A method of controlling an overly determined actuator system that has a first number of actuators (α.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.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for predicting ground effects along a flight plan. The systems and methods provide a processor executed process including the steps: receiving a flight plan for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft; receiving terrain and obstacles geospatial data for the flight plan from the database; determining weight of the VTOL aircraft along the flight plan; determining temperature of the environment along the flight plan; determining ground effect data along the flight plan based on the temperature and the weight; and generating one or more commands to control a system of the VTOL aircraft based on the ground effect data.

Systems and methods to reduce aerodynamic drag and/or affect flight characteristics of an aerial vehicle may include adjustable fairings associated with one or more components of the aerial vehicle. The adjustable fairings may be coupled to and at least partially surround a motor, propulsion mechanism, motor arm, strut, or other component of an aerial vehicle. In addition, the adjustable fairings may be passively movable between two or more positions responsive to airflow around the fairings, and/or the adjustable fairings may be actively moved between two more positions to affect flight characteristics. Further, the adjustable fairings may include actuatable elements to alter a portion of an outer surface of the fairings to thereby affect flight characteristics. In this manner, adjustable fairings associated with various components of an aerial vehicle may reduce aerodynamic drag and/or may improve control and safety of an aerial vehicle.

Variations of an aerial vehicle, all with capability of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), with one variation comprising at least three engines, at least three rotors, a flight control system, battery, and propulsion system. The second VTOL aerial vehicle variation being a hybrid with engine-powered rotors and electric-powered rotors configured to work with a flight control system and battery. The first and second variations having the option of a genset system which recharges the battery. The third VTOL aerial vehicle variation being all-electric-powered rotors configured to work with a flight control system and a genset system which powers the rotors and/or recharges the battery.

A noise cancellation system for cancelling sounds within a vehicle. The noise cancellation system includes microphones, a camera, a controller, and speakers. The microphones are disposed adjacent to occupant locations, and configured to generate microphone signals representative of noise sounds and cancellation audio sounds. The camera is configured to generate a video signal that captures head configurations of the occupants. The controller is configured to receive rotor control signals, calculate hearing locations based on tracking data of the head configurations of the occupants, and generate a speaker signals based on the hearing locations, the microphone signals, and the rotor control signals. The speakers are configured to generate the cancellation audio sounds. The cancellation audio sounds attenuate the noise sounds.

A hub assembly having a first hub subassembly, a second hub subassembly, and a rotary guide. The first hub subassembly rotates a first blade assembly about an axis of rotation in a first plane. The second hub subassembly rotates a second blade assembly about the axis of rotation in a second plane. The rotary guide controls an axial position of the second hub subassembly relative to the first hub subassembly about the axis of rotation. The rotary guide is configured to adjust the axial position as a function of a lifting force generated by the first blade assembly or the second blade assembly.

In a flying object, a PCU has a plurality of operation modes in which at least one of an engine, a first motor generator, and a second motor generator is used as a driving source for a pusher propeller. In accordance with the state of the flying object, the PCU controls the engine, the first motor generator, a clutch, and the second motor generator in one of the operation modes.

A vehicle propulsion system comprises at least two motors. Combustion occurs upstream of a first motor, and a second motor is downstream of said first motor. The first motor is a turbine that drives a primary propulsion element to effect propulsion and a compressor to effect compression. The second motor is an expansion device whose incoming gases arrive from said first motor. The first motor and the second motor intercommunicate energy via electrical, electromagnetic, and/or mechanical means. Pressurized gases that result from said compression, combustion, or both are rendered or wastegated for auxiliary usage such as aerial thrust, vertical takeoff and/or vertical landing, near-vertical takeoff and/or near-vertical landing, pneumatic storage for hybrid drive, pneumatic lift and/or drive for towing and/or raising another vehicle, aerial vehicle steering, aerial vehicle pitch stabilization or manipulation, aerial vehicle roll stabilization or manipulation, and/or aerial vehicle yaw stabilization or manipulation.

Sounds are generated by an aerial vehicle during operation. For example, the motors and propellers of an aerial vehicle generate sounds during operation. Disclosed are systems, methods, and apparatus for actively adjusting the position and/or configuration of one or more propeller blades of a propulsion mechanism to generate different sounds and/or lifting forces from the propulsion mechanism.

A request for transport services that identifies a rider, an origin, and a destination is received from a client device. Eligibility of the request to be serviced by a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is determined based on the origin and the destination. A transportation system determines a first and a second hub for a leg of the transport request serviced by the VTOL aircraft and calculates a set of candidate routes from the first hub to the second hub. A provisioned route is selected from among the set of candidate routes based on network and environmental parameters and objectives including pre-determined acceptable noise levels, weather, and the presence and planned routes of other VTOL aircrafts along each of the candidate routes.