An aircraft vertical stabilizer illumination light unit, configured for being arranged in a rotatable horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft and for being oriented towards a vertical stabilizer of the aircraft for illuminating the vertical stabilizer, includes an LED group, having a plurality of LEDs, and an optical system, having at least one optical element, the optical system being associated with the LED group for shaping an output light intensity distribution from the light emitted by the LED group.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having wings stowed against a fuselage of the UAV in a first arrangement is disclosed. Methods and systems for deploying the wings into a second arrangement are disclosed. For example, after a launch of the UAV, the UAV monitors for at least one precondition. The at least one pre-condition being a pre-condition associated with deploying wings of the UAV into the second arrangement. Upon detecting the at least one precondition, the wings of the UAV are deployed into a second arrangement. Deploying the wings comprises activating, in response to detecting the at least one precondition associated with the UAV, a gearbox configured to transition the wings from the first arrangement to the second arrangement. Roll control may be maintained throughout launch and deployment.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having wings stowed against a fuselage of the UAV in a first arrangement is disclosed. Methods and systems for deploying the wings into a second arrangement are disclosed. For example, after a launch of the UAV, the UAV monitors for at least one precondition. The at least one pre-condition being a pre-condition associated with deploying wings of the UAV into the second arrangement. Upon detecting the at least one precondition, the wings of the UAV are deployed into a second arrangement. Deploying the wings comprises activating, in response to detecting the at least one precondition associated with the UAV, a gearbox configured to transition the wings from the first arrangement to the second arrangement. Roll control may be maintained throughout launch and deployment.

A calibration system for aircraft control surface actuation includes an inclinometer coupleable to an aircraft control surface. The inclinometer is configured to provide measurement data of an inclination value corresponding to an angle at which the surface is deflected. The system includes an adapter with a wireless transmitter module and an interface connector connected to the inclinometer. The adapter is configured to receive and wirelessly transmit the measurement data. The system includes a wireless receiver device and a computing device connected thereto to receive the measurement data. The computing device is configured to determine if the inclination value differs by more than a predetermined amount from a directed deflection angle for the surface. The computing device is also configured to communicate an adjustment amount to a controller configured to direct deflection of the surface, based on the difference between the measured inclination value and the directed deflection angle.

There is provided a lower attachment for a trimmable horizontal stabiliser actuator (THSA) for connecting the THSA to a flight control surface. The attachment includes: a nut assembly for providing a load path through the THSA to the flight control surface when the THSA is connected to the flight control surface. The nut assembly includes a nut for location on a screw shaft of the THSA, a failsafe plate for coupling to the flight control surface, and a transfer plate for transferring load between the failsafe plate and the nut. The nut assembly has a first unloaded configuration in which there is no contact between the nut and the transfer plate, and a second loaded configuration in which there is contact between a first pair of opposed surfaces of the nut and the transfer plate.

An aircraft empennage, comprising a rear fuselage section, a trimmable horizontal tail plane comprising a first and a second lateral torsion box), each comprising a front spar and a rear spar, a front fitting and a rear fitting, an actuator acting on the front fitting for a rotation of the trimmable horizontal tail plane around a hinge axis passing through the rear fitting, the front fitting comprising a first and a second front fitting units being joined to the front spars of the lateral torsion boxes, and the actuator comprising first and a second actuator units, each acting on the first front fitting unit and the second front fitting unit respectively.

This invention discloses an aerial device (AD) for manned or unmanned flight, comprising a fuselage main body coupled with two or more aerodynamic units via bearings. Each aerodynamic unit is independently moveable and controllable, and thus able to create their own unique aerodynamic vectors, all of which are combined in varying manners to control the flight of the AD. Each unit comprises a structural part, a thruster with a propeller, and a servo wing positioned behind the propeller. More aerodynamic units may be combined with the main body in order to create more control. The units may be programmed or controlled manually to offset or otherwise account for varying environmental conditions such as slope, wind, and turbulence. The apparatus may further be coupled with a PID controller with a multidimensional field of input and output parameters.

This invention discloses an aerial device (AD) for manned or unmanned flight, comprising a fuselage main body coupled with two or more aerodynamic units via bearings. Each aerodynamic unit is independently moveable and controllable, and thus able to create their own unique aerodynamic vectors, all of which are combined in varying manners to control the flight of the AD. Each unit comprises a structural part, a thruster with a propeller, and a servo wing positioned behind the propeller. More aerodynamic units may be combined with the main body in order to create more control. The units may be programmed or controlled manually to offset or otherwise account for varying environmental conditions such as slope, wind, and turbulence. The apparatus may further be coupled with a PID controller with a multidimensional field of input and output parameters.

An actuator system includes a motor, a ballscrew assembly coupled to the motor, a no back brake device coupled to the ballscrew assembly, and a sensor coupled to the ballscrew assembly. The sensor is configured to acquire load data regarding a load applied to the no back brake device. A control module is configured to determine an estimated coefficient of friction for the no back brake device based on the load data, and transmit an alert signal based on determining that the estimated coefficient of friction is outside a predetermined range. The control module is coupled with the sensor and includes a processor coupled with a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor executable code.

An aircraft includes an airfoil and a hinge member to rotatably couple the airfoil to a structure of an aircraft. The hinge member defines at least a portion of a rotational axis. The aircraft also includes an indexing mechanism coupled to the airfoil and configured to, in a first state, inhibit rotation of the airfoil about the rotational axis, and in a second state, to permit rotation of the airfoil about the rotational axis between a first position and a second position that is angularly indexed relative to the first position. The aircraft further includes an actuator to selectively change a state of the indexing mechanism from the first state to the second state, from the second state to the first state, or both.