A propulsion device and a single-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle are provided. The propulsion device includes a duct, a main rotor, and at least two grid wings. The main rotor is located in the duct and is configured to drive fluid to flow in the duct to generate power. The at least two grid wings are located on a side of the main rotor, and a grid wing has a plurality of grid walls spaced apart and extended along an axial direction of the duct. Two side edges of a predetermined cross section of each grid wall have different shapes to generate a lift force under a pressure difference of the fluid flowing through the grid wing. The grid wing is configured to form a torque opposite to a torque of the main rotor under the lift force.

Disclosed herein is a flying taxi for facilitating the transportation of payloads, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the flying taxi may include a pod, a processing device, a presentation device, and an aerial vehicle. Further, the pod may be configured to receive a payload. Further, the pod may include a weight sensor disposed on the pod. Further, the weight sensor may be configured to generate a weight data corresponding to a weight of the payload. Further, the processing device may be communicatively coupled with the weight sensor. Further, the processing device may be configured for analyzing the weight data. Further, the processing device may be configured for generating a notification based on the analyzing. Further, the presentation device may be communicatively coupled with the processing device. Further, the aerial vehicle may be detachably couplable with the pod using a coupling mechanism.

A flying vehicle with a fuselage having a longitudinal axis, a cockpit extending substantially from the center of the fuselage, a left front wing extending from the fuselage, a right front wing extending from the fuselage, a left rear wing extending from the fuselage, a right rear wing extending from the fuselage. Each wing contains a rotor rotatably mounted and a direct drive brushless motor providing directional control of the vehicle. A centrally located ducted fan encompasses the cockpit and provides VTOL capabilities. The central location of the cockpit and central ducted fan aid in balance and stability. The central ducted fan is itself a brushless motor with the stator windings encapsulated in the ducted fan housing and rotor magnets within the fan. All motors and rotatable mounts are controlled by a fly-by-wire system integrated into a central computer with avionics allowing for autonomous flight.

A robust amphibious air vehicle incorporates a fuselage with buoyant stabilizers and wings extending from the fuselage. At least one lift fan is mounted in the fuselage. Movable propulsion units carried by the wings are rotatable through a range of angles adapted for vertical and horizontal flight operations.

A propeller drive assembly includes an electric motor having a stator and a rotor. During operation the motor generates heat. A propeller made from a thermally conductive plastic includes a hub that is secured to the rotor portion of the motor so that the heat generated within the motor is transferred by conductance through the thermally conductive hub and propeller and then, by convection, is absorbed by the surrounding air, as the propeller rotates through the air. A thermally conductive interface material can be positioned between the rotor portion of the motor and the hub of the propeller to increase the thermal efficiency of the heat transfer between the motor and the propeller. A thermally conductive grease can be used as the interface material and an O-ring seal can be provided about the rotor to prevent the grease from escaping during motor operation.

An aerial platform having motive devices for obtaining and maintaining loft of the aerial platform, the motive devices being pivotable relative to a wing of the aerial platform for aerial maneuvering of the aerial platform while generally maintaining stable disposition of the wing relative to the ground. The motive devices may include blades having selectively adjustable pitch for varying output force of respective motive devices. The aerial platform may further include one or more bladed turbines outwardly coupled to the wing and drivable by wind for generating power for the aerial platform. In some cases, the aerial platform may be tethered via a flexible power cable to a power source.

Methods for performing maintenance operations using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The methods are enabled by equipping a UAV with a maintenance tool capable of performing a desired maintenance operation (e.g., nondestructive inspection) on a limited-access surface of a large structure or object (e.g., a wind turbine blade). The UAV uses re-orientation of lifting means (e.g., vertical rotors) to move the maintenance tool continuously or intermittently across the surface of the structure while maintaining contact with the surface of the structure undergoing maintenance.

A multicopter having a plurality of propellers is provided with electric motors, at least one main battery, a generator, and an engine. The electric motors drive the propellers. The main battery is a first electric power source that supplies the electric power to the electric motors. The generator is a second electric power source that supplies the electric power to the electric motors. The engine drives the generator. When a remaining capacity of the main battery is less than a threshold, the generator charges the main battery with the electric power that has been converted from motive power from the engine.

An aerial vehicle includes a communication interface configured to acquire information pertaining to a transportation system from a communication terminal, a propulsion unit for flying, and a controller configured to control the propulsion unit. The controller outputs the information pertaining to the transportation system by controlling at least one of the propulsion unit and the communication interface.

An autonomous thrust vectoring ring wing pod is disclosed. A plurality of distributed propulsion element (thruster) layout within a self-articulating ring wing pod allows the pod to selectively control its thrust vector by controlling each propulsion element in the pod. This arrangement allows autonomous and independent control of the tilting of the ring wing relative to the aircraft. The ring wing pod acts as both a nacelle to house the propulsion elements as well as a lifting surface when in wing-borne flight. The autonomous thrust vectoring ring wing pod also provides superior aircraft attitude control in wing-borne flight, thus negating the need for conventional surface controls.