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.

The invention pertains to a remote-controlled miniature aircraft with at least one lift surface (17), with at least one pair of propeller drives (12, 13) and with a weight element (20), the position of which can be varied in the longitudinal direction of the miniature aircraft (10) in order to change the center of gravity of the miniature aircraft (10). In order to realize a more compact construction with improved flying characteristics, the lift surface (17) of the miniature aircraft (10) is arranged above a plane defined by the rotational axes of the propeller drives (12, 13) in order to generate a lifting force for taking off and/or landing from a standstill.

Embodiments described herein provide active dampening of flexible modes of a UAV during flight operations. During operation of a UAV having a flexible airframe, the thrust and/or torque of the motor(s) coupled to propellers can induce flexing in the airframe that reduces the flight performance of the UAV. Measurements of a linear acceleration and/or an angular rate at a location proximate to the motor are performed, and flexible modes in the airframe of the UAV are identified based on the measurements. An operation of the motor(s) is modified based on the measurements to dampen the flexible mode.

An aeronautical vehicle that rights itself from an inverted state to an upright state has a self-righting frame assembly has a protrusion extending upwardly from a central vertical axis. The protrusion provides an initial instability to begin a self-righting process when the aeronautical vehicle is inverted on a surface. A propulsion system, such as rotor driven by a motor can be mounted in a central void of the self-righting frame assembly and oriented to provide a lifting force. A power supply is mounted in the central void of the self-righting frame assembly and operationally connected to the at least one rotor for rotatably powering the rotor. An electronics assembly is also mounted in the central void of the self-righting frame for receiving remote control commands and is communicatively interconnected to the power supply for remotely controlling the aeronautical vehicle to take off, to fly, and to land on a surface.

Embodiments described herein provide active dampening of flexible modes of a UAV during flight operations. During operation of a UAV having a flexible airframe, the thrust and/or torque of the motor(s) coupled to propellers can induce flexing in the airframe that reduces the flight performance of the UAV. Measurements of a linear acceleration and/or an angular rate at a location proximate to the motor are performed, and flexible modes in the airframe of the UAV are identified based on the measurements. An operation of the motor(s) is modified based on the measurements to dampen the flexible mode.

The Lopsided Payload Carriage Gimbal in al its embodiments allow Aerial Vehicles and Water-borne vehicles to carry payloads far from the vehicle Geometric Center without significant travel of the vehicle's overall Center of Gravity. Large travel of the CG limits vehicle's performance or renders it inoperable. The embodiments rely on the interaction of the payload and the counter balancing weight through the payload link 18, balancing link 10 main link 14 and battery pylon 8 to substantially reduce the torque generated by the payload in a lopsided position. The embodiments also allow the vehicle carrying the payload to change thrust direction agilely. Finally, the embodiment acts as a mechanical stabilization device for the payload as well. This invention is adaptable to all forms of hover-capable aerial vehicles as well as water-borne vehicles.

The invention is a modular vehicle having an air vehicle that can be coupled to cargo containers, land vehicles, sea vehicles, medical transport modules, etc. In one embodiment the air vehicle has a plurality of propellers positioned around a main airframe, which can provide vertical thrust and/or horizontal thrust depending on the configuration. One or more of the propellers may be configured to tilt forward, backward, and/or side-to-side with respect to the airframe.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cluster includes a plurality of mission UAVs and a plurality of core UAVs arranged in a cluster. One or more of the mission UAVs is configured for controlled independent flight. The plurality of core UAVs are distributed throughout the cluster according to a selected distribution pattern that distributes the core UAVs according to a predefined mission characteristic of the UAV cluster.

Provided are an unmanned aerial vehicle and a method that enable mounting work for a package and a battery to be efficiently performed. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a package-chamber tray, a package-chamber cover attached to the package-chamber tray from above, a battery provided on an upper surface of the package-chamber cover, and a body capable of flying, the body being attachable and detachable to and from a package chamber formed by the package-chamber tray and the package-chamber cover. First, packages are placed on the package-chamber tray. Next, the package-chamber cover is attached to the package-chamber tray. Next, the battery is placed on the package-chamber cover. At this time, the mounting position of the battery is adjusted in accordance with the center of gravity position of the entirety of the packages. Then, the body is attached to the package chamber.

Provided are an unmanned aerial vehicle and a method that enable mounting work for a package and a battery to be efficiently performed. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a package-chamber tray, a package-chamber cover attached to the package-chamber tray from above, a battery provided on an upper surface of the package-chamber cover, and a body capable of flying, the body being attachable and detachable to and from a package chamber formed by the package-chamber tray and the package-chamber cover. First, packages are placed on the package-chamber tray. Next, the package-chamber cover is attached to the package-chamber tray. Next, the battery is placed on the package-chamber cover. At this time, the mounting position of the battery is adjusted in accordance with the center of gravity position of the entirety of the packages. Then, the body is attached to the package chamber.