Aerial vehicles may be selectively transitioned between a fixed wing flight configuration and a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) configuration. In the fixed wing flight configuration, a forward propeller may rotate in a first forward plane, whereas in the VTOL configuration, the forward propeller may be tilted to rotate in a second forward plane. A forward landing arm may extend downward in the VTOL configuration and be configured to be tilted to a stowed position when the aerial vehicle is in the fixed wing flight configuration. The forward landing arm may be coupled to the forward propeller such that tilting of the forward propeller causes corresponding tilting of the forward landing arm. In some examples, a plurality of such landing arms and propellers are tilted during transitioning of the aerial vehicle, such as one or more forward propellers and landing arms and/or one or more aft propellers and landing arms.

A long-distance drone having a main body, a left hind wing, a right hind wing, a left forewing, and a right forewing. There is a left linear support connecting the left forewing to the left hind wing, and a right linear support connecting the right forewing to the right hind wing. A plurality of propellers are disposed on the left and the right linear supports.

Systems, devices, and methods for an extruded wing protection and control surface comprising: a channel proximate a leading edge of the control surface, a knuckle disposed about the channel, a leading void, a trailing void, and a separator dividing the leading void and the trailing void; and a plurality of notches disposed in the extruded control surface proximate the leading edge of the control surface.

Provided is a flight control apparatus including a pair of sensors that are spaced apart in a vertical direction on a surface of a flying object which uses motive power of a power source powered by a battery to fly and that detect a physical quantity corresponding to a state of an airflow, and a control unit that controls a flight state of the flying object on the basis of a difference between outputs of the pair of sensors.

A High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) aircraft is disclosed, the aircraft including at least one aeroelastic span loaded fixed wing, an aspect ratio greater than 15 and wing loading less than 6 kg/m.sup.2, where the at least one wing has a plurality of spoilers distributed across the span of the wing and each spoiler being chordwise located adjacent the centre of pressure of the wing. The HAPS aircraft further includes a control system for controlling the spoilers, sensors which allow at least one of the quantity or quantities selected from the group comprising the amount of lift at points or regions along the wing span the pitch and roll at points or regions along the wing span, the bending and torsional strain at points or regions along the wing span, or the net speed and roll and pitch angle of the wing to be determined by the control system, and the spoiler being activatable to reduce the lift experienced by the wing in the location of the spoiler in response to the quantities determined by control system.

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of an aircraft retrieval system including winch-equipped retrieval assembly that is removably attachable to a rotorcraft to facilitate retrieval of a fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.

A fluid tank for integration into a structure of an unmanned aircraft includes a shell having a first axial wall, an oppositely arranged second axial wall, an upper side, a lower side, and an enclosed interior, at least one receiving chamber in the interior for storing fluid, and a collection chamber, which is arranged on the lower side and which is fluidically connected to the at least one receiving chamber. The collection chamber includes a bottom surface, through which there extends a drain, wherein a covering surface is arranged above the bottom surface and covers at least a portion of the collection chamber. At least one flow opening could be arranged on an upper side of the collection chamber, which flow opening allows gas bubbles to escape in the direction of the upper side of the fluid tank.

A robust amphibious air vehicle incorporates a fuselage with buoyant stabilizers and wings extending from the fuselage. At least one lift fan is mounted in the fuselage. Movable propulsion units carried by the wings are rotatable through a range of angles adapted for vertical and horizontal flight operations.

A tethered aerial vehicle, connected to an anchorage system in the ground level through a cord, comprising a pair of fixed wings; and a drive assembly. The drive assembly comprises at least two actuators configured to tilt the axle of the propellers. The fixed wings define a center hole located close to a gravitational center of the aerial vehicle. Within the edges of the center hole located close to the gravitational center of the aerial vehicle is a gimbal anchored to the fixed wings' structure. The drive assembly is located within the edges of the center hole and attached to the gimbal in a manner that the gimbal interfaces the connection between the fixed wings and the drive assembly. The drive assembly comprises of at least two propellers mounted on the same axle (“coaxial propellers”) driven by a counter-rotating motor. The coaxial propellers are configured to rotate in opposite directions with respect to each other.

A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV having a UAV main body, two rear landing gears and two front landing gears; the two rear landing gears are fixedly connected to both sides of the rear bottom of the UAV main body, respectively; the two front landing gears are rotatably connected to both sides of the front bottom of the UAV main body, respectively. One end of the front landing gear away from the UAV main body is provided with a locating block. Rotating the front landing gear enables the locating block mounted on the front landing gear to get close to or away from the UAV main body.