The disclosure is directed to parallel hybrid drive assemblies for lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Specifically, the disclosure is directed to hybrid drive assemblies and control systems for UAVs, utilizing continuous belt tension modulation to couple and decouple an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, this is achieved through the use of a tensioner module that is configured to couple and decouple the electric motor and the internal combustion engine by continuously and selectably modulating belt tension on drive elements of each of the electric motor and the internal combustion engine.

The disclosure is directed to parallel hybrid drive assemblies for lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Specifically, the disclosure is directed to hybrid drive assemblies and control systems for UAVs, utilizing continuous belt tension modulation to couple and decouple an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, this is achieved through the use of a tensioner module that is configured to couple and decouple the electric motor and the internal combustion engine by continuously and selectably modulating belt tension on drive elements of each of the electric motor and the internal combustion engine.

The invention relates to a device for controlling an auxiliary engine (8) comprising a gas generator and a free turbine suitable for being able to be connected mechanically to the rotor (12) of a helicopter in order to supply it with thrust power, characterised in that said control device comprises a proportional-integral controller (30) having a proportional gain (Kp) and an integral gain (Ki), which are dependent on the rotation speed of said gas generator, said controller (30) being configured to receive an error signal representing a speed error of said free turbine, and to generate a signal (Sc) for correcting the drive speed of said gas generator obtained by adding a signal proportional to said error signal in accordance with said proportional gain (Kp), and an integrated signal (Si) resulting from the addition of a signal proportional to said error signal in accordance with said integral gain (Ki) and a memory signal (Sm), supplied by a feedback loop (31) of said integrated signal (Si), said memory signal (Sm) being dependent on a measurement representing the rotation speed of said free turbine.

The invention relates to a device for controlling an auxiliary engine (8) comprising a gas generator and a free turbine suitable for being able to be connected mechanically to the rotor (12) of a helicopter in order to supply it with thrust power, characterised in that said control device comprises a proportional-integral controller (30) having a proportional gain (Kp) and an integral gain (Ki), which are dependent on the rotation speed of said gas generator, said controller (30) being configured to receive an error signal representing a speed error of said free turbine, and to generate a signal (Sc) for correcting the drive speed of said gas generator obtained by adding a signal proportional to said error signal in accordance with said proportional gain (Kp), and an integrated signal (Si) resulting from the addition of a signal proportional to said error signal in accordance with said integral gain (Ki) and a memory signal (Sm), supplied by a feedback loop (31) of said integrated signal (Si), said memory signal (Sm) being dependent on a measurement representing the rotation speed of said free turbine.

A tiltrotor aircraft comprising a wing carrying an engine on each wing half, and a fuselage-mounted third engine with a transmission system configured to drive each of the tilting rotors from the third engine. The engines may be any powerplant, including fore example, a reciprocating engine, a turbine engine, or an electric motor. The third engine is preferably controlled for best efficiency and best safety in engine failure cases.

A tiltrotor aircraft comprising a wing carrying an engine on each wing half, and a fuselage-mounted third engine with a transmission system configured to drive each of the tilting rotors from the third engine. The engines may be any powerplant, including fore example, a reciprocating engine, a turbine engine, or an electric motor. The third engine is preferably controlled for best efficiency and best safety in engine failure cases.

The subject of the disclosure is an aircraft comprising at least one left motor generator, at least one right motor generator, a control device for a jet pipe nozzle with variable cross-section of the aircraft comprising at least one control member powered by a first airplane electrical power supply linked to at least one right or left motor generator, the control member powered by a second electrical power supply linked to an electrical power source of the aircraft independent of the first airplane electrical power supply.

The subject of the disclosure is an aircraft comprising at least one left motor generator, at least one right motor generator, a control device for a jet pipe nozzle with variable cross-section of the aircraft comprising at least one control member powered by a first airplane electrical power supply linked to at least one right or left motor generator, the control member powered by a second electrical power supply linked to an electrical power source of the aircraft independent of the first airplane electrical power supply.

Methods and systems to electrically assist an internal combustion engine of an aircraft may be provided. A first bladed rotor may be rotated by a first internal combustion engine. Electricity may be generated from a first motor generator by rotating a first shaft of the first motor generator with the first internal combustion engine. In response to a predetermined event, such as an engine failure, mechanical power may be generated from the first motor generator instead of electricity. The mechanical power may be transferred to the first bladed rotor. The mechanical power may be generated by applying electricity to the first motor generator. The electricity applied is received from a second motor generator, where the electricity received from the second motor generator is generated by rotating a second shaft of the second motor generator with a second internal combustion engine that powers a second bladed rotor.

A method of operating a twin engine helicopter power plant, the power plant comprising: two turboshaft engines each having an engine shaft with a turbine at a distal end and a one-way clutch at a proximal end; a gear box having an input driven by the one way clutch of each engine and an output driving a helicopter rotor; a bypass clutch disposed between the proximal end of each engine shaft and the input of the gear box; and power plant management system controls for activating the bypass clutch; the method comprising: detecting when a rotary speed of an associated engine shaft is less than a rotary speed of the gear box input; activating the bypass clutch to drive the associated engine shaft using the rotation of the gear box input; and starting an associated engine by injecting fuel when the bypass clutch is activated.