An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using pivoting thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to takeoff with thrust units providing vertical thrust and then transitioning to a horizontal flight path. An aerial vehicle with pivoting thrust units with propellers, wherein some or all of the propellers are able to be stowed and fully nested during forward flight.

An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using pivoting thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to takeoff with thrust units providing vertical thrust and then transitioning to a horizontal flight path. An aerial vehicle with pivoting thrust units with propellers, wherein some or all of the propellers are able to be stowed and fully nested during forward flight.

The present invention includes a hybrid propulsion system for an aircraft comprising: an engine disposed within a fuselage of the aircraft, two electrical generators disposed within the fuselage and connected to the engine, and two nacelles. Each nacelle comprises a proprotor, and each nacelle houses two electric motors connected to the proprotor. Each electrical generator is connected to the two electric motors in each nacelle. The proprotors provide lift for vertical takeoff and landing in a helicopter mode. A fan is coupled to the fuselage and connected to two additional electric motors. Each additional electric motor is connected to one of the two electric generators. The fan provides thrust for forward flight during an airplane mode. The airplane mode includes increasing power to the fan while decreasing power to the proprotors to zero.

A system for retaining a folded proprotor blade in flight. The system includes a mounting plate, a first arm coupled to the mounting plate at an acute angle relative to the mounting plate, and a first deformable pad affixed to the first arm and adapted to contact the folded proprotor blade.

A system for retaining a folded proprotor blade in flight. The system includes a mounting plate, a first arm coupled to the mounting plate at an acute angle relative to the mounting plate, and a first deformable pad affixed to the first arm and adapted to contact the folded proprotor blade.

A vertical takeoff and landing aerial vehicle. A left linear support and a right linear support of the unmanned aerial vehicle are respectively provided with a first group of multiple lift propellers and a second group of lift propellers, and the aerial vehicle is provided with a left dorsal fin and a right dorsal fin. By arranging a plurality of lift propellers, a left dorsal fin, and a right dorsal fin on the vertical takeoff and landing aerial vehicle provided by the disclosure, the aerial vehicle is higher in stability in the flight process.

A vertical takeoff and landing aerial vehicle. A left linear support and a right linear support of the unmanned aerial vehicle are respectively provided with a first group of multiple lift propellers and a second group of lift propellers, and the aerial vehicle is provided with a left dorsal fin and a right dorsal fin. By arranging a plurality of lift propellers, a left dorsal fin, and a right dorsal fin on the vertical takeoff and landing aerial vehicle provided by the disclosure, the aerial vehicle is higher in stability in the flight process.

A vehicle capable of taking off and landing vertically and operating in water, land, air and submarine environments includes a fuselage, two main wings, ailerons, a vertical tail, a rudder, a horizontal tail, elevators, a propeller, rotor wings, rotor wing supports, etc. The vehicle has the advantages of adaptability to various environments, good concealment and strong survivability. Compared with a traditional unmanned rotorcraft, the vehicle has longer endurance time and larger load. Compared with a fixed wing UAV, the vertical take-off and landing function makes the work more convenient. Compared with unmanned diving equipment, the vehicle is applicable to richer environments, and can complete designated missions in air, land, water and submarine environments. Compared with a tilt rotor UAV in water, land, air and submarine environments, the vehicle is rapider in switching of various modes and is higher in stability.

A differential thrust vectoring system includes a first thruster, a second thruster, a main actuator, and a trim actuator. The system is configured such that actuation of the main actuator causes rotation of the thrusters together about an axis, whereas actuation of the trim actuator causes relative rotation of the first and second thrusters about the axis.

Methods and systems for a clean fuel, manned or unmanned aircraft, having an electric, low-emission or zero-emission lift and propulsion system, an integrated ‘highway in the sky’ avionics system for navigation and guidance, a tablet-based motion command, or mission planning system to provide the operator with drive-by-wire style direction control, and automatic on-board-capability to provide traffic awareness, weather display and collision avoidance. Automatic computer monitoring by a programmed multiple-redundant autopilot control units control each motor-controller and motor to produce pitch, bank, yaw and elevation, while simultaneously restricting the flight regime that the pilot can command, to protect the pilot from inadvertent potentially harmful acts that might lead to loss of control or loss of vehicle stability. By using the results of the state measurements to inform motor control commands, the methods and systems contribute to the operational simplicity, reliability and safety of the vehicle.