This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.

A telescoping tail assembly for use on an aircraft that has a fore-aft length. The telescoping tail assembly includes a housing extending in an aftward direction and a tailboom slidable along the housing into various positions including an extended position and a retracted position. A jackscrew is coupled to the tailboom. An actuator is coupled to the jackscrew and is configured to selectively rotate the jackscrew to translate the tailboom between the plurality of positions. The tailboom has one or more control surfaces coupled thereto. The tailboom increases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the extended position and decreases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the retracted position.

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.

Rotorcraft including a fuselage, at least three rotor system arms, a forward propulsion unit for providing forward propulsion to the rotorcraft and a flight control system. Each rotor system arm has a rotor system including a mast having at least two rotor blades and an electric rotor motor coupled to the mast for driving the mast whereupon the rotor blades act as a rotating rotor disc. Each rotor system has an individually controllable collective rotor blade pitch. At least one rotor system has a controllable cyclic rotor blade pitch. The flight control system controls the at least three electric rotor motors, the collective rotor blade pitch of each rotor system, the cyclic rotor blade pitch of the at least one rotor system and the forward propulsion unit in response to an input control indicating a desired maneuver to operate the rotorcraft for takeoff, flight and landing.

Rotorcraft including a fuselage, at least three rotor system arms, a forward propulsion unit for providing forward propulsion to the rotorcraft and a flight control system. Each rotor system arm has a rotor system including a mast having at least two rotor blades and an electric rotor motor coupled to the mast for driving the mast whereupon the rotor blades act as a rotating rotor disc. Each rotor system has an individually controllable collective rotor blade pitch. At least one rotor system has a controllable cyclic rotor blade pitch. The flight control system controls the at least three electric rotor motors, the collective rotor blade pitch of each rotor system, the cyclic rotor blade pitch of the at least one rotor system and the forward propulsion unit in response to an input control indicating a desired maneuver to operate the rotorcraft for takeoff, flight and landing.

This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising a fuselage outer shell defining a lateral axis, a longitudinal axis and a plurality of shell sides; fuselage center assembly positioned within a cavity defined by the fuselage outer shell; and a rotor arm and joint assembly. The plurality of the shell sides are concave with respect to the lateral axis or the longitudinal axis. The fuselage center assembly includes a lattice center defining a superior surface and an inferior surface as well as a plurality of channels, each channel having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein each proximal end is coupled to the superior surface and the inferior surface. The rotor arm has a proximal end and a distal end. A motor and rotor system is coupled to the distal end of the rotor arm. The rotor arm joint is coupled to the proximal end of the rotor arm, and the rotor arm joint further comprises an outer shell; and a plurality of quick release latches coupled to the outer shell and configured to coule the rotor arm joint to a plurality of corresponding latch receivers positioned.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising a fuselage outer shell defining a lateral axis, a longitudinal axis and a plurality of shell sides; fuselage center assembly positioned within a cavity defined by the fuselage outer shell; and a rotor arm and joint assembly. The plurality of the shell sides are concave with respect to the lateral axis or the longitudinal axis. The fuselage center assembly includes a lattice center defining a superior surface and an inferior surface as well as a plurality of channels, each channel having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein each proximal end is coupled to the superior surface and the inferior surface. The rotor arm has a proximal end and a distal end. A motor and rotor system is coupled to the distal end of the rotor arm. The rotor arm joint is coupled to the proximal end of the rotor arm, and the rotor arm joint further comprises an outer shell; and a plurality of quick release latches coupled to the outer shell and configured to coule the rotor arm joint to a plurality of corresponding latch receivers positioned.

Spring-integrated rotors are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a bracket defining a first rotational axis and coupled to a motor for rotating the bracket about the first rotational axis, a pivot body defining a second rotational axis extending along a direction different than the first rotational axis, the pivot body coupled to the bracket for rotation about the second rotational axis, and at least one spring device positioned at the bracket, the at least one spring device urging the pivot body toward a central position when the bracket is rotating.

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.