The present invention includes a system and method for slowing the rotation of a rotor using, for example, rotor brake system for a rotorcraft comprising: one or more generators connected to a main rotor gearbox; an electric distributed anti-torque system mounted on a tail boom of the rotorcraft comprising two or more electric motors connected to the one or more generators, wherein the two or more electric motors are connected to one or more blades; and wherein a rotation of the rotor is slowed by placing a drive load on the main rotor gearbox with the one or more generators to bleed the mechanical power from rotor into electrical power via the two or more electric motors, wherein the electric distributed anti-torque system generates thrust in opposing directions.

A rotorcraft having an electric drive for driving a main rotor of a rotorcraft, more particularly a helicopter, the electric drive comprising: a coupler for coupling the electric drive to a rotor mast, which can be coupled for conjoint rotation with a drive unit of a helicopter rotor transmission, for coupling for conjoint rotation with the main rotor or tail rotor. A rotorcraft with an electric drive is provided with which the space requirement is reduced, the construction is simplified and the maintenance requirement is reduced. This problem is solved in that the electric drive is designed as an electric ring motor, with the electric ring motor being arranged and attached coaxially with the rotor mast.

An anti-torque assembly for a helicopter includes a plurality of fans pivotably mountable to a tail boom. The fans have fan blades rotatable about a fan axis. One or more of the fans is pivotable relative to the tail boom to a first configuration. The fan axes in the first configuration have an upright orientation and the fans are operable to one or both of pitch and roll the helicopter. Different fans are operable to generate thrust to provide anti-torque to the helicopter. A method of providing anti-torque and method of changing an attitude of a helicopter are also provided.

Embodiments are directed to a rotorcraft comprising a body having a longitudinal axis, a wing coupled to the body, a single tiltrotor assembly pivotally coupled to the body, and the tiltrotor assembly configured to move between a position generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis during a vertical flight mode and a position generally parallel to the longitudinal axis during a horizontal flight mode. The rotorcraft may further comprise an anti-torque system configured to counteract torque generated by the tiltrotor assembly during vertical flight. The rotorcraft may further comprise a center of gravity compensation system configured to manage a rotorcraft center of gravity during movement of the tiltrotor assembly between the vertical flight mode and the horizontal flight mode.

The present invention includes an a plurality of first variable speed motors mounted on a tail boom of the helicopter; one or more fixed pitch blades attached to each of the plurality of first variable speed motors; and wherein a speed of one or more of the plurality of first variable speed motors is varied to provide an anti-torque thrust.

An anti-torque system (10) for a helicopter (1) is described that comprises: an electric power supply unit (15); at least one first rotor (17), operatively connected to an electric power supply unit (15) and operable by the electric power supply unit (15) so as to rotate with a first variable angular speed; and at least one second rotor (25) operatively connected to electric power supply unit (15) and operable by the electric power supply unit (15) so as to rotate with a second variable angular speed.

A hybrid power system includes a first power source that includes an internal combustion engine, a second power source that includes a battery, and a power controller. The hybrid power system is included in a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle that flies in a transitional mode between a hovering mode and a forward flight mode. The power controller selects one or more of the first power source and the second power source to power a rotor included in the VTOL vehicle, including by: during a landing, the power controller determines when to have the second power source provide power to the rotor, in order to supplement power provided to the rotor by the first power source, based at least in part on one or more flight state variables associated with a flight computer.

A hybrid power system includes a first power source that includes an internal combustion engine, a second power source that includes a battery, and a power controller. The hybrid power system is included in a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle that flies in a transitional mode between a hovering mode and a forward flight mode. The power controller selects one or more of the first power source and the second power source to power a rotor included in the VTOL vehicle, including by: during a landing, the power controller determines when to have the second power source provide power to the rotor, in order to supplement power provided to the rotor by the first power source, based at least in part on one or more flight state variables associated with a flight computer.

An architecture for an electric distributed propulsion system includes one or more generators connected to a gearbox, a first and a second plurality of motors connected to the one or more generators, each motor of the plurality of motors connected to a blade to provide thrust, a first and a second power bus electrically connected between the one or more generators and the first and the second plurality of motors, each power bus independent of the other power bus, a first and a second controller independently connected to each of the first and second plurality of motors, each of the first and second controllers serving as a primary and a backup controller, and dual channels in communication between pilot input sensors and the first and the second controllers, and the dual channels including an additional channel to provide redundant communication to the first and second controllers.

A yaw control system coupled to a tailboom of a helicopter includes tail rotors. The tail rotors include a clockwise tail rotor and a counterclockwise tail rotor. The clockwise tail rotor is configured to rotate in a first rotational direction. The counterclockwise tail rotor is configured to rotate in a second rotational direction, the second rotational direction opposite of the first rotational direction.