Systems and methods relate to a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platform that can include a stator and a rotor magnetically levitated by the stator. The rotor and stator can be annular, such that the rotor rotates about a rotational axis. The stator can include magnets that provide guidance, levitation, and drive forces to drive the rotor, as well as to control operation of rotor blades of the rotor that can be independently rotated to specific pitch angles to control at least one of lift, pitch, roll, or yaw of the VTOL platform. Various controllers can be used to enable independent and redundant control of components of the VTOL platform.

Systems and methods relate to a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platform that can include a stator and a rotor magnetically levitated by the stator. The rotor and stator can be annular, such that the rotor rotates about a rotational axis. The stator can include magnets that provide guidance, levitation, and drive forces to drive the rotor, as well as to control operation of rotor blades of the rotor that can be independently rotated to specific pitch angles to control at least one of lift, pitch, roll, or yaw of the VTOL platform. Various controllers can be used to enable independent and redundant control of components of the VTOL platform.

In one embodiment, a centrifugal force generating device comprises a first hydraulic rotor, a second hydraulic rotor, and one or more hydraulic control valves. The first hydraulic rotor comprises a first mass and is configured to rotationally drive the first mass around a first axis of rotation using a first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor. The second hydraulic rotor comprises a second mass and is configured to rotationally drive the second mass around a second axis of rotation using a second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor. The one or more hydraulic control valves are configured to control the first flow of hydraulic fluid through the first hydraulic rotor and the second flow of hydraulic fluid through the second hydraulic rotor.

A for providing control input adjustment for an aircraft, including one or more mode sensors disposed on an aircraft, a mode analysis system, the mode analysis system operable to receive mode sensor data from the one or more mode sensors, and operable to decompose the mode sensor data into decomposed mode data associated with fundamental modes of structural elements of the aircraft associated with the one or more mode sensors, and a flight control computer (FCC) disposed on the aircraft and connected to one or more actuators, the FCC operable to provide a control signal to the one or more actuators according to an association between the decomposed mode data and one or more rotorcraft parameters associated with the one or more actuators.

An aircraft includes an airframe having an extending tail, a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly disposed at the airframe including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly, and a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail and providing translational thrust to the airframe, the translational thrust system including a propeller. A gearbox system is operably connected to the main rotor assembly and the propeller to drive rotation of the main rotor assembly and the propeller. The gearbox is configured to maintain a main rotor assembly tip speed below Mach 0.9 and a propeller helical tip speed below Mach 0.88.

An exemplary rotorcraft includes a power train with an engine coupled to a gearbox, a main rotor blade having a mast coupled to the power train, a control input linkage in communication between a pilot input device and the main rotor blade configured to communicate a control input force from the pilot input device to the main rotor blade, and a counterweight system in connection with the control input linkage and the power train to apply a centrifugal force to the control input linkage.

A dynamic imbalanced force generator includes a pair of eccentric masses and a shaft frame. The generator further includes at least one support plate of a motor arranged radially with respect to the shaft frame, and a gear system. A second imbalance is arranged between a first imbalance and the shaft frame, and coaxially with respect to the first imbalance. At least one motor is supported by the plate and engaged with at least one of the first and second imbalances by the gear system. The support plate and the motor are arranged between the imbalances and the shaft frame.

An aircraft is provided including an airframe, an extending tail, and a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly composed of a plurality of blades and a lower rotor assembly composed of a plurality of blades. A translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe. A flight control system to control the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly, wherein the flight control system is configured to control lift offset of the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly.

Transitioning quadcopters and tricopters use passively adjusting tiltwings to reduce the number of actuators needed to control flight. Both transitioning copters can operate with four controlled actuators comprising four motor speeds for the quadcopter and three motor speeds and one rudder position for the tricopter.

Provided is a dynamic force generator having a supporting shaft, a first rotor including an internal bore housing the supporting shaft and bearings arranged between the supporting shaft and the internal bore so that the first rotor is mounted rotatably in relation to the supporting shaft, an external bore having an inner face provided with a first set of permanent magnets. A first unbalanced mass is within the internal bore of the first rotor and mounted opposite an outer face of the external bore of the first rotor. A second rotor is mounted rotatably in relation to the first rotor, via an antifriction component provided between the first rotor and the second rotor, and includes an internal bore housing the internal bore of the first rotor so that the internal bores of the first and second rotors are concentric, and an external bore with a second set of permanent magnets.