An exemplary anti-torque system for a rotorcraft includes a fan located inside of a channel that extends inside of a fuselage from an inlet proximate a forward end of the tail boom to an outlet at an aft end of the tail boom, the outlet is oriented to direct airflow from the channel onto a rudder coupled to a trailing edge of a vertical stabilizer.

A land-and-air vehicle configured to switch between a first form to be taken during ground traveling and a second form to be taken during flight includes a main body, a main wing unit, an operation unit, and a controller. The controller is configured to control, on the basis of an operation performed on the operation unit by an operator, a behavior of the land-and-air vehicle during the ground traveling and during the flight. The operation unit includes a handle and a step. The handle of the operation unit includes a throttle unit. The controller is configured to control, both during the ground traveling and during the flight, yawing of the land-and-air vehicle in response to an operation performed on the handle, and to control thrust for the land-and-air vehicle during the flight in response to an operation performed on the throttle unit.

A land-and-air vehicle configured to switch between a first form to be taken during ground traveling and a second form to be taken during flight includes a main body, a main wing unit, an operation unit, and a controller. The controller is configured to control, on the basis of an operation performed on the operation unit by an operator, a behavior of the land-and-air vehicle during the ground traveling and during the flight. The operation unit includes a handle and a step. The handle of the operation unit includes a throttle unit. The controller is configured to control, both during the ground traveling and during the flight, yawing of the land-and-air vehicle in response to an operation performed on the handle, and to control thrust for the land-and-air vehicle during the flight in response to an operation performed on the throttle unit.

The invention relates to a hybrid propulsion architecture (100) for an aircraft, comprising: —a first source (102) of a first energy type, —second sources (104) of a second energy type different from the first energy type, —electrical propulsion systems (106), —an electric power supply network (118) connecting the first and second sources (102, 104) to the electrical propulsion systems, such that each electrical propulsion system is powered by the first source and by one of the second sources, the architecture being characterised in that it further comprises: —means for segregating (120) the electrical propulsion systems, which means are arranged in the electric power supply network and configured to impose a direction of flow of the electric power from the first source to the electrical propulsion systems.

A solar powered airship includes a cabin, at least one fuselage having an interior volume filled with a volume of a lighter-than-air gas such as helium, and a wing affixed to the fuselage. A plurality of solar panels are affixed to the wing and to the fuselage. A plurality of rotors are affixed to the wing, wherein each rotor is powered via an electric motor having a battery that is operably connected to the plurality of solar panels, thereby allowing for continuous flight. The solar powered airship may further include propellers, which may also be powered via the solar panels, or which may include gasoline powered motors. The solar powered airship can include various configurations and numbers of fuselages, wings, rotors, and propellers.

A solar powered airship includes a cabin, at least one fuselage having an interior volume filled with a volume of a lighter-than-air gas such as helium, and a wing affixed to the fuselage. A plurality of solar panels are affixed to the wing and to the fuselage. A plurality of rotors are affixed to the wing, wherein each rotor is powered via an electric motor having a battery that is operably connected to the plurality of solar panels, thereby allowing for continuous flight. The solar powered airship may further include propellers, which may also be powered via the solar panels, or which may include gasoline powered motors. The solar powered airship can include various configurations and numbers of fuselages, wings, rotors, and propellers.

Methods, apparatus, systems and a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle are provided. The VTOL vehicle includes: a fuselage having longitudinally a front section, a central section and a rear section; a first lifting surface comprising two wings respectively secured to opposite sides of the rear section of the fuselage; a second lifting surface comprising two wings respectively secured to opposite sides of the front section of the fuselage; where each wing comprises at least one engine module, each of the engine modules being pivotally coupled to the wing and each engine module being independently controlled for transitioning between a vertical mode of flight and a horizontal mode of flight.

Methods, apparatus, systems and a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle are provided. The VTOL vehicle includes: a fuselage having longitudinally a front section, a central section and a rear section; a first lifting surface comprising two wings respectively secured to opposite sides of the rear section of the fuselage; a second lifting surface comprising two wings respectively secured to opposite sides of the front section of the fuselage; where each wing comprises at least one engine module, each of the engine modules being pivotally coupled to the wing and each engine module being independently controlled for transitioning between a vertical mode of flight and a horizontal mode of flight.

An aircraft having a fuselage with a nose and a flat tail at opposite ends and a pair of wings extending therefrom. A pair of nacelles are detachably connected to the top of respective ones of the wings to be spaced from the fuselage to establish an air flow space therebetween. Each wing-mounted nacelle includes a plurality of fans, a corresponding plurality of electric motors to drive the fans, and dividers that separate the fans from one another. Each wing-mounted nacelle also includes a pair of rotatable air inlet slats at an air intake end and a pair of rotatable air exhaust flaps at an air exhaust end that are rotated relative to one another to control horizontal propulsive thrust, thrust vectoring and thrust reversing of the aircraft. A third nacelle is mounted on top of the flat tail of the fuselage between a pair of horizontal turbo generators.

An electric machine (101) for use in an aircraft is shown. The electric machine comprises a casing (104) containing electromechanical components, a shaft (106) which extends outside of the casing, a seal (107) to seal the casing around the shaft, and a depressurisation system (102) configured to depressurise the casing below an external pressure to prevent electrical breakdown within gas in the casing.