurable between: a first configuration in which the first longitudinal edge of the wing panel defines a leading edge and the second longitudinal edge of the wing panel defines a trailing edge; and a second configuration in which the second longitudinal edge of the wing panel defines a leading edge and the first longitudinal edge of the wing panel defines a trailing edge, the thrust generator being configured to rotate the wing mounting about the stroke axis in a first direction when the wing panel is in the first configuration and to rotate the base about the stroke axis in a second direction when the wing panel is in the second configuration.

A thrust generator comprising: a motor (17), and a wing mounting (10), comprising a base (11) and a wing (2, 20), the base connected to the motor and configured to rotate the wing mounting about a stroke axis (13) within an angular stroke range, wherein the wing comprises a wing panel (24) having a first longitudinal edge (5) and a second longitudinal edge (6), the wing panel defining a wing surface (4) between the first and second longitudinal edges, and wherein the wing panel is configurable between: a first configuration in which the first longitudinal edge of the wing panel defines a leading edge and the second longitudinal edge of the wing panel defines a trailing edge; and a second configuration in which the second longitudinal edge of the wing panel defines a leading edge and the first longitudinal edge of the wing panel defines a trailing edge, the thrust generator being configured to rotate the wing mounting about the stroke axis in a first direction when the wing panel is in the first configuration and to rotate the base about the stroke axis in a second direction when the wing panel is in the second configuration.

An aerial reconnaissance drone having a dragonfly format (elongate fuselage and flapping wings) with two cameras having respective diagonal fields of view, arranged at respective ends of the fuselage, both pointing forwards, wherein the second camera has a diagonal fielder of view that is at most half that of the first camera. This has the advantage of providing a drone that can capture enhanced imagery when required, by performing a half turn and switching which camera is being used. Since this avoids placing two cameras in the same location both can have a clear view of surroundings yet it helps avoid off balance caused by placing too much mass in any particular off-centre location.

An aerial reconnaissance drone having a dragonfly format (elongate fuselage and flapping wings) with two cameras having respective diagonal fields of view, arranged at respective ends of the fuselage, both pointing forwards, wherein the second camera has a diagonal fielder of view that is at most half that of the first camera. This has the advantage of providing a drone that can capture enhanced imagery when required, by performing a half turn and switching which camera is being used. Since this avoids placing two cameras in the same location both can have a clear view of surroundings yet it helps avoid off balance caused by placing too much mass in any particular off-centre location.

The present invention achieves technical advantages as a rotorcraft engine inlet configuration to optimize performance in both hover and high-speed flight. A rotorcraft fuselage with a ram air intake and a side air intake allows airflow into the engine inlet plenum. A door can be operably coupled to the fuselage, wherein the door is in an open position when the airspeed is below a first threshold and is in a closed position when the airspeed exceeds a second threshold. Additionally, control logic, compares the rotorcraft airspeed with a stored airspeed to operate an actuator to open and close the door to modulate the airflow into the engine inlet plenum. The present invention realizes the advantages of eliminating the inlet spillage drag due to inlet ram airflow in forward flight and increasing the available engine power by mitigating the loss of inlet air pressure recovery.

The present invention achieves technical advantages as a rotorcraft engine inlet configuration to optimize performance in both hover and high-speed flight. A rotorcraft fuselage with a ram air intake and a side air intake allows airflow into the engine inlet plenum. A door can be operably coupled to the fuselage, wherein the door is in an open position when the airspeed is below a first threshold and is in a closed position when the airspeed exceeds a second threshold. Additionally, control logic, compares the rotorcraft airspeed with a stored airspeed to operate an actuator to open and close the door to modulate the airflow into the engine inlet plenum. The present invention realizes the advantages of eliminating the inlet spillage drag due to inlet ram airflow in forward flight and increasing the available engine power by mitigating the loss of inlet air pressure recovery.