An unmanned helicopter platform includes a fuselage, a tail coupled with the fuselage, a payload rail coupled with and extending along the fuselage and a main rotor assembly coupled with the fuselage. The tail includes a tail rotor and a tail rotor motor. The main rotor assembly includes a main rotor having an axis of rotation and a main rotor motor. The payload rail allows mechanical connection of payloads to the fuselage and positioning of the payloads such that a center of gravity of the payloads is alignable with the axis of rotation. A system for controlling the unmanned helicopter includes a processor and a memory for providing instructions to the processor. The processor can receive a task, dynamically determine a route for the task and autonomously perform the task including flying along at least part of the route. The route is based on the task, geography and terrain.

The present technology is directed to a remotely controlled aircraft that can be transported without the risk of damaging certain components, such as the arms and/or propellers. In one non-limiting example, the remotely controlled aircraft technology described herein provides a housing that allows the arms of the remotely controlled aircraft to extend and/or retract through openings in the housing. When retracted, the arms and propellers are protected within an area of the structure of the housing, and when extended, the arms and propellers are operable to make the remotely controlled aircraft fly.

Methods and apparatus to recover rotorcraft are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a rotor of a vehicle, a rotatable hub to support the rotor, and a rotor hook disposed on the rotor. The rotor hook has a groove to receive a recovery line. The rotor is to contact the recovery line when the vehicle is flown toward the recovery line.

An aerial vehicle is provided including rotor units connected to the aerial vehicle, and a control system configured to operate at least one of the rotor units. The rotor unit includes rotor blades, wherein each rotor blade includes a surface area, and wherein an asymmetric parameter is defined, at least in part, by the relationship between the surface areas of the rotor blades. The value of the asymmetric parameter is selected such that the operation of the rotor unit: (i) moves the rotor blades such that each rotor blade produces a respective vortex and (ii) the respective vortices cause the rotor unit to produce a sound output having an energy distribution defined, at least in part, by a set of frequencies, wherein the set of frequencies includes a fundamental frequency, one or more harmonic frequencies, and one or more non-harmonic frequencies having a respective strength greater than a threshold strength.

A rotating apparatus includes a rotating assembly and a position-limiting assembly. The rotating assembly includes a driving unit and at least one rotating component. The driving unit is adapted to drive the rotating component to rotate with a first axis. The position-limiting assembly includes a position-limiting component, at least one first column, and a buckling component. The position-limiting assembly is disposed on the rotating assembly and is adapted to limit a position of the rotating component. The first column is connected to the position-limiting component. The position-limiting component is located between the rotating component and the buckling component and is able to move along the first axis. The buckling component is movably disposed on the position-limiting component and has at least one buckling portion. The buckling portion is adapted to be buckled to the first column or move away from the first column.

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.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a fuselage, a power driving unit, and an UAV arm. The UAV arm includes a cantilever, a mounting base, and a connecting portion. The mounting base is connected to a first end of the cantilever. The mounting base is configured for a power driving unit of the UAV to be mounted. The connecting portion is connected to a second end of the cantilever. The connecting portion is configured to be connected to the fuselage of the UAV. An upper end of a cross section of the cantilever is arc-shaped, and a lower end of the cross section of the cantilever is pointed. The cross section of the cantilever is a section perpendicular to a direction from the first end of the cantilever toward the second end of the cantilever.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a fuselage, a power driving unit, and an UAV arm. The UAV arm includes a cantilever, a mounting base, and a connecting portion. The mounting base is connected to a first end of the cantilever. The mounting base is configured for a power driving unit of the UAV to be mounted. The connecting portion is connected to a second end of the cantilever. The connecting portion is configured to be connected to the fuselage of the UAV. An upper end of a cross section of the cantilever is arc-shaped, and a lower end of the cross section of the cantilever is pointed. The cross section of the cantilever is a section perpendicular to a direction from the first end of the cantilever toward the second end of the cantilever.

A blade includes a main body and an edge disposed around a periphery of the main body. A part of the edge includes a soft layer and an intermediate layer connected between the soft layer and the main body. The intermediate layer includes a soft component and a hard component stacked one on another when viewing in a cross-section along a width direction of the blade or along a length direction of the blade.

A blade includes a main body and an edge disposed around a periphery of the main body. A part of the edge includes a soft layer and an intermediate layer connected between the soft layer and the main body. The intermediate layer includes a soft component and a hard component stacked one on another when viewing in a cross-section along a width direction of the blade or along a length direction of the blade.