A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.

A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.

A drone with extendable and rotatable wings and a multiple accessory securing panel is provided. The extendable wings help increase the lift of the drone and reduce the air drag on the drone. The multiple accessory securing panel allows various tools and objects to be temporarily and selectively secured to the drone. The multiple accessories may be secured to the drone by a ground based rotating delivery unit. The drone may have a removable front nose and legs which receive power from a power unit.

A drone with extendable and rotatable wings and a multiple accessory securing panel is provided. The extendable wings help increase the lift of the drone and reduce the air drag on the drone. The multiple accessory securing panel allows various tools and objects to be temporarily and selectively secured to the drone. The multiple accessories may be secured to the drone by a ground based rotating delivery unit. The drone may have a removable front nose and legs which receive power from a power unit.

A plurality of rotary blades of a flight vehicle of the present invention includes a first rotary blade provided on one side of the main body in a width direction and a second rotary blade provided on the other side of the main body in the width direction. An acquisition unit acquires rotational positions of the rotary blades. A control unit controls the rotational positions based on the rotational positions acquired so that the rotational positions of the first rotary blade and the second rotary blade associated with each other are in a predetermined positional relationship.

A plurality of rotary blades of a flight vehicle of the present invention includes a first rotary blade provided on one side of the main body in a width direction and a second rotary blade provided on the other side of the main body in the width direction. An acquisition unit acquires rotational positions of the rotary blades. A control unit controls the rotational positions based on the rotational positions acquired so that the rotational positions of the first rotary blade and the second rotary blade associated with each other are in a predetermined positional relationship.

An aircraft wing section assembly is disclosed having a structural spine, a movement mechanism including a support rod 1 extending through the structural spine, a first lever, for connection to and for moving a first moveable control surface, pivotally mounted to the support rod, a second similar lever for connection to and for moving a second moveable control surface, and a connection mechanism for connecting the first and second levers such that pivotal movement of the first lever causes pivotal movement of the second lever, and an actuation mechanism for actuating pivotal movement of the first lever, such that, in use, when the actuation mechanism actuates pivotal movement of the first lever, the second lever also pivotally moves, thus causing movement of both the first and second moveable control surfaces. Also disclosed is an aircraft wing assembly, an aircraft and a method of operating an aircraft.

A propulsion assembly for an aircraft includes a nacelle having a rapid connection interface, at least one battery disposed within the nacelle, a speed controller coupled to the battery and a propulsion system coupled to the speed controller and the battery. The propulsion system includes an electric motor having an output drive and a rotor assembly having a plurality of rotor blades that are rotatable with the output drive of the electric motor in a rotational plane to generate thrust. The electric motor is operable to rotate responsive to power from the battery at a speed responsive to the speed controller. The rapid connection interface of the nacelle is couplable to a rapid connection interface of an airframe nacelle station to provide structural and electrical connections therebetween that are operable for rapid in-situ assembly.

Various embodiments include methods for operating a photovoltaic-powered drone having a photovoltaic surface on one side of at least one of wing and/or body of the drone. Various embodiments may include flying the drone in a first drone attitude that directs the photovoltaic surface on the one side of the drone to face in a first direction toward a first source of light. Various embodiments may also include inverting the drone in flight to a second drone attitude that directs the photovoltaic surface toward a second direction toward a second source of light different from the first source of light. The artificial light may be transmitted from a ground-based beam emitter.

Aircraft are configured to facilitate propeller blade pitch adjustability. According to one example, an aircraft can include a plurality of propellers, where each propeller includes plurality of blades. At least one pitch adjust mechanism may be associated with at least on propeller, where the pitch adjust mechanism is configured to adjust a pitch of the plurality of blades for at least one propeller in response to airflow from at least one other propeller influencing an airflow at the at least one propeller. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.