A vehicle, includes a main body. A fluid generator is coupled to the main body and produces a fluid stream. At least one fore conduit and at least one tail conduit are fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are fluidly coupled to the fore conduit, coupled to the main body and respectively coupled to a starboard side and port side of the vehicle. The fore ejectors respectively comprise an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the tail conduit. The tail ejector comprises an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. A primary airfoil element is coupled to the tail portion. A surface of the primary airfoil element is located directly downstream of the first and second fore ejectors such that the fluid from the first and second fore ejectors flows over the such surface.

A UAV catch and release system has a UAV adapted to fly a mission, an aircraft adapted to carry, launch, and retrieve the UAV, a fuel hose deployed and retrieved by mechanisms from the aircraft, an end effector joined by a gimbal joint to a lowermost end of the fuel hose, a downward projecting aerodynamic acquisition blade connected at a lowermost end of the hose, and an acquisition port opening upward from the body of the UAV, with a roller mechanism operable to engage the acquisition blade, and to draw the blade into the body until a refueling nozzle on an end of the acquisition blade is engaged to a refueling port of the UAV.

An improved aircraft design to harness advantages of vertical or short-takeoff and landings (V/STOL) and efficient horizontal flight. Configuration improves aircraft flight stability and efficiency in flight profiles: (1.) vertical flight; (2.) transition to and from horizontal flight and; (3.) horizontal flight on wings. The aircraft is capable of stable flight at any airspeed from hover to its maximum designed speed. It has the possibility of a controlled emergency landing using autorotation or, wings or, a combination of the two. Aircraft design includes: multiple thrust sources and, wings free to rotate on a spanwise axis. Wing rotation is independent—not coupled—with either the fuselage or, the thrust sources. Wing configurations include single, tandem or, multiple sets. Wings are coupled each other such that rotation induced in one wing affects rotation in all wings. Thrust sources are directed vertically during hover and some degree forward of vertical for horizontal flight. Thrust sources for vertical and horizontal flight can be the same rotors, such as in tilt-rotor configurations; or, divided between vertical flight rotors and horizontal flight rotors, such is in lift and cruise (a.k.a. lift and thrust) configurations.

There is provided a composite air vehicle system including: a first air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; a second air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; and at least one connector element configured for reversibly interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in tandem arrangement to provide a composite air vehicle capable of aerodynamic flight. The composite air vehicle system is configured for enabling at least in-flight separation of composite air vehicle into the first air vehicle and second air vehicle, and for enabling each one of the first air vehicle and said second air vehicle to operate independently of one another.

A multirotor aircraft that includes a chassis, three or more vertical rotors, one or more free wings and one or more fixed horizontal rotor. The free wing is attached to the chassis by an axial connection so that the angle of the free wing is changed relative to the chassis according the flow of air over the free wing. The fixed horizontal rotor enables the multirotor aircraft to lower and climb while flying forward at a stable horizontal pitch of the chassis.

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.

The disclosure provides a method of controlling the yaw of a fixed-wing UAV, with two traction propellers arranged parallel to each other and providing thrust for the UAV; A plurality of motors configured to drive the two traction propellers, wherein the thrust ratio provided by the two traction propellers is changed to generate asymmetric thrust which controls the active yaw of the UAV. The fixed-wing UAV provided by the disclosure improves the reliability of the thrust system and active yaw.

To provide an aircraft that can efficiently improve speed performance and fuel efficiency, the aircraft is an aircraft capable of forward flight and hovering, and includes a lift generating part, a frame for holding the lift generating part, and a loadable object provided on the frame and to be mounted. The front projection area of the frame and the mounting part during forward flight is smaller than the front projection area of the frame and the mounting part during hovering.

The present disclosure provides a structural member for a vehicle. The structural member comprises a plurality of finned spar members interlocked with one another, wherein each finned spar member of the plurality of finned spar members includes a main body, a plurality of web members extending from a flange of the main body, a circuit board formed on the main body, and a bus bar comprising a tube positioned in an opening formed in the main body, the bus bar being in electrical communication with the circuit board, wherein a compartment is formed between adjacent web members, the compartment being sized to receive a battery.

A pull cord type turning mechanism for a butterfly-inspired flapping-wing aerial robot includes a motor, a cord reel, a cord reel gear, a potentiometer gear, a potentiometer, a control module, and a power supply. The control module is connected to the motor and the potentiometer. A rotary shaft of the motor is connected to the cord reel, the cord reel is coaxially connected to the cord reel gear, the cord reel gear is meshed with the potentiometer gear, and the potentiometer gear is connected to a rotary shaft of the potentiometer. The cord reel gear is provided with two cord grooves and two pull cords. One ends of the two pull cords are fixed in the two cord grooves, respectively, and the other ends thereof are fixed at the tips of front wings of two sides of the butterfly-inspired flapping-wing aerial robot, respectively.