This disclosure describes a configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will facilitate extended flight duration. The UAV may have any number of lifting motors. For example, the UAV may include four lifting motors (also known as a quad-copter), eight lifting motors (octo-copter), etc. Likewise, to improve the efficiency of horizontal flight, the UAV also includes a pushing motor and propeller assembly that is oriented at approximately ninety degrees to one or more of the lifting motors. When the UAV is moving horizontally, the pushing motor may be engaged and the pushing propeller will aid in the horizontal propulsion of the UAV.

This disclosure describes a configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will facilitate extended flight duration. The UAV may have any number of lifting motors. For example, the UAV may include four lifting motors (also known as a quad-copter), eight lifting motors (octo-copter), etc. Likewise, to improve the efficiency of horizontal flight, the UAV also includes a pushing motor and propeller assembly that is oriented at approximately ninety degrees to one or more of the lifting motors. When the UAV is moving horizontally, the pushing motor may be engaged and the pushing propeller will aid in the horizontal propulsion of the UAV.

The invention relates to an aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing and its operation method. Aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing of aerodyne type according to the invention comprises a circular symmetrical aerodynamic body (1) having an internal stiffening platform (2) located on the chord of the aerodynamic profile and which supports the components of the aircraft, at least four vertical ducted propellers (3a), (3b), (3c), (3d) arranged symmetrically to the central vertical axis of the carrier body (1), but also to the predetermined flight axis and to the transverse axis of the carrier body (1), propellers (3a) and (3c) having the same rotational direction opposite to that of propellers (3b) and (3d) at least two horizontal ducted propellers (4) with opposite rotation directions located inside the carrier body or outside of it, placed parallel symmetrical with the predetermined flight axis and on both sides of it, vector nozzles (5), one for each horizontal propeller (4), which provides vector orientation to jets of the horizontal ducted propellers (4), the means of power supply (6), which are designed to provide electricity necessary to operate all engines and all electrical and electronic devices on board, an electronic control and management flight module (7) and a landing gear (9), which aims to promote contact between the aircraft and the ground.

The invention relates to an aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing and its operation method. Aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing of aerodyne type according to the invention comprises a circular symmetrical aerodynamic body (1) having an internal stiffening platform (2) located on the chord of the aerodynamic profile and which supports the components of the aircraft, at least four vertical ducted propellers (3a), (3b), (3c), (3d) arranged symmetrically to the central vertical axis of the carrier body (1), but also to the predetermined flight axis and to the transverse axis of the carrier body (1), propellers (3a) and (3c) having the same rotational direction opposite to that of propellers (3b) and (3d) at least two horizontal ducted propellers (4) with opposite rotation directions located inside the carrier body or outside of it, placed parallel symmetrical with the predetermined flight axis and on both sides of it, vector nozzles (5), one for each horizontal propeller (4), which provides vector orientation to jets of the horizontal ducted propellers (4), the means of power supply (6), which are designed to provide electricity necessary to operate all engines and all electrical and electronic devices on board, an electronic control and management flight module (7) and a landing gear (9), which aims to promote contact between the aircraft and the ground.

A method of controlling an overly determined actuator system that has a first number of actuators (a.sub.i) which is greater than a second number of the actuators needed to perform a predetermined physical task. The method includes: automatically controlling the first number of actuators by a control unit (CU) for jointly performing the predetermined physical task; repeatedly checking a functional state of the first number of actuators to detect an actuator failure of any one thereof; in case of any detected actuator failure, generating at least one emergency signal (EM) representative of an adapted physical task to be performed by a remaining number of the actuators. The emergency signal is generated based on kinematics of the actuator system, on known physical capacities at least of the remaining actuators, and optionally on a computational performance model of the actuator system. The adapted physical task includes activating each of the remaining actuators below a predetermined threshold of maximum physical load on a respective actuator and activating the ensemble of remaining actuators in a way to prevent further damage to the actuator system. An emergency control system and an aircraft are also provided.

A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft has a circular body with a cockpit at the center, and multiple vertical, horizontal, and other directional through tunnels inside the body. A propelling device such as ducted fan, jet turbine or rocket is provided inside each tunnel. Each propelling device is completely disposed within a tunnel with no exposed parts. The bottom surface of the aircraft has a circular lip forming the lowest part of the aircraft, and the portion of the bottom surface surrounded by the circular lip is concave, where the multiple vertical through tunnels open to the concave portion. A control system controls the thrust produced by each propelling device so as to precisely control the horizontal and vertical speed and the pitch, roll, and yaw angles of the aircraft. Communication and positioning equipment are provided onboard, as well as various sensors. The aircraft may be manned or unmanned.

A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft has a circular body with a cockpit at the center, and multiple vertical, horizontal, and other directional through tunnels inside the body. A propelling device such as ducted fan, jet turbine or rocket is provided inside each tunnel. Each propelling device is completely disposed within a tunnel with no exposed parts. The bottom surface of the aircraft has a circular lip forming the lowest part of the aircraft, and the portion of the bottom surface surrounded by the circular lip is concave, where the multiple vertical through tunnels open to the concave portion. A control system controls the thrust produced by each propelling device so as to precisely control the horizontal and vertical speed and the pitch, roll, and yaw angles of the aircraft. Communication and positioning equipment are provided onboard, as well as various sensors. The aircraft may be manned or unmanned.

A helicopter uses electric propeller torque arm as power source directly driving main rotor to rotate. The helicopter may be battery powered. The helicopter may be without an engine, a clutch, a reducer, a tail driver, a tail boom, a tail rotor and a fuel supply system. The main design goal is to have the output shaft of the high-energy motor being coaxial with the main rotor shaft or having output shafts of a plurality of motors as close as possible to the main rotor shaft. The centrifugal force of the motor(s) is negligible or minimized. The torque arm assembly includes a plurality of torque arms. Each of the torque arm of the plurality of torque arms includes a propeller and a driving system. In the case of a malfunction, the helicopter's main rotor will spin like a maple leaf and will facilitate the spin autorotation landing.

A helicopter uses electric propeller torque arm as power source directly driving main rotor to rotate. The helicopter may be battery powered. The helicopter may be without an engine, a clutch, a reducer, a tail driver, a tail boom, a tail rotor and a fuel supply system. The main design goal is to have the output shaft of the high-energy motor being coaxial with the main rotor shaft or having output shafts of a plurality of motors as close as possible to the main rotor shaft. The centrifugal force of the motor(s) is negligible or minimized. The torque arm assembly includes a plurality of torque arms. Each of the torque arm of the plurality of torque arms includes a propeller and a driving system. In the case of a malfunction, the helicopter's main rotor will spin like a maple leaf and will facilitate the spin autorotation landing.

A compound helicopter with a fuselage and at least one main rotor that is at least adapted for generating lift in operation, the at least one main rotor being arranged in an upper region of the fuselage, wherein at least one propeller is provided that is at least adapted for generating forward and/or backward thrust in operation. The at least one propeller is mounted to a fixed wing arrangement that is laterally attached to the fuselage, the fixed wing arrangement comprising at least one upper wing and at least one lower wing. An upper stub wing arrangement is provided in the upper region of the fuselage, the at least one upper wing of the fixed wing arrangement being mounted to the upper stub wing arrangement.