A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the ground effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

The present disclosure relates to a secondary airfoil apparatus, system and method for improving lift, takeoff, landing and aerodynamic performance of a floatplane. The secondary airfoil is itself of sufficient structural rigidity to withstand any and all forces added by the airfoil during floatplane operation, and is fixedly attached between the floats of the floatplane. The secondary airfoil can be arranged at an optimal angle of incidence and vertical lift position relative to the primary airfoil, or wing of the aircraft, and relative to the floats center of gravity and drag for optimal maneuverability of the floatplane.

In an embodiment, a system for air cooling in a wet environment includes a propeller coupled to a vehicle capable of at least one of: taking off from and landing on water. The system includes a battery configured to power the propeller, a float configured to hold the battery, and a flap in the float. The flap is configured to open in response to air pressure to permit airflow into the float to cool the battery.

A craft comprises at least one hull; at least one wing configured to generate upwards aero lift as air flows past the at least one wing to facilitate wing-borne flight of the craft; a front hydrofoil connected to the at least one hull via a front hydrofoil strut and configured to generate upward hydrofoil lift as water flows past the front hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water; a rear hydrofoil connected to the at least one hull via a rear hydrofoil strut and configured to generate upward hydrofoil lift as water flows past the rear hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water; and a control system. While the craft is hydrofoil-borne, the control system is configured to facilitate transition of the craft from hydrofoil-borne operation to wing-borne operation via a process comprising: while the upwards aero lift generated by the at least one wing is below a threshold lift, controlling one or both of the front hydrofoil and the rear hydrofoil to generate a downward hydrofoil lift that causes the front hydrofoil and the rear hydrofoil to remain at least partially submerged in the water; and after the upwards aero lift generated by the at least one wing has increased above the threshold lift, transitioning the craft from hydrofoil-borne operation to wing-borne operation at least in part by controlling one or both of the front hydrofoil and the rear hydrofoil to switch from (a) generating the downward hydrofoil lift to (b) generating an upward hydrofoil lift that pushes the craft up and out of the water.

An aircraft includes a central wing accommodating passengers and/or freight and two lateral wings that pivot on the central wing about respective axes of rotation. The various wings obey the following geometric characteristics: 0.3?Long<L.sub.arg<L.sub.ong, 0.11?L.sub.ong<H.sub.aut<0.25?L.sub.ong, E.sub.nv>1.4?L.sub.ong, wherein L.sub.arg being the distance between the two axes, L.sub.ong being the length of the central wing, H.sub.aut being the height of the central wing, E.sub.nv being the wingspan of the aircraft. The axes of rotation are inclined by an angle relative to the vertical axis of the aircraft such that the lateral pivot from rear to front and vice versa so as to come closer to, or deploy on either side from, the fuselage.

An aircraft having a sponson extending substantially transversely relative to a main body of the fuselage of the aircraft and substantially perpendicularly relative to a vertical anteroposterior plane of symmetry P of the main body of the fuselage when the aircraft is standing on a horizontal support, the sponson including a notch locally reducing a cross-section of the sponson in a connection zone of the sponson, the connection zone being suitable for being arranged in the immediate proximity of the main body of the fuselage of the aircraft from which the sponson emerges transversely, the notch being open at least to a front outside face and to a top outside face of the sponson and being suitable for receiving a bottom portion of a sliding side door when in its open position.

A three stage watercraft for operation in the water as a traditional boat at low speeds in stage one, for operation on the water's surface at mid-range speeds at stage two, and for traveling in ground effect at higher range speeds is disclosed. The three stage craft includes a hydro-wing 12, either at least a single hydrofoil 13 or gyration rotor 14 to aid with lift from stage one to stage two, and a pair of outboard floats or hydro-floats 16a, 16b supported by the hydro-wing 12, which are also designed to aid with lift from stage one to stage two.

A variable-diameter blade suitable for a trans-media aircraft. The blade is divided into a blade root section, telescopic sections, and a blade tip section in a direction from the root to the tip. The blade further includes a telescopic rod, the blade root section and the blade tip section are fixed to the telescopic rod, respectively, and the telescopic rod is fixed to the trans-media aircraft; a spring arranged in the telescopic rod, the spring is used to drive the telescopic rod to extend; a pulley installed on the trans-media aircraft, the pulley is closer to the blade root section; a pull rope, an end of the pull rope passes through an inside of the blade and is fixed to the blade tip section, and the other end of the pull rope is wound on the pulley; and a driving device for driving the pulley to rotate.

Wing-in-ground effect (WIG) vehicles are disclosed herein. Hovercraft takeoff and landing modes are disclosed herein. Uses of WIG vehicles, including for maritime monitoring, are disclosed herein.

An aircraft having a sponson extending substantially transversely relative to a main body of the fuselage of the aircraft and substantially perpendicularly relative to a vertical anteroposterior plane of symmetry P of the main body of the fuselage when the aircraft is standing on a horizontal support, the sponson including a notch locally reducing a cross-section of the sponson in a connection zone of the sponson, the connection zone being suitable for being arranged in the immediate proximity of the main body of the fuselage of the aircraft from which the sponson emerges transversely, the notch being open at least to a front outside face and to a top outside face of the sponson and being suitable for receiving a bottom portion of a sliding side door when in its open position.