A power electronics converter may include: a first multi-layer planar carrier substrate having one or more electrically conductive layers; a second multi-layer planar carrier substrate having one or more electrically conductive layers; a converter commutation cell circuit including a plurality of commutation cell components that are electrically connected together via the one or more electrically conductive layers of the first planar carrier substrate and electrical connections, the commutation cell components including one or more power semiconductor switching elements in one or more power semiconductor prepackages, each power semiconductor prepackage including a power semiconductor switching element embedded in a solid insulating material; one or more additional converter components electrically connected to the one or more electrically conductive layers of the second planar carrier substrate; and one or more further electrical connections connecting together one or more of the electrically conductive layers of the first carrier substrate and the second carrier substrate.

A method for controlling an electric machine of an aircraft, has: monitoring an electric energy storage module associated with the electric machine for an exceedance of a current limit associated with the electric energy storage module; monitoring a generator module associated with the electric machine for an exceedance of a current limit associated with the generator module; and when one or both of the current limit associated with the electric energy storage module and the current limit associated with the generator module is exceeded by a respective exceedance amount, reducing a power consumption of the electric machine below a normal operating target by means of a bias on a controller until the exceedance of the current limit associated with the electric energy storage and the exceedance of the current limit associated with the generator module reach a specified amount.

A propulsion assembly includes a first torque source coupled with a first shaft and a second torque source coupled with a second shaft. A coupler selectively couples the first and second torque sources. When the first and second torque sources are coupled via the coupler, in response to a command to decouple the first torque source, an unloading operation is performed to decrease the torque output provided by the first torque source to a threshold, and when reached, the first shaft is decoupled from the coupler. When the first torque source is coupled with the coupler but the second torque source is not, in response to a command to couple the second torque source, a speed matching operation is performed to increase the speed of the second shaft to match a speed of the first shaft, and when the speeds are matched, the second shaft is coupled to the coupler.

One variation of an aircraft includes: a fuselage; a set of wings; a set of lift motors integrated into the set of wings; a set of batteries housed within the fuselage and electrically coupled to the set of lift motors; a set of lift propellers mechanically coupled to the set of lift motors; a forward-motion propeller; an engine mechanically coupled to the forward-motion propeller; and a controller. The controller is configured to: supply power to the set of lift motors to actuate the set of lift propellers to drive vertical motion of the aircraft in a take-off state; trigger actuation of the forward-motion propeller via the engine to drive forward motion of the aircraft in a forward-flight state.

A method for operating a hybrid-electric propulsion system of an aircraft, the hybrid-electric propulsion system comprising a gas turbine engine having a compressor and an electric machine coupled to the compressor, the method comprising: sensing data indicative of a pressure within the compressor of the gas turbine engine; determining conditions within the compressor are within a threshold of a stall limit for the compressor based at least in part on the sensed data indicative of the pressure within the compressor of the gas turbine engine; and modifying a torque of the compressor using the electric machine in response to determining the conditions within the compressor are within the threshold of the stall limit for the compressor to reduce a risk of compressor stall.

An aircraft, such as a rotary-wing aircraft, may be selectably fitted with power modules that may be installed in or removed from corresponding openings in the aircraft fuselage. The power modules may be interchangeable with other power modules, The power modules may utilize different technologies or thermodynamic cycles to generate power, including electrical batteries, fuel cells, a turbine powered generator, a reciprocating engine-powered generator, a turbine engine, a reciprocating engine, or other electrical or mechanical sources of power. The power modules may transfer electrical or mechanical power to the aircraft to maintain the aircraft in flight or to provide propulsion to the aircraft. An aircraft control system may detect the installed power modules and adjust inceptors and displays to correspond to the installed power modules.

An aircraft propulsion system includes a hybrid-electric power plant for delivering power to an air mover for propelling an aircraft. The hybrid-electric power plant includes a heat engine operatively connected to a first air mover, and an electric motor operatively connected to a second air mover. The second air mover is positioned on a wing of the aircraft outboard from the heat engine. A method for reducing trailing vortices includes powering a first air mover of an aircraft with a heat engine during a take-off stage, a climb stage, a cruise-stage and/or a descent stage. The method includes powering a second air mover of the aircraft with an electrical motor during the take-off stage and/or the climb stage. The method includes freewheeling the second air mover during the cruise stage and/or the descent stage to generate mechanical energy and reduce wing tip vortices.

Electrical architecture for an aircraft with thermal/electrical hybrid propulsion, comprising, for each turbine engine: an aeroplane AC electrical network, at least one first electrical machine mechanically coupled to a high-pressure shaft of the turbine engine; at least one second electrical machine mechanically coupled to a low-pressure shaft of the turbine engine; a reversible AC/AC electrical energy conversion module; switch elements; and an electronic system for controlling the conversion module and the switch elements, configured to put the architecture: in at least one so-called power distribution hybridisation operating mode corresponding to a first configuration of the switch elements in which the at least one second machine is coupled to the aeroplane network and at least one first machine is coupled to the aeroplane network via the electrical energy conversion module.

A propulsion system for an aircraft is provided that includes an electric generator, a compressor, an internal combustion (IC) engine, a turbine, an electric power storage unit, and an electric motor. The compressor is configured to selectively produce a flow of compressor air at an air pressure greater than an ambient air pressure. The IC engine is configured to selectively intake compressor air during operation and produce an exhaust gas flow during operation. The turbine, powered by exhaust gas flow, is in communication with and configured to power the compressor and the electric generator. The electric power storage unit is in communication with the electric generator. The electric motor is in communication with the IC engine. The electric motor is powered by the electrical power produced by the electric generator, and the electric motor is configured to selectively provide motive force to the IC engine.

An unmanned aerial vehicle capable of VTOL operation can include: a vehicle body defining longitudinal and transverse directions and opposing longitudinal sides; a first support boom coupled to the vehicle body at a first transverse axis and extending outwardly from the opposing longitudinal sides; a second support boom coupled to the vehicle body at a second transverse axis positioned rearward from the first transverse axis and extending outwardly from the opposing longitudinal sides; a plurality of electric motors coupled to a one of the first and second support booms, at least two electric motors of the plurality of electric motors positioned on each of the first and second support booms, a rotation axis of each of the at least two electric motors coupled to the second support boom offset in a transverse direction from a rotation axis of each of the at least two adjacent electric motors coupled to the first support boom; a plurality of rotors; and a propulsion system.