According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for operating a multicopter experiencing a failure during flight, the multicopter comprising a body, and at least four effectors attached to the body, each operable to produce both a torque and a thrust force which can cause the multicopter to fly when not experiencing said failure. The method may comprise the step of identifying a failure wherein the failure affects the torque and/or thrust force produced by an effector, and in response to identifying a failure carrying out the following steps, (1) computing an estimate of the orientation of a primary axis of said body with respect to a predefined reference frame, wherein said primary axis is an axis about which said multicopter rotates when flying, (2) computing an estimate of the angular velocity of said multicopter, (3) controlling one or more of said at least four effectors based on said estimate of the orientation of the primary axis of said body with respect to said predefined reference frame and said estimate of the angular velocity of the multicopter. The step of controlling one or more of said at least four effectors may be performed such that (a) said one or more effectors collectively produce a torque along said primary axis and a torque perpendicular to said primary axis, wherein (i) the torque along said primary axis causes said multicopter to rotate about said primary axis, and (ii) the torque perpendicular to said primary axis causes said multicopter to move such that the orientation of said primary axis converges to a target orientation with respect to said predefined reference frame, and (b) such that said one or more effectors individually produce a thrust force along said primary axis.

A tiltrotor aircraft has a fuselage and a wing having upper and lower surfaces with a plurality of channels extending therebetween, each with a cycloidal rotor mounted therein. At least two pylon assemblies are rotatably coupled to the wing to selectively operate the tiltrotor aircraft between helicopter and airplane flight modes. Each pylon assembly includes a mast and a proprotor assembly operable to rotate with the mast to generate thrust. At least one engine provides torque and rotational energy to the proprotor assemblies and the propulsion assemblies. Each of the cycloidal rotors has a plurality of blades that travels in a generally circular path and has a plurality of pitch angle configurations such that each cycloidal rotor is operable to generate a variable thrust and a variable thrust vector, thereby providing vertical lift augmentation, roll control, yaw control and/or pitch control in the helicopter flight mode.

A lightweight, pocket-sized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be held in an outstretched hand by a user for take-off and landing of the UAV. The UAV comprises a semi-toroidal or a substantially toroidal hollow body that defines a duct. The UAV further comprises a motor for rotating a fan that directs air into and out of the duct enabling the UAV to take flight. The UAV comprises a flight-control system that comprises at least two flight control surfaces that can alter the directed air as it flows through the duct for controlling the roll and pitch and optionally the yaw of the UAV during flight. The flight control system may be controlled by a microprocessor controller. The UAV further comprises a payload, with at least a wireless transmitter and receiver unit.

The present invention provides a multi-rotor flying object including: a body; a plurality of rotor units each including a propeller and a power unit for driving the propeller; and a steering unit including a connection member connecting the plurality of rotor units to each other and an actuator installed on the body and activating the connection member to allow the plurality of rotor units to be simultaneously inclined at the same angle with respect to the body.

A vehicle with superior performance and reliability. The vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle, is capable of vertical takeoff and landing, uses three swashless, variable-pitch vertical lift main rotors with a yaw tail rotor system. Two rear main rotors are optionally tiltrotors, which pivot to increase forward speed without the increased coefficient of drag inherent in tilting the entire vehicle. The three main rotors are positioned in an equilateral triangular configuration, improving balance, increasing load-bearing strength, and making it more compact in size. Movements are controlled through changes in pitch of the rotors, allowing the motors to maintain constant governed rotations per minute, maximizing drivetrain efficiency. Various embodiments allow for smaller vehicle size with greater performance than prior art vehicles.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for operating a multicopter experiencing a failure during flight, the multicopter comprising a body, and at least four effectors attached to the body, each operable to produce both a torque and a thrust force which can cause the multicopter to fly when not experiencing said failure. The method may comprise the step of identifying a failure wherein the failure affects the torque and/or thrust force produced by an effector, and in response to identifying a failure carrying out the following steps, (1) computing an estimate of the orientation of a primary axis of said body with respect to a predefined reference frame, wherein said primary axis is an axis about which said multicopter rotates when flying, (2) computing an estimate of the angular velocity of said multicopter, (3) controlling one or more of said at least four effectors based on said estimate of the orientation of the primary axis of said body with respect to said predefined reference frame and said estimate of the angular velocity of the multicopter. The step of controlling one or more of said at least four effectors may be performed such that (a) said one or more effectors collectively produce a torque along said primary axis and a torque perpendicular to said primary axis, wherein (i) the torque along said primary axis causes said multicopter to rotate about said primary axis, and (ii) the torque perpendicular to said primary axis causes said multicopter to move such that the orientation of said primary axis converges to a target orientation with respect to said predefined reference frame, and (b) such that said one or more effectors individually produce a thrust force along said primary axis.

An unmanned helicopter platform includes a fuselage, a tail coupled with the fuselage, a payload rail coupled with and extending along the fuselage and a main rotor assembly coupled with the fuselage. The tail includes a tail rotor and a tail rotor motor. The tail is removably coupled to the fuselage. The main rotor assembly includes a main rotor having an axis of rotation and a main rotor motor.

The present disclosure relates to an autonomous, electric, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that is low-noise, safe, and efficient to operate for cargo transportation over relatively long ranges. A VTOL aircraft includes a fuselage, a plurality of arms, a tail, and a plurality of propulsion systems mounted on the arms and the tail. The plurality of arms have parts that are rotatable and the tail has a part that is rotatable for transitioning the VTOL aircraft between a forward-flight configuration and a hover configuration.

A remote control device for an unmanned helicopter includes an orientation sensor that detects a flight orientation of the unmanned helicopter, a GPS antenna and a GPS receiver that detect speed information of the unmanned helicopter, and a CPU that detects a flight distance of the unmanned helicopter by integrating the speed information. A memory stores information concerning a base point of the unmanned helicopter. Based on a flight orientation of the unmanned helicopter and a flight distance of the unmanned helicopter, which is obtained by integration of the speed information, the CPU determines a relative position, which indicates a position of the unmanned helicopter with respect to the base point, and controls the flight of unmanned helicopter based on the relative position.

A system may include first and second sensors configured to be coupled to a vehicle and generate surface sensor signals representative of a surface on which a location marker is disposed, and generate marker sensor signals representative of the location marker. The system may also include a sensor processor configured to estimate at least one of a position or an orientation of the first sensor relative to the surface on which the location marker is disposed based at least in part on the surface sensor signals, and estimate at least one of a position or an orientation of the second sensor relative to the location marker based at least in part on the marker sensor signals. The sensor processor may be configured to calculate at least one of the position or the orientation of the vehicle relative to the location marker based at least in part on the estimations.