An aircraft propeller, including a propeller shaft and propeller blades or propeller airfoils secured on the propeller shaft, wherein an inlet-side flow channel and an outlet-side flow channel are introduced into each of the propeller blades or each of the propeller airfoils, wherein each inlet-side flow channel has an inlet opening and each outlet-side flow channel has an outlet opening on each of the propeller blades or propeller airfoils, wherein each inlet-side flow channel has a connection to the outlet-side flow channel of a respective other propeller blade or propeller airfoil such that air flowing in via the inlet-side flow channel flows out via the outlet-side flow channel of the respective other propeller blade or propeller airfoil, and wherein the inlet opening and the outlet opening of each propeller blade or propeller airfoil are arranged on different sides of the propeller blade or propeller airfoil.

An electrically powered aerial vehicle includes at least one motor where each motor includes a stator and a rotor, a motor housing having an inlet opening and a discharge opening for airflow, a plurality of rotor blades rotatable by the rotor, each of the plurality of rotor blades having a cavity running from a proximal end of the rotor blade towards a distal end of the rotor blade, and a blade hub coupled to the rotor blades at the proximal end of each rotor blade and coupled to the motor housing at the discharge opening. A chamber is defined in the blade hub and is in fluid communication with the discharge opening of the motor housing and the cavity of each rotor blade. The airflow is centrifugally drawn in from the motor housing through the discharge opening and transported through the chamber and into the cavities of the rotor blades when the rotor blades are rotating.

An electrically powered aerial vehicle includes at least one motor where each motor includes a stator and a rotor, a motor housing having an inlet opening and a discharge opening for airflow, a plurality of rotor blades rotatable by the rotor, each of the plurality of rotor blades having a cavity running from a proximal end of the rotor blade towards a distal end of the rotor blade, and a blade hub coupled to the rotor blades at the proximal end of each rotor blade and coupled to the motor housing at the discharge opening. A chamber is defined in the blade hub and is in fluid communication with the discharge opening of the motor housing and the cavity of each rotor blade. The airflow is centrifugally drawn in from the motor housing through the discharge opening and transported through the chamber and into the cavities of the rotor blades when the rotor blades are rotating.

A tiltrotor aircraft includes a fuselage, a wing member extending from the fuselage, an engine disposed relative to the wing member and a proprotor mechanically coupled to the engine. The proprotor includes a plurality of proprotor blade assemblies each including a spar and a sheath extending spanwise along the spar forming the leading edge of the proprotor blade assembly. The spar has a root section, a main section and a tip section. The spar has a generally oval cross section at radial stations along the main section and a first edge having a structural bias relative to a generally oppositely disposed second edge at the radial stations along the main section.

Sounds are generated by an aerial vehicle during operation. For example, the motors and propellers of an aerial vehicle generate sounds during operation. Disclosed are systems, methods, and apparatus for actively adjusting the position and/or configuration of one or more propeller blades of a propulsion mechanism to generate different sounds and/or lifting forces from the propulsion mechanism.

Systems and methods to improve controllability of an aerial vehicle responsive to degraded operational conditions are described. For example, one or more propeller blades of an aerial vehicle may be modifiable between two or more configurations. The configurations may include a low torque configuration suitable for normal operational conditions, and a high torque configuration suitable for degraded operational conditions. Various aspects or portions of a propeller blade may be modified to increase torque generated by the propeller blade due to drag or air resistance. The additional generated torque may then be used as a source of additional torque to improve controllability of the aerial vehicle responsive to degraded operational conditions.

This invention describes a rotating wing that provides lift to an aircraft and that is driven by autorotation. It is a naturally stable rotating wing as it does not generate torque and is very safe because it uses autorotation at all times to drive its blades. The design of the blades allows you to use the autorotation in two different ways. The first dependent on the airflow created by moving the aircraft from one place to another and which provides a cruise flight mode and the second independent of the aircraft's movement from one place to another to provide a static flight mode that includes the ability to take off and land vertically, as well as hover at a static point in the air.

This invention describes a rotating wing that provides lift to an aircraft and that is driven by autorotation. It is a naturally stable rotating wing as it does not generate torque and is very safe because it uses autorotation at all times to drive its blades. The design of the blades allows you to use the autorotation in two different ways. The first dependent on the airflow created by moving the aircraft from one place to another and which provides a cruise flight mode and the second independent of the aircraft's movement from one place to another to provide a static flight mode that includes the ability to take off and land vertically, as well as hover at a static point in the air.

A blade made of layered material, such as composite material, configured for exposure to a fluid flow, comprises skins (1, 2) defined between a leading edge (3) and a trailing edge (4) which skins in cross-section form a flow profile. The layered material may consist of several layers of fiber material (5, 5′, . . . ) impregnated with a matrix material, wherein layers of fiber material each comprise a respective body portion (6, 6′, . . . , 13) between and transverse to the skins and each at least a respective skin portion (7, 7′, . . . ; 8, 8′, . . . ) that forms part of the skins. The said skin portions all extend from the related body portion in the direction of the trailing edge. Of said skin portions at least two consecutive skin portions of the one skin overlap and/or two consecutive skin portions of the other skin overlap each other.

A rotor blade retention assembly includes a central hub, a rotor blade including an upper outer surface, a lower outer surface, a blade hole, and a proximal end coupled to the central hub, a strap member extending along a portion of the rotor blade such that a distal end receiving portion extends into the blade hole, and a retainer assembly disposed within the blade hole and coupled to the strap member. The retainer assembly includes an upper bushing and a lower bushing slidably disposed within the blade hole. The upper bushing includes a counterbored portion. The retainer assembly also includes an outboard blade pin disposed within the distal end receiving portion and includes a blade pin inner cavity.