An aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing and stationary flight includes a distributed airframe coupled to a modular fuselage. The modular fuselage has a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to a rotational axis of three or more propellers. The modular fuselage includes a rear module substantially disposed within a perimeter of the distributed airframe, a front module removably connected to the rear module and substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis. One or more engines or motors are disposed within or attached to the distributed airframe or fuselage. The three or more propellers are proximate to a leading edge of the distributed airframe, distributed along the distributed airframe, and operably connected to the one or more engines or motors to provide lift whenever the aircraft is in vertical takeoff and landing and stationary flight.

A hybrid electric aircraft propulsion system at least includes a motor with induction effect to drive a propeller or propulsion fan. The motor is directly supplied from the electrical output of a generator. The generator is driven by a variable speed engine and as such the generator has a output frequency proportional to the speed of the engine. A controller is operatively coupled to the motor, the generator and the engine. The controller is operable to control a speed of the engine and the excitation of the generator to provide an output at a target voltage and frequency to drive the motor at a desired torque and speed.

An electrical power generation system includes a micro turbo alternator having combustion chamber, a turbine driven by combustion gases from the combustion chamber and a compressor operably connected to the combustion chamber to provide a compressed airflow thereto. A permanent magnet generator is located along a shaft connecting the compressor and turbine such that electrical power is generated via rotation of the shaft, and a cyclonic dirt separator operably connected to a compressor inlet. The cyclonic dirt separator includes an air inlet, and an air exhaust disposed at opposing ends of a housing. The cyclonic dirt separator is configured to induce circumferential rotation into the airflow entering through the air inlet, and separate the airflow into a clean airflow and a relatively dirty airflow, such that the relatively dirty airflow flows through the air exhaust and the clean airflow is directed to the compressor inlet.

A hybrid aerial vehicle (HAV) comprising: a fuselage of the HAV; a first mechanism within the fuselage for accepting a plurality of wings of the HAV, the first mechanism allowing coordinated contraction of the plurality of wings essentially into the fuselage such that tips of the wings are position in proximity of the fuselage and coordinated extension of the wings such that tips of each wing are positioned away from the fuselage; a first wing extending from the port side of the fuselage and connected to the first mechanism; a second wing extending from the starboard side of the fuselage and connected to the first mechanism; a second mechanism placed within the fuselage in proximity to its front end, the second mechanism allowing motion of propellers of the HAV affixed there to between a first plain and a second plain; a first set of propellers affixed at the port side of the fuselage to the second mechanism; a second set of propellers affixed at the starboard side of the fuselage to the second mechanism; a third mechanism placed within the fuselage in proximity to its rear end, the third mechanism allowing motion of propellers of the HAV affixed there to between a first plain and a second plain, and further placing the propellers affixed thereto to be at a vertical displacement with respect to the propellers affixed to the second mechanism; a third set of propellers affixed at the port side of the fuselage to the third mechanism; and a fourth set of propellers affixed at the starboard side of the fuselage to the third mechanism.

Disclosed is a system for a gas turbine engine, the gas turbine engine comprising a primary shaft, the system including a rotor shaft; a plurality of components connected to the rotor shaft, including a wound field synchronous main machine (MM) and a permanent magnet generator (PMG); and wherein the PMG, alone or with the MM provide torque to change rotational speed of the rotor shaft, thereby changing rotational speed of the primary shaft.

The present invention provides a rotor, an axial flux electrical machine and a hybrid-electrical or electrical air craft. The rotor for the axial flux electrical machine comprises first sections of a first material and second sections of a second material. The first sections and second sections are arranged in alternating order and ring-shape. The arrangement is characterized by third sections which form interface areas between the first sections and second sections, whereas the third sections are comprising the first material and the second material in such a manner that the first section and the second section are connected force-fitted.

A drive system for an electrically-driven aircraft can include a first motor controller and a second motor controller. The first motor controller can control a motor to propel a vehicle housing. The first motor controller can control the motor using a parameter measured with a sensor that is configured to monitor a motor system component. The second motor controller can control the motor in place of the first motor controller to propel the vehicle housing. The second motor controller can control the motor without using a physical position and a change in the physical position of any motor system component measured with any sensor.

A hybrid gas-electric turbine engine for turboprop or turboshaft applications is disclosed together with associated methods. In various embodiments disclosed herein, the turbine engine comprises a turbine configured to be driven by a flow of combustion gas; a turbine shaft configured to be driven by the turbine and transfer power to a load coupled to the turbine engine and an electric motor configured to transfer power to the load coupled to the turbine engine. The rotor may have a rotor axis of rotation that is radially offset from a shaft axis of rotation of the turbine shaft. In some embodiments, the electric motor may be a multi-rotor electric motor.

A method is provided for operating a propulsion system of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, the propulsion system including a turbomachine, an electric machine, a forward thrust propulsor, and a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans. The method includes driving the forward thrust propulsor with the turbomachine; rotating the electric machine with the turbomachine to generate electrical power; determining a failure condition of the turbomachine; and providing electrical power to the electric machine to drive the forward thrust propulsor with the electric machine in response to determining the failure condition of the turbomachine.

Hybrid aircraft propulsors having electrically-driven augmentor fans are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a turbofan having a core engine and a ducted fan to be rotated via the core engine. The ducted fan includes a plurality of ducted fan blades arranged circumferentially around the core engine and circumscribed by a nacelle. The example apparatus further includes an augmentor fan having an augmentor hub ring and a plurality of augmentor fan blades. The augmentor fan blades are arranged circumferentially around the augmentor hub ring and project outwardly relative to an outer surface of the nacelle. The augmentor fan is to rotate separately from the ducted fan. The example apparatus further includes an electrical drive to rotate the augmentor hub ring in response to a supply of electrical energy provided to the electrical drive.