In one embodiment, a method of determining the onset of a stall condition in a vehicle is provided. The method comprises: measuring, with a stall detection system, data which would indicate the presence of turbulent fluid flowing proximate to a foil; determining from the data whether an onset of a stall condition has occurred; and upon determining the onset of the stall condition, performing at least one of: issuing an alert, and causing the vehicle to avoid or exit the stall condition, and cease such activity when the onset of the stall condition no longer exists.

An air mobility device improves propulsion due to the Coand effect when flying so as to increase a flying range and reduces noise when flying.

A hybrid aircraft of the unmanned type configured for joint and optimized use of aerostatic and aerodynamic force is provided. The hybrid aircraft has an inflatable body having an outer shell and a load-bearing structure inside the outer shell, the inflatable body being adapted to assume a closed wing operating configuration.

A gas or liquid foil propulsion system is disclosed with internal wings or flaps which are positioned within a looped device. The ambient fluid (e.g. water of a body of water) or gas (e.g. air) flows through this loop and past at least one foil or air foil which is the wing or flap. This creates lift in the entire device. In some embodiments, the air foils are preceded by guide vanes which direct the flow of the ambient fluid or gas. In some embodiments, the loop is bifurcated creating two different paths of flow with the wings/flaps only in the outer sections of the bifurcation. In some embodiments, vents are used to allow inflow of the ambient medium. The device can be made of modular units which connect to each other to form, for example, a rectangular, circular, square or other shaped flow path.

The invention pertains to a remote-controlled miniature aircraft with at least one lift surface (17), with at least one pair of propeller drives (12, 13) and with a weight element (20), the position of which can be varied in the longitudinal direction of the miniature aircraft (10) in order to change the center of gravity of the miniature aircraft (10). In order to realize a more compact and more robust construction with improved flying characteristics, the lift surface (17) of the miniature aircraft (10) is arranged above a plane defined by the rotational axes of the propeller drives (12, 13) in order to generate a lifting force for taking off and/or landing from a standstill.

A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a plenum having an intake port and an output port. A fan is coupled to a motor configured to power the fan, and the powered fan is configured to compress ambient air entering the intake port. One or more ejectors are fluidically coupled to the plenum via one or more valves. A nozzle is disposed within the output port and includes a set of vanes. The system operates in a first configuration in which the nozzle vanes are closed and the compressed ambient air exits the plenum only through the one or more valves into the one or more ejectors. The system operates in a second configuration in which the one or more valves are closed, the nozzle vanes are open and the compressed ambient air exits the plenum only through the output port.

A vehicle includes a main body. A fluid generator is coupled to the main body and produces a fluid stream. At least one tad conduit is fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are coupled to the main body and respectively coupled to a starboard side and port side of the vehicle. The fore ejectors respectively comprise an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the tail conduit. The tail ejector comprises an outlet structure out of which fluid flows A primary airfoil element includes a closed wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The leading and trailing edges of the closed wing define an interior region. The at least one propulsion device is at least partially disposed within the interior region.

A vehicle, includes a main body. A fluid generator is coupled to the main body and produces a fluid stream. At least one tail conduit is fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are coupled to the main body and respectively coupled to a starboard side and port side of the vehicle. The fore ejectors respectively comprise an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the tail conduit. The tail ejector comprises an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. A primary airfoil element includes a closed wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The leading and trailing edges of the closed wing define an interior region. The at least one propulsion device is at least partially disposed within the interior region.

A vehicle, includes a main body. A fluid generator is coupled to the main body and produces a fluid stream. At least one tail conduit is fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are coupled to the main body and respectively coupled to a starboard side and port side of the vehicle. The fore ejectors respectively comprise an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the tail conduit. The tail ejector comprises an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. A primary airfoil element includes a closed wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The leading and trailing edges of the closed wing define an interior region. The at least one propulsion device is at least partially disposed within the interior region.

In one embodiment, a method of determining the onset of a stall condition in a vehicle is provided. The method comprises: measuring, with a stall detection system, data which would indicate the presence of turbulent fluid flowing proximate to a foil; determining from the data whether an onset of a stall condition has occurred; and upon determining the onset of the stall condition, performing at least one of: issuing an alert, and causing the vehicle to avoid or exit the stall condition, and cease such activity when the onset of the stall condition no longer exists.