A power module includes a turbine arranged along a rotation axis, an interconnect shaft fixed in rotation relative to the turbine, and a compressor with a regenerative compressor wheel. The regenerative compressor wheel is fixed in rotation relative to the interconnect shaft supported for rotation with the turbine about the rotation axis. Generator arrangements, unmanned aerial vehicles, and methods of generating electrical power are also described.

The disclosure relates to a propeller drive that is, in particular, an aircraft drive and includes a propeller machine and an electric drive connected without a converter to the propeller machine. The aircraft includes such a propeller drive.

A vertical take-off aircraft with a propulsion drive for generating a driving force being effective in a horizontal direction and with a lift drive for generating a lifting force being effective in a vertical direction includes a motor for providing mechanical energy for the propulsion drive and a first generator for providing electrical energy for the lift drive. Moreover, the aircraft includes an exhaust gas turbocharger for the motor with a first turbine being driven by an exhaust gas flow of the motor, wherein the first turbine is configured to provide mechanical energy for the propulsion drive.

An electric power supply apparatus includes a first power supply unit, a second power supply unit, diodes, detection units, and an electric power control unit. The first power supply unit and the second power supply unit supply electric power to a thruster which is a load. The diodes are provided in the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit, respectively, to restrict reverse flow of currents to the power supply units. The detection units are provided between the first power supply unit and the thruster and between the second power supply unit and the thruster, respectively, to detect at least one of a voltage and a current. The electric power control unit controls electric power transmission between the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit based on detection values of the detection units.

An adaptable lattice structure (110, 120, 130, 140) for a an Unmanned Aerial System, UAS, comprising: a plurality of lattice voxels (100, 102), wherein each lattice voxel (100, 102) comprises: a plurality of same shape elements (10, 12); wherein each same shape element (10, 12) comprises a plurality of connector elements (20), wherein the plurality of connector elements (20) are configured to temporarily couple a first same shape element (10) to at least a second same shape element (12); wherein the plurality of same shape elements (10, 12) are configured to be temporarily coupled so as to form a three dimensional lattice voxel (100); and wherein at least one of the connector elements (20) on a first lattice voxel (100) is configured to temporarily couple the first lattice voxel (100) to a second lattice voxel (102) after the formation of the first lattice voxel (100) and the second lattice voxel (102).

An unmanned aircraft includes a propulsion system having a diesel or kerosene internal combustion engine and a charger device for engine charging. The propulsion system can be a hybrid propulsion system or a parallel hybrid propulsion system.

UAV configurations and battery augmentation for UAV internal combustion engines, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative configuration includes a fuselage, first and second wings coupled to and pivotable relative to the fuselage, and a plurality of lift rotors carried by the fuselage. A representative battery augmentation arrangement includes a DC-powered motor, an electronic speed controller, and a genset subsystem coupled to the electronic speed controller. The genset subsystem can include a battery set, an alternator, and a motor-gen controller having a phase control circuit configurable to rectify multiphase AC output from the alternator to produce rectified DC feed to the DC-powered motor. The motor-gen controller is configurable to draw DC power from the battery set to produce the rectified DC feed.

A torque and pitch managed four rotor aircraft includes intersecting blades connected by synchronizing gears. The power for the rotors is provided by individual motors, one for each rotor, the motors preferably electric. Each rotor-motor assembly includes a torque management system including a set of torque sensors mounted on the drive shaft of the rotor-motor, the torque management system configured to balance the load torque presented by the rotors against the torque supplied by the motors. An additional overriding feedback system regulates rotational speed of the rotors. Direction of the aircraft is effected by adjusting the pitch of the individual rotors, and power is supplied through a battery and/or a motor-generator system located in the aircraft.

A hybrid rotary aircraft includes a body having an inner area; a plurality of arms rigidly attached to and extending from the body; a plurality of rotor assemblies pivotally engaged with the plurality of arms; a first gas engine; and a first brushless electric generator rotatably attached to the first gas engine and conductively coupled to each of the brushless electric motors. The plurality of rotor assemblies each having a brushless electric motor; and a rotor blades rotatably attached to the brushless electric motor.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is described. The UAV includes a first battery to power multiple first and multiple second electronic components of UAV. A power consumption of each first electronic component is greater than a power threshold. A power consumption of each second electronic component is less than or equal to the power threshold. The UAV includes a generator and a battery management system (BMS). The generator generates an electrical power through rotation of a shaft of a motor of UAV. The BMS charges the first battery using the electrical power generated by the generator when the UAV is during operation and a stored charge of the first battery drops to a first predefined level, and charges a second battery using the stored charge of the first battery when a stored charge of the second battery drops to a second predefined level.