In one embodiment, systems and methods include using an evaporator coil with a solid oxide fuel cell generator to generate energy for an aircraft vehicle. The system comprises a solid oxide fuel cell generator operable to generate energy. The system further comprises a first tank fluidly coupled to the solid oxide fuel cell generator configured to discharge a fluid to the solid oxide fuel cell generator and to receive the fluid from an evaporator coil coupled to the solid oxide fuel cell generator. The system further comprises a second tank fluidly coupled to the first tank and having a volume of the fluid, wherein the second tank is configured to discharge the fluid to the first tank, wherein the evaporator coil receives the discharged fluid from the second tank and increases the temperature of the discharged fluid prior to the first tank receiving the discharged fluid.

A tailsitter aircraft includes an airframe, a thrust array attached to the airframe and a flight control system. The thrust array includes propulsion assemblies configured to transition the airframe from a forward flight orientation to a VTOL orientation at a conversion rate for an approach to a target ground location in a forward flight-to-VTOL transition phase. The flight control system implements an adaptive transition system including a transition parameter monitoring module configured to monitor parameters including a ground speed and a distance to the target ground location. The adaptive transition system includes a transition adjustment determination module configured to adjust the conversion rate of the airframe from the forward flight orientation to the VTOL orientation based on the ground speed and the distance to the target ground location such that the airframe is vertically aligned with the target ground location in the VTOL orientation of the forward flight-to-VTOL transition phase.

A system may be configured to cool and provide oxidant to an open cathode proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell (FC) stack comprising a plurality of FCs configured to operationally receive a first amount of fluid. Some embodiments may have the first amount be non-zero, and a controller may be configured to adjust the first amount such that a second amount of fluid substantially greater than the first amount is received at the FCs. The adjustment may be performed responsive to at least one of (i) a sensed attribute of one or more of the FCs changing by an amount that satisfies a danger criterion and (ii) an elapsed time of operation of the FC stack satisfying a periodicity criterion. The adjustment may cause the elapsed time to satisfy an endurance criterion.

A system may be configured to cool and provide oxidant to an open cathode proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell (FC) stack comprising a plurality of FCs configured to operationally receive a first amount of fluid. Some embodiments may have the first amount be non-zero, and a controller may be configured to adjust the first amount such that a second amount of fluid substantially greater than the first amount is received at the FCs. The adjustment may be performed responsive to at least one of (i) a sensed attribute of one or more of the FCs changing by an amount that satisfies a danger criterion and (ii) an elapsed time of operation of the FC stack satisfying a periodicity criterion. The adjustment may cause the elapsed time to satisfy an endurance criterion.

A drone equipped with fuel cell power pack capable of reducing weight by supplying power from a fuel cell while enabling long-term operation of a drone is provided. The drone equipped with fuel cell power pack may include a case including a wing part placed along an outer circumference of the case, a module frame placed in the case, a fuel cell unit placed in the module frame with a weight balance; and a gas tank mounted on the module frame and connected to the fuel cell unit. Because an overall weight balance of the fuel cell power pack itself can be maintained, even if it is integrally mounted inside the drone, the stable operation of the drone can be achieved.

A drone equipped with fuel cell power pack capable of reducing weight by supplying power from a fuel cell while enabling long-term operation of a drone is provided. The drone equipped with fuel cell power pack may include a case including a wing part placed along an outer circumference of the case, a module frame placed in the case, a fuel cell unit placed in the module frame with a weight balance; and a gas tank mounted on the module frame and connected to the fuel cell unit. Because an overall weight balance of the fuel cell power pack itself can be maintained, even if it is integrally mounted inside the drone, the stable operation of the drone can be achieved.

A mobile towing and lifting system and associated methods, comprising a retractable tug, coupled to an aerial vehicle, wherein the tug is configured to transfer electrical power and data to and from the aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle may comprise an airship, multirotor aircraft, fixed wing aircraft, buoyant aircraft or a combination of the like. The mobile towing and lifting system may be applied to wireless charging, and aerial logistics applications.

A tethered aerial system includes an on-board fuel cell for powering on-board electronics and a tether cable is less conductive than air. The tether cable includes a pipe for carrying a flow of gas to the fuel cell and/or maintain the gas level in a lighter-than-air platform, so that the tethered aerial system can remain operational for an extended period of time. The system is particularly applicable for maintaining communication links in remote areas, agriculture and applications in the IoT (Internet of Things), event coverage, interactive marketing, for post-disaster situations in rural areas and at mining sites or construction sites in remote environments. The present invention also is immune to rays.

A fuel cell power pack for a drone and a state information monitoring method thereof are provided. The fuel cell power pack for a drone may include a power pack main body coupled to the drone, a fuel cell stack module disposed in the power pack main body to receive fuel and air to supply a power to the drone, a state information detector configured to detect state information of the fuel cell stack module, a power pack communicator configured to transmit information to an outside of the power pack main body or receive the information from the outside thereof by wire or wirelessly, and a power pack controller configured to control the power pack communicator to transmit the state information of the fuel cell stack module detected by the state information detector to the outside of the power pack main body.

Methods and systems for a clean fuel, manned or unmanned aircraft, having an electric, low-emission or zero-emission lift and propulsion system, an integrated highway in the sky avionics system for navigation and guidance, a tablet-based motion command, or mission planning system to provide the operator with drive-by-wire style direction control, and automatic on-board-capability to provide traffic awareness, weather display and collision avoidance. Automatic computer monitoring by a programmed multiple-redundant autopilot control units control each motor-controller and motor to produce pitch, bank, yaw and elevation, while simultaneously restricting the flight regime that the pilot can command, to protect the pilot from inadvertent potentially harmful acts that might lead to loss of control or loss of vehicle stability. By using the results of the state measurements to inform motor control commands, the methods and systems contribute to the operational simplicity, reliability and safety of the vehicle.