An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. Tail assemblies are coupled to wingtips of the first and second wings each having an elevon that collectively form a distributed array of elevons. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and to control movements of the elevons such that the elevons collectively provide pitch authority and differentially provide roll authority for the aircraft in the biplane orientation. In addition, when the flight control system detects an elevon fault, the flight control system is configured to perform corrective action responsive thereto at a distributed elevon level or at a coordinated distributed elevon and propulsion assembly level.

A modular vehicle system includes at least one body module having at least one body connection interface, and a kit. The kit includes a plurality of utility modules including at least one first utility module (in the form of a fixed-wing utility module) and at least one second utility module (in the form of a rotor-wing utility module). Each first utility module includes at least one utility module connection interface in the form of a first utility module connection interface for coupling with the body connection interface. Each second utility module includes at least one utility module connection interface in the form of a second utility module connection interface, distinct from the first utility module connection interface, for coupling with the body connection interface. Each body connection interface is configured for selective reversible coupling at least with respect to any one of the utility module connection interfaces while concurrently excluding coupling of another utility module connection interface thereto, to provide an air vehicle.

Systems, devices, and methods that may include: determining one or more take-off variables for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle; increasing an altitude of the VTOL aerial vehicle to a first altitude, where increasing the altitude comprises substantially vertical flight of the VTOL aerial vehicle; performing a first pre-rotation check of the VTOL aerial vehicle; adjusting a pitch of the VTOL aerial vehicle to a first pitch angle via motor control; adjusting the pitch of the VTOL aerial vehicle to a second pitch angle via at least one of: motor control and one or more effectors; and adjusting the pitch of the VTOL aerial vehicle to a third pitch angle via the one or more effectors, where the third pitch angle is substantially perpendicular to a vertical plane.

Towed aerodynamic platforms approach the behavior of flat plate airfoils to achieve high lift-to-drag (L:D) performance when operated at low pitch angles. A lead aircraft may tow multiple platforms to form train units. Low form drag and high L:D enable solar aircraft that are more robust and faster than approaches extending wingspan rather than extending the length of the aerial train. Applications extend beyond solar aircraft and include vehicles towed along an overhead monorail system and aerial drones.

Disclosed is an aircraft and a method of controlling an aircraft. The aircraft comprises a continuous wing assembly extending from port to starboard sides of the aircraft. The aircraft is controlled partially by flexing portions of the wing, and partially or totally by mechanical systems that alter the position of a fuselage with respect to the wing. The fuselage is attached to the wing by a wing/fuselage joint structure that permits at least two mutually orthogonal axes of rotation of the fuselage relative to the wing. The aircraft includes a sensors, a telemetry system linked to a remote server, and a control system for programming flight information and aircraft control instructions and a plurality of actuators responsive to the control system for rotating the fuselage relative to the wing and flexing the wing for controlling the flight of the aircraft in response to instructions from the control system.

We describe an aircraft design, which is capable of vertical takeoff and landing and also high-speed cruise on a fixed wing. The aircraft comprises a fuselage with a probe-deployment mechanism, which deploys a sample-gathering probe, located at a front end of the fuselage. A main wing is coupled to a middle section of the fuselage, wherein a right motor and right propeller are coupled to a right side of the main wing, and a left motor and left propeller are coupled to a left side of the main wing. The right and left propellers are angled with respect to the fuselage enabling the aircraft to pitch up to a vertical-takeoff mode and pitch down a horizontal-cruising mode. A pitch motor and pitch propeller are located at the rear end of the fuselage, wherein the pitch propeller is angled to provide substantially vertical thrust to control a pitch of the fuselage.

We describe an aircraft design, which is capable of vertical takeoff and landing and also high-speed cruise on a fixed wing. The aircraft comprises a fuselage with a probe-deployment mechanism, which deploys a sample-gathering probe, located at a front end of the fuselage. A main wing is coupled to a middle section of the fuselage, wherein a right motor and right propeller are coupled to a right side of the main wing, and a left motor and left propeller are coupled to a left side of the main wing. The right and left propellers are angled with respect to the fuselage enabling the aircraft to pitch up to a vertical-takeoff mode and pitch down a horizontal-cruising mode. A pitch motor and pitch propeller are located at the rear end of the fuselage, wherein the pitch propeller is angled to provide substantially vertical thrust to control a pitch of the fuselage.

An aircraft that takes off and lands vertically for transporting people and/or loads, and a method for operating same. The aircraft comprises: a flying unit having a framework structure formed in a plane E, drive units arranged on the framework structure and air-guiding devices each having an adjustable angle of incidence which can be varied between a minimum and maximum angle of incidence; a transport unit comprising a conveying pod and connection device for connecting the conveying pod to the flying unit, the connection device comprising an elongate shaft connecting the conveying pod at one end; and an articulated coupling device for connecting the flying unit to the other end of the elongate shaft. An adjustable tilt angle α of the flying unit can be varied between a minimum angle α.sub.min of 0° ≤ α.sub.min < 30° and a maximum tilt angle α.sub.max = 90°.

A method includes receiving a digital surface model of an area for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation. The digital surface model represents an environmental surface in the area. The method includes determining, for each grid cell of a plurality of grid cells in the area, a confidence value of an altitude of the environmental surface at the grid cell and determining a terrain clearance value based at least on the confidence value of the altitude of the environmental surface at the grid cell. The method includes determining a route for a UAV through the area such that the altitude of the UAV is above the altitude of the environmental surface at each grid cell of a sequence of grid cells of the route by at least the terrain clearance value determined for the grid cell. The method includes causing the UAV to navigate through the area using the determined route.

A mechanical system includes a curved beam and a motor coupled to the curved beam. The curved beam is configured to buckle at two different locations along the positive and negative portions of its load/displacement curve, corresponding to opposite and equal sense bending directions. The motor is configured to impart a flapping motion to the curved beam.