A hybrid airship (drone, UAV) capable of significantly extended flight times can use one of two technologies, or both together. The first technology uses a combination of a lifting gas (such as hydrogen or helium) in a central volume or balloon and multirotor technology for lift and maneuvering. The second technology equips the airship with an on board generator to charge the batteries during flight for extended flight operations, with an internal combustion engine (such as a high power to weight ratio gas turbine engine) driving the generator. A quadcopter or other multicopter configuration is desirable.

A passenger compartment which has a first connection device, by which the passenger compartment can be coupled to an aircraft, and a second connection device, by which the passenger compartment can be coupled to a land vehicle. The passenger compartment has an electrical circuit with an electrical energy storage. The electrical circuit of the passenger compartment has a coupling device by which electrical energy can be input from the electrical energy storage into an electrical circuit of the aircraft. The electrical circuit of the passenger compartment has a further coupling device by which electrical energy can be input from the electrical energy storage into an electrical circuit of the land vehicle.

A system and method for improving the flight control and efficiency of an aerial vehicle. Many embodiments are directed to a rotor-shroud assembly system where a plurality of rotor blades are connected to the internal side of a shroud and are set up to pivot through the use of a pitching mechanism. The entire assembly is configured to rotate when attached to a motor.

A modular aerial vehicle for inspection of enclosed and open space environments. The aerial vehicle is employed for inspection of various environments in remotely controlled and autonomous fashions. The aerial vehicle is capable of carrying different sensory modules depending on the specific application including surface inspection. Aerial vehicle may be connected to a tether cable for electrical power delivery and transmission of control commands. The aerial vehicle may utilize a landing structure which allows landing on any angled metallic or non-metallic surface.

A method may include receiving a request for drone-assisted media capture from a vehicle located at a first location, the request specifying one or more user preferences, selecting an unmanned aerial vehicle that is able to perform the drone-assisted media capture based on the user preferences, causing the selected unmanned aerial vehicle to travel to the first location, and causing the selected unmanned aerial vehicle to capture media at the first location based on the user preferences.

This disclosure details exemplary moonroof systems for vehicles. An exemplary moonroof system may include a pod assembly that may be received within an opening of a headliner. The pod assembly may be utilized to dock, deploy, and land an unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the moonroof system. The pod assembly may include a charging and cooling system for charging and cooling the unmanned aerial vehicle when it is docked within the pod assembly.

Embodiments herein describe mitigating flexible modes in an airframe of an aircraft by operating a battery for the aircraft as a tuned mass damper. One embodiment comprises an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The UAV includes a flexible airframe, a plurality of propulsors coupled to the flexible airframe that generate thrust for the UAV, a battery that provides electrical power for the plurality of propulsors, and a suspension system that suspends the battery from the flexible airframe and operates the mass of the battery as a tuned mass damper to dampen flexible modes generated in the flexible airframe during flight.

There is disclosed a system for enhanced aerial delivery capability. In an embodiment, there is provided an electro-mechanical cargo alignment and capture system to allow Unmanned Aerial Systems to align and collect/capture external cargo payloads. In another embodiment, there is provided an electro-mechanical cargo alignment and capture system to allow Unmanned Aerial Systems to align and secure external cargo payloads to ground docking stations. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

A multirotor aircraft 10 that is adapted for vertical take-off and landing, comprising a fuselage, a thrust producing units assembly that is provided for producing thrust in operation, and a forward-swept wing that comprises a portside half wing and a starboard side half wing. Each one of the portside and starboard side half wings comprises an inboard section that is connected to the fuselage and an outboard section that forms a wing tip. The inboard sections of the portside and starboard side half wings form a central wing region. The portside and starboard side half wings are respectively connected in the region of their wing tips to an associated outboard wing pod that supports at least two non-tiltably mounted thrust producing units of the thrust producing units assembly.