A parasite aircraft for airborne deployment and retrieve includes a wing; a fuselage rotatably mounted to the wing; a dock disposed on top of the fuselage and configured to receive a maneuverable capture device of a carrier aircraft; a pair of tail members extending from the fuselage; and a plurality of landing gear mounted to the wing. A method of preparing a parasite aircraft for flight includes unfolding an end portion of a wing; unfolding an end portion of a tail member of the parasite aircraft; and rotating a fuselage of the parasite aircraft so that the fuselage is perpendicular to the wing. A method of preparing a parasite aircraft for storage includes rotating a fuselage of the parasite aircraft to be parallel with a wing of the parasite aircraft; folding an end portion of the wing; and folding an end portion of a tail member of the parasite aircraft.

A parasite aircraft for airborne deployment and retrieve includes a wing; a fuselage rotatably mounted to the wing; a dock disposed on top of the fuselage and configured to receive a maneuverable capture device of a carrier aircraft; a pair of tail members extending from the fuselage; and a plurality of landing gear mounted to the wing. A method of preparing a parasite aircraft for flight includes unfolding an end portion of a wing; unfolding an end portion of a tail member of the parasite aircraft; and rotating a fuselage of the parasite aircraft so that the fuselage is perpendicular to the wing. A method of preparing a parasite aircraft for storage includes rotating a fuselage of the parasite aircraft to be parallel with a wing of the parasite aircraft; folding an end portion of the wing; and folding an end portion of a tail member of the parasite aircraft.

Some embodiments described herein relate to a wing that is coupled to a body of a vehicle and configured to rotate forward from a deployed configuration, in which the wing extends from the body to a retracted configuration in which a tip portion of the wing is closer to a nose portion of the body than a root portion of the wing is to the nose portion. A hinged beam having a first portion pivotably coupled to a second portion is configured to transmit loads associated with flight from the wing to the body.

Some embodiments described herein relate to a wing that is coupled to a body of a vehicle and configured to rotate forward from a deployed configuration, in which the wing extends from the body to a retracted configuration in which a tip portion of the wing is closer to a nose portion of the body than a root portion of the wing is to the nose portion. A hinged beam having a first portion pivotably coupled to a second portion is configured to transmit loads associated with flight from the wing to the body.

The present invention discloses a VTOL aircraft with retractable wings and TEMCS (trailing edge mounted control surface) mounted tilt-able engines. The aircraft has two hover modes; a first hover mode with retracted wings which allows takeoff and landing in tight landing spots, and a second hover mode with extended wings, during these hover modes, the aircraft operates as a multi-rotor aircraft with additional means of vectored forces created by tilt-able engines, with engines directed upward, and a cruise mode with the wings extended and the engines directed in forward direction.

The present invention discloses a VTOL aircraft with retractable wings and TEMCS (trailing edge mounted control surface) mounted tilt-able engines. The aircraft has two hover modes; a first hover mode with retracted wings which allows takeoff and landing in tight landing spots, and a second hover mode with extended wings, during these hover modes, the aircraft operates as a multi-rotor aircraft with additional means of vectored forces created by tilt-able engines, with engines directed upward, and a cruise mode with the wings extended and the engines directed in forward direction.

A locking pin system comprising: an actuator having an actuator body defining an axial bore along its length; a locking pin axially moveably mounted within the bore, and drive means for driving the locking pin axially along the bore between a locking position extending from the actuator body and an unlocking position relatively retracted into the actuator body; wherein the drive means comprises engagement means for releasably engaging the locking pin, the engagement means being biased to an open position where they are not in engagement with the locking pin, and wherein the bore comprises a first section having a first diameter and a second section having a second, wider diameter.

A locking pin system comprising: an actuator having an actuator body defining an axial bore along its length; a locking pin axially moveably mounted within the bore, and drive means for driving the locking pin axially along the bore between a locking position extending from the actuator body and an unlocking position relatively retracted into the actuator body; wherein the drive means comprises engagement means for releasably engaging the locking pin, the engagement means being biased to an open position where they are not in engagement with the locking pin, and wherein the bore comprises a first section having a first diameter and a second section having a second, wider diameter.

Examples include an actuator that includes a rotor that includes a permanent magnet; a stator that at least partially surrounds the rotor; a plurality of electromagnets coupled to the stator that are configured to apply magnetic force to the permanent magnet to rotate the rotor; a first lock that (i) has a first mechanical bias to engage the rotor and prevent rotation of the rotor when the rotor is in a home position and (ii) is configured to disengage the rotor against the first mechanical bias while receiving a first control signal; and a second lock that (i) has a second mechanical bias to disengage the rotor and (ii) is configured to engage the rotor against the second mechanical bias to prevent rotation of the rotor while receiving a second control signal.

Examples include an actuator that includes a rotor that includes a permanent magnet; a stator that at least partially surrounds the rotor; a plurality of electromagnets coupled to the stator that are configured to apply magnetic force to the permanent magnet to rotate the rotor; a first lock that (i) has a first mechanical bias to engage the rotor and prevent rotation of the rotor when the rotor is in a home position and (ii) is configured to disengage the rotor against the first mechanical bias while receiving a first control signal; and a second lock that (i) has a second mechanical bias to disengage the rotor and (ii) is configured to engage the rotor against the second mechanical bias to prevent rotation of the rotor while receiving a second control signal.