A public transportation system combines a unique combination of components that includes interoperable electric-powered vehicles, facilities, hardware and software having specifications, standards, processes, capabilities, nomenclature, and concepts of operations that together include a concerted, comprehensive, multi-modal, future system for moving people and goods that is herein named Quiet Urban Air Delivery (QUAD) and in which uniquely-capable, ultra-quiet, one to six-seat, electrically-powered, autonomous aircraft (SkyQarts) fly sub-193 kilometer trips on precise trajectories with negligible control latency and perform extremely short take-offs and landings (ESTOL) with curved traffic patterns at a highly-distributed network of very small, airports (“SkyNests”) that themselves have standardized compatible facilities that interoperate with SkyQarts as well as with versatile, autonomous electric-powered payload carts (EPCs) and robotic delivery carts (RDCs) to provide safe, fast, on-demand, community-acceptable, environmentally friendly, high-capacity, affordable door-to-door delivery of both passengers and cargo across urban, suburban and rural settings across the globe.

A public transportation system combines a unique combination of components that includes interoperable electric-powered vehicles, facilities, hardware and software having specifications, standards, processes, capabilities, nomenclature, and concepts of operations that together include a concerted, comprehensive, multi-modal, future system for moving people and goods that is herein named Quiet Urban Air Delivery (QUAD) and in which uniquely-capable, ultra-quiet, one to six-seat, electrically-powered, autonomous aircraft (SkyQarts) fly sub-193 kilometer trips on precise trajectories with negligible control latency and perform extremely short take-offs and landings (ESTOL) with curved traffic patterns at a highly-distributed network of very small, airports (“SkyNests”) that themselves have standardized compatible facilities that interoperate with SkyQarts as well as with versatile, autonomous electric-powered payload carts (EPCs) and robotic delivery carts (RDCs) to provide safe, fast, on-demand, community-acceptable, environmentally friendly, high-capacity, affordable door-to-door delivery of both passengers and cargo across urban, suburban and rural settings across the globe.

A supersonic aircraft fuselage includes a fuselage body having a first end, a second end, a length extending between the first end and second end, a surface, a first flat plane extending from the first end to a center of the fuselage body along the length on the surface, and a second flat plane extending from the second end to the center of the fuselage body along the length on the surface. The surface includes a curved portion conforming to a Sears-Haack body shape and abutting the first flat plane and second flat plane and extending between the first end and second end. A supersonic aircraft includes a first fuselage, a second fuselage, and a space between the first fuselage and second fuselage. The first fuselage and second fuselage form a Busemann biplane geometry within the space.

A supersonic aircraft fuselage includes a fuselage body having a first end, a second end, a length extending between the first end and second end, a surface, a first flat plane extending from the first end to a center of the fuselage body along the length on the surface, and a second flat plane extending from the second end to the center of the fuselage body along the length on the surface. The surface includes a curved portion conforming to a Sears-Haack body shape and abutting the first flat plane and second flat plane and extending between the first end and second end. A supersonic aircraft includes a first fuselage, a second fuselage, and a space between the first fuselage and second fuselage. The first fuselage and second fuselage form a Busemann biplane geometry within the space.

A telescoping tail assembly for use on an aircraft that has a fore-aft length. The telescoping tail assembly includes a housing extending in an aftward direction and a tailboom slidable along the housing into various positions including an extended position and a retracted position. A jackscrew is coupled to the tailboom. An actuator is coupled to the jackscrew and is configured to selectively rotate the jackscrew to translate the tailboom between the plurality of positions. The tailboom has one or more control surfaces coupled thereto. The tailboom increases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the extended position and decreases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the retracted position.

A telescoping tail assembly for use on an aircraft that has a fore-aft length. The telescoping tail assembly includes a housing extending in an aftward direction and a tailboom slidable along the housing into various positions including an extended position and a retracted position. A jackscrew is coupled to the tailboom. An actuator is coupled to the jackscrew and is configured to selectively rotate the jackscrew to translate the tailboom between the plurality of positions. The tailboom has one or more control surfaces coupled thereto. The tailboom increases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the extended position and decreases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the retracted position.

A long-distance drone is disclosed having a canard wing configuration with a cabin attached to a left main wing and a right main wing. There is a left forewing and a right forewing connected together to form a single-piece forewing. There is a left linear support connecting the left forewing to the left main wing, and a right linear support connecting the right forewing to the right main wing. A plurality of propellers is disposed on the left and the right linear supports.

A long-distance drone is disclosed having a canard wing configuration with a cabin attached to a left main wing and a right main wing. There is a left forewing and a right forewing connected together to form a single-piece forewing. There is a left linear support connecting the left forewing to the left main wing, and a right linear support connecting the right forewing to the right main wing. A plurality of propellers is disposed on the left and the right linear supports.

An apparatus in which electric power is generated for an electrical load from differentials in electric field strengths within a vicinity of powerlines includes: a plurality of electrodes separated and electrically insulated from one another for enabling differentials in voltage resulting from differentials in electric field strength experienced there at; and electrical components electrically connected therewith and configurable to establish one or more electric circuits whereby voltage differentials cause a current to flow through the established electric circuit for powering the electrical load. Preferably, the apparatus includes a control assembly having one or more voltage-detector components configured to detect relative voltages of the electrodes; and a processor enabled to configure—based on the detected voltages and based on voltage and electric current specifications for powering the electrical load—one or more of the electrical components to establish an electric circuit for powering the electrical load.

An apparatus in which electric power is generated for an electrical load from differentials in electric field strengths within a vicinity of powerlines includes: a plurality of electrodes separated and electrically insulated from one another for enabling differentials in voltage resulting from differentials in electric field strength experienced there at; and electrical components electrically connected therewith and configurable to establish one or more electric circuits whereby voltage differentials cause a current to flow through the established electric circuit for powering the electrical load. Preferably, the apparatus includes a control assembly having one or more voltage-detector components configured to detect relative voltages of the electrodes; and a processor enabled to configure—based on the detected voltages and based on voltage and electric current specifications for powering the electrical load—one or more of the electrical components to establish an electric circuit for powering the electrical load.