An electrically powered aerial vehicle includes at least one motor where each motor includes a stator and a rotor, a motor housing having an inlet opening and a discharge opening for airflow, a plurality of rotor blades rotatable by the rotor, each of the plurality of rotor blades having a cavity running from a proximal end of the rotor blade towards a distal end of the rotor blade, and a blade hub coupled to the rotor blades at the proximal end of each rotor blade and coupled to the motor housing at the discharge opening. A chamber is defined in the blade hub and is in fluid communication with the discharge opening of the motor housing and the cavity of each rotor blade. The airflow is centrifugally drawn in from the motor housing through the discharge opening and transported through the chamber and into the cavities of the rotor blades when the rotor blades are rotating.

Techniques for deicing propellers for mobile platforms are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system is provided. The system may include a propeller comprising a propeller blade having a channel extending from an ingress aperture to an egress aperture along a longitudinal axis of the propeller blade. The system may further include a cowl comprising an air duct configured to direct heated air into the channel to deice the propeller blade. The cowl may be configured to selectively couple to the propeller and an electric motor and form a seal between the cowl and the electric motor to capture the heated air exuded by the electric motor. Additional systems and methods are also disclosed.

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of a multicopter-assisted launch and retrieval system generally including: (1) a multi-rotor modular multicopter attachable to (and detachable from) a fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; (2) a storage and launch system usable to store the modular multicopter and to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; and (3) an anchor system usable (along with the multicopter and a flexible capture member) to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.

The present disclosure provides an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a housing containing electronic components required of the UAV and a heat transfer device for cooling heat generated by said electronic components; at least one boom for connecting said housing to at least one propeller. The boom includes one or more inlet located on a first surface of the boom and within an airflow of said at least one propeller; at least one outlet on a second surface of the boom; a hallow channel extending in interior of the boom from said at least one inlet to said at least one outlet, wherein said airflow generated by said at least one propeller passes into said at least one inlet through the hollow channel to said at least one outlet providing cooling for said heat transfer device.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a rotorcraft-assisted system and method for launching and retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft into and from free flight. The launch and retrieval system includes a modular multicopter, a storage and launch system, an anchor system, a flexible capture member, and an aircraft-landing structure. The multicopter is attachable to the fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate launching the fixed-wing aircraft into free, wing-borne flight. The storage and launch system is usable to store the multicopter (when disassembled) and to act as a launch mount for the fixed-wing aircraft by retaining the fixed-wing aircraft in a desired launch orientation. The anchor system is usable with the multicopter, the flexible capture member, and the aircraft-landing structure to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from free, wing-borne flight.

Provided are a stator, and a propeller driving device and an aircraft using the stator. The propeller driving device includes: a radial gap type BLDC motor with an inner rotor-outer stator structure where a rotor is placed in a circumferential shape with an air gap inside a stator; and a propeller installation bracket for mounting a propeller to a rotary shaft of the motor, wherein the stator includes: a stator core including an annular back yoke having a predetermined width to form a magnetic circuit and teeth extending from the back yoke in a central direction; an insulator formed to surround an outer circumferential surface on which a coil is wound in each tooth; and a stator coil wound around an outer circumferential surface of the insulator in each tooth. The insulator is formed of an insulating heat dissipation composite material having both heat dissipation performance and insulation performance.

One variation of a system for generating thrust at an aerial vehicle includes: a primary electric motor; a rotor coupled to the motor; an internal-combustion engine; a clutch interposed between the motor and an output shaft of the internal-combustion engine; an engine shroud defining a shroud inlet between the rotor and the internal-combustion engine, extending over the internal-combustion engine, and defining a shroud outlet opposite the rotor; a cooling fan coupled and configured to displace air through the engine shroud; and a local controller configured to receive a rotor speed command specifying a target rotor speed, adjust a throttle setpoint of the internal-combustion engine according to the target rotor speed and a state of charge of a battery in the aerial vehicle, and drive the primary electric motor to selectively output torque to the rotor and to regeneratively brake the rotor according to the target rotor speed.

One variation of a system for generating thrust at an aerial vehicle includes: a primary electric motor; a rotor coupled to the motor; an internal-combustion engine; a clutch interposed between the motor and an output shaft of the internal-combustion engine; an engine shroud defining a shroud inlet between the rotor and the internal-combustion engine, extending over the internal-combustion engine, and defining a shroud outlet opposite the rotor; a cooling fan coupled and configured to displace air through the engine shroud; and a local controller configured to receive a rotor speed command specifying a target rotor speed, adjust a throttle setpoint of the internal-combustion engine according to the target rotor speed and a state of charge of a battery in the aerial vehicle, and drive the primary electric motor to selectively output torque to the rotor and to regeneratively brake the rotor according to the target rotor speed.

A rotorcraft and an assembly and disassembly structure for a foot stand and an airframe of a rotorcraft are provided. The foot stand is disposed to a bottom of the airframe, the airframe has an accommodating groove, a top wall of the accommodating groove is provided with a hole, and a side wall of the accommodating groove is provided with a clamping slot, and the assembly and disassembly structure includes a fixing stand fixedly connected to the foot stand and accommodated in the accommodating groove; a plug pin movably mounted into the fixing stand, in which a portion of the plug pin passes through an upper surface of the fixing stand and forms an insertion end, and the insertion end matches the hole and is inserted into the hole; and an elastic component mounted in the fixing stand and connected to the plug pin.

A rotorcraft and a connecting structure for an arm and an airframe of a rotorcraft are provided. The connecting structure includes: a fixed sleeve pipe configured to extend out from a circumferential edge of the airframe; an insertion head configured to be disposed to the first end of the arm and configured to be inserted into the fixed sleeve pipe; a lock sleeve configured to be fitted over the arm and having an insertion portion configured to be embedded into the insertion groove; and a lock nut configured to be fitted over the arm and configured for being in threaded connection with the fixed sleeve pipe.