A rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades can hover in place, translate forwards, backwards, or side-to-side irrespective of the airspeed over the rotorcraft. The rotorcraft includes a fuselage, a first axial-flow rotor, a radial-flow rotor, a propulsion funnel, and a plurality of lift funnels. The fuselage is used to house passengers, cargo, flight electronics, and or fuel. The first axial-flow rotor rotates independent of the radial-flow rotor and generates forward thrust for propelling the rotorcraft. The radial-flow rotor in the opposite direction of the first axial-flow rotor and generates upward thrust for lifting the rotorcraft. The airflow generated by the first axial-flow rotor travels through the propulsion funnel and exits out of the back of the rotorcraft. The airflow generated by the radial-flow rotor travels through the plurality of lift funnels which gradually directs the airflow downwards.

A propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle having a body having a plurality of channels, an inlet formed in the body and configured to allow air flow to enter the plurality of channels from an exterior of the body, an anechoic chamber formed in the body and coupled to the plurality of channels, a rotor comprising a plurality of angled fins located in the anechoic chamber, a control system configured to direct air flow within the plurality of channels, and one or more circular tubes coupled to the exterior of the body and in communication with the plurality of channels. The air flows into the body through the inlet, into the plurality of channels and the anechoic chamber, and exits through the one or more circular tubes to provide lift and directional control to the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle.

The invention relates to the field of aviation, in particular to the design of unmanned aerial vehicles for vertical take-off and landing. The apparatus is a polyhedral (for example, rectangular) body, with the cylinders 1 installed along its perimeter and capable of rotating. To supply air to the inside of the apparatus, the body has inlets 2 leading to the intake area and the gas supply area located within the body, where the centrifugal impellers 3 are installed at the top and at the bottom to create a forced flow of gas. At the outlet from the gas intake and supply area, as well as along the perimeter, there are flow channels located at the top and at the bottom, which have the form of cells 4 that extend into tunnel 5, which narrows at the outlet just before cylinder 1. The top and bottom flow channels are independent and not connected to each other. All rotating parts of the structure (impellers 3 and cylinders 1) are driven by engines 6 (electric engines, internal combustion engines (ICE)). There can be multiple impellers 3 on each side, at the top and at the bottom. The torque is compensated by the impellers 3 (those at the top compensate those at the bottom). The apparatus operates as follows: The gas enters into the body through the inlets 2. When the impellers 3 rotate, this causes the intake and supply of gas. The forced ram air created by the rotation of the centrifugal impellers 3 (shown with arrows on FIG. 2) passes through the cells 4 of the flow channel, which allows to split one continuous flow into several smaller ones and makes the air supply evenly distributed along the entire length of cylinders 1. After the cells, the flows pass through the tunnel 5 where they become narrower and get to the rotating cylinders 1. The narrowing of the gas flows increases their velocity, but reduces their impact on the cylinder area 1. The forced ram air that flows to the rotating cylinders 1 produces the Magnus effect on each cylinder 1. The torque of the upper impeller 3 is compensated by the torque of the lower impeller.

The invention relates to the field of aviation, in particular to the design of unmanned aerial vehicles for vertical take-off and landing. The apparatus is a polyhedral (for example, rectangular) body, with the cylinders 1 installed along its perimeter and capable of rotating. To supply air to the inside of the apparatus, the body has inlets 2 leading to the intake area and the gas supply area located within the body, where the centrifugal impellers 3 are installed at the top and at the bottom to create a forced flow of gas. At the outlet from the gas intake and supply area, as well as along the perimeter, there are flow channels located at the top and at the bottom, which have the form of cells 4 that extend into tunnel 5, which narrows at the outlet just before cylinder 1. The top and bottom flow channels are independent and not connected to each other. All rotating parts of the structure (impellers 3 and cylinders 1) are driven by engines 6 (electric engines, internal combustion engines (ICE)). There can be multiple impellers 3 on each side, at the top and at the bottom. The torque is compensated by the impellers 3 (those at the top compensate those at the bottom). The apparatus operates as follows: The gas enters into the body through the inlets 2. When the impellers 3 rotate, this causes the intake and supply of gas. The forced ram air created by the rotation of the centrifugal impellers 3 (shown with arrows on FIG. 2) passes through the cells 4 of the flow channel, which allows to split one continuous flow into several smaller ones and makes the air supply evenly distributed along the entire length of cylinders 1. After the cells, the flows pass through the tunnel 5 where they become narrower and get to the rotating cylinders 1. The narrowing of the gas flows increases their velocity, but reduces their impact on the cylinder area 1. The forced ram air that flows to the rotating cylinders 1 produces the Magnus effect on each cylinder 1. The torque of the upper impeller 3 is compensated by the torque of the lower impeller.

A vehicle includes a propulsion system using one or more impellers as opposed to propellers. The impellers impart circumferential and radial velocity components to the working fluid, which may be air or water. The air is deflected by counter-vortex chambers in a shroud to convert the circumferential and radial velocity to an axial velocity aligned with the axis of rotation of the impeller.

A turbine system includes a shaft extending along an axis. A first spoke has a first end, attached to the shaft, and a second end. A second spoke has a first end, attached to the shaft, and a second end. A third spoke has a first end, attached to the shaft, and a second end. A turbine blade is attached to the second end of the first spoke, the second end of the second spoke, and the second end of the third spoke. The turbine blade extends continuously circumferentially about the axis. The turbine blade is spaced a distance apart from the axis and in non-contact with the shaft.

A hydraulically propelled drone is provided for delivering firefighting fluid to an elevated location. The drone comprises a housing having a primary inlet configured to receive the distal end of a fire hose, a primary outlet configured to receive the inlet end of a primary nozzle, a central passageway configured to conduct fluid from the primary inlet to the primary outlet, and at least one secondary outlet communicating with the central passageway. At least one lift nozzle communicates with the secondary outlet and is configured to direct fluid in a generally downward direction so as to produce an upward thrust on the drone housing, and at least one valve is contained within the housing and configured to control the flow of said fluid through the primary nozzle and the at least one lift nozzle nozzle.

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a vehicle body and a vehicle wing on the vehicle body. A front motor assembly is provided in the vehicle body and the vehicle wing. A front vertical air discharge pathway and a front horizontal air discharge pathway communicate with the front motor assembly. A front air diverter is disposed between a retracted position unblocking the front vertical air discharge pathway to impart vertical lift to the vehicle and an extended position blocking the front vertical air discharge pathway to impart horizontal thrust to the vehicle. A pair of rear motor assemblies is provided in the vehicle wing and each includes a rear vertical air discharge pathway and a rear horizontal air discharge pathway communicating with the rear motor assembly. A rear air diverter is disposed between a retracted position unblocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway to impart vertical lift to the vehicle and an extended position blocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway to impart horizontal thrust to the vehicle.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a vehicle body and an airflow thruster is provided. The vehicle body has a center hub, an airflow guiding structure and an outer circumferential portion. An interior of the airflow guiding structure is interconnected between the center hub and the outer circumferential portion. The center hub has an airflow inlet. The outer circumferential portion has a plurality of lateral guiding outlets facing downward and corresponding to a gravity direction of the gravity direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The airflow thruster is disposed inside the center hub for generating a plurality of jet streams, such that the jet streams flow to the lateral guiding outlets through the airflow guiding structure to generate a propulsion.

A hydraulically propelled drone is provided for delivering firefighting fluid to an elevated location. The drone comprises a housing having a primary inlet configured to receive the distal end of a fire hose, a primary outlet configured to receive the inlet end of a primary nozzle, a central passageway configured to conduct fluid from the primary inlet to the primary outlet, and at least one secondary outlet communicating with the central passageway. At least one lift nozzle communicates with the secondary outlet and is configured to direct fluid in a generally downward direction so as to produce an upward thrust on the drone housing, and at least one valve is contained within the housing and configured to control the flow of said fluid through the primary nozzle and the at least one lift nozzle nozzle.