An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using a set of wing mounted thrust producing elements and a set of tail mounted rotors for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to vertical takeoff with the rotors in a rotated, take-off attitude then transitions to a horizontal flight path, with the rotors rotated to a typical horizontal configuration. The aerial vehicle uses different configurations of its wing mounted rotors and propellers to reduce drag in all flight modes.

In at least some implementations, an aircraft includes a fuselage, a wing spar rotatably carried by the fuselage, a first wing element and a second wing element. The first wing element is carried by the wing spar, rotatable with the wing spar, and slidably moveable relative to the fuselage and wing spar. The second wing element is connected to the first wing element for pivoted movement of the second wing element relative to the first wing element. The second wing element at least partially overlaps the first wing element and the first and second wing elements are moveable to a plurality of positions wherein the amount that the second wing element overlaps the first wing element varies to vary the effective combined wing area of the wing elements.

An aerial vehicle including at least two side fuselages interconnected via a wing, at least one propulsion mechanism, and two side wings extending from respective ones of the side fuselages. Each side wing has a section as seen from the front that is in the shape of a polygon having at least four sides. The ratio between the height of the side wings and the wingspan of the aerial vehicle is between 0.15 to 0.25. Each side wing has a first wing portion extending in the same plane as the wing, a second wing portion extending vertically above the first wing portion and inclined rearwards and upwards, a third wing portion extending parallel to the first wing portion and extending rearwards while forming an angle with the front plane of the aerial vehicle, and a fourth wing portion extending vertically down to the rear end of the side fuselage.

A vertical take-off and landing aircraft which uses fixed rotors for both VTOL and forward flight operations. The wing rotors are tilted forward and provide some forward propulsion during horizontal flight. The rotors are positioned to achieve a high span efficiency. The rotors are positioned to even out the lift across the span of the synthetic wing. The synthetic wing may also have airfoils which may provide structural support for the rotors as well as providing lift during forward flight.

A deployment mechanism for use on an aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using deployable thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. The deployment mechanism may use linear actuation of a linkage assembly to deploy thrust producing rotor assemblies from a vertical thrust hove configuration to a horizontal thrust forward flight configuration. The aerial vehicle may include left side rotor assemblies and right side rotor assemblies which may be deployed by deployment mechanisms.

An aircraft including a fuselage having a forward portion and an aft portion with a propulsion system mounted within the aft portion of the fuselage. A burst zone is defined that extends outward from the propulsion system. The aircraft includes a box wing extending from the aft portion of the fuselage to a forward portion of the fuselage that is disposed outside of the burst zone.

An apparatus forming an aircraft which is designed for flight by movement through the air, the aircraft has a front and rear portions and a center of mass, with left and right sides when divided by a central plane of reference. The aircraft has inboard portions closer to said central plane of reference and outboard portions farther from said central plane of reference. Further, the aircraft contains at least one positive lifting aerodynamic surface configured to affect the flow of air near said at least one positive lifting aerodynamic surface when said aircraft is appropriately moving forward, and at least one elevon structure configured to create negative aerodynamic force when said aircraft is appropriately moving forward. The elevon structure is constructed so as to have outboard portions thereof positioned outward of said central plane of reference to a distance at least three-fourths of the distance from said central plane of reference to a tip end of said at least one wing.

Closed wing aircraft design and configuration with three wings on either side of the fuselage wherein at least one closed frame is established between the 1st wing and the 2nd wing, by using at least one bracing entity. A separate closed frame is established between the 2nd wing and the 3rd wing, by using at least one bracing entity. Each of said closed frames defines its own aerodynamic channel. The framework is strong and stiff, the mutually supported parts level out the stress. The fuselage is lifted in three points. The Aspect Ratio is high and the wingspan is relatively short but there are embodiments wherein the 3rd wing has an extended folding tip section.

An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using a set of wing mounted thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to vertical takeoff with the rotors in a rotated, take-off attitude then transitions to a horizontal flight path, with the rotors rotated to a typical horizontal configuration. The aerial vehicle may have deployment mechanisms which deploy electric motor driven propellers from a forward facing to a vertical orientation. The deployment mechanisms deploy the rotor forward and up as they deploy from a forward flight configuration to a vertical thrust configuration. A single motor may drive two co-axial propellers, with a first propeller driven when the motor spins in a first direction, and a second propeller driven when the motor spins in a second direction.

A craft is provided comprising: a propulsion system; a fuselage coupled with the propulsion system, wherein the fuselage is configured to carry a payload and fuel for the propulsion system; and a pre-assembled wing coupled with the fuselage; wherein the craft is designed to take-off without using a runway and does not have landing gear to land.