An aircraft includes a body defining an interior compartment configured to hold at least one of a passenger and a payload, a battery system, a plurality of arms coupled to and extending from the body, and a plurality of propulsion devices configured to provide thrust to fly the aircraft. Each of the plurality of propulsion devices is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of arms. The plurality of propulsion devices are powered by the battery system. Each of the plurality of propulsion devices is selectively pivotable about at least one axis. The plurality of propulsion devices include at least one of (i) counter rotating ducted fans and (ii) ionizing electrode engines.

An aircraft can include a frame and a plurality of electrical rotors coupled to the frame. The aircraft can further include a control system physically coupled to the frame and communicatively coupled with each of the plurality of electrical rotors. The control system can be configured to control a speed of each electrical rotor on an individual basis to control a direction of flight of the aircraft. The aircraft can further include an engine coupled to the frame, the engine being configured to combust a combustible fuel to generate thrust.

The present invention includes pilotable capsules, detachable from an aircraft and aircrafts including such capsules. According to some embodiments, there may be provided one or more capsules capable of flight and designed to detachably connect to an aircraft. According to some embodiments, detachable capsules may be designed to carry cargo and/or passengers. According to some embodiments, detachable capsules may, after detachment, be piloted by pilots or by automated systems (unmanned) or a combination of the two.

An aircraft can include a frame and a plurality of electrical rotors coupled to the frame. The aircraft can further include a control system physically coupled to the frame and communicatively coupled with each of the plurality of electrical rotors. The control system can be configured to control a speed of each electrical rotor on an individual basis to control a direction of flight of the aircraft. The aircraft can further include an engine coupled to the frame, the engine being configured to combust a combustible fuel to generate thrust.

Fluid systems are described herein. An example embodiment of a fluid system has a first body portion, a second body portion, a plurality of supports, a plurality of fluid pressurizers, and a plurality of ducts. The first body portion and the second body portion cooperatively define an injection opening, a suction opening, and a channel that extends from the injection opening to the suction opening. The fluid pressurizer is disposed within the channel cooperatively defined by the first body portion and the second body portion. Each duct of the plurality of ducts is disposed within the channel cooperatively defined by the first body portion and the second body portion.

A vertical take-off and landing aircraft that includes a fuselage which has a nose end, a tail end, and a plurality of seats disposed in an interior of the aircraft with vertical takeoff and conventional aircraft ability. A pair of rear wings extend outwardly from opposing sides of the fuselage between a cockpit and the tail end, and a pair of front wings extend outwardly from opposing sides of the fuselage between the cockpit and the nose end. Each of the pair of rear wings and the pair of front wings includes an adjustably mounted turbine which includes a statically mounted fan pod, a duct rotatably connected to the fan pod, and an adjustable nozzle rotatably connected to the duct. The adjustable nozzle is adjusted to a variety of configurations ranging between a vertical position and a horizontal position via the duct.

Hybrid powertrains for a fixed wing aircraft, a helicopter, and a V/STOL aircraft. A core of the jet engine rotates an integral generator without gear train, that provides current to charge batteries located in various locations on the aircraft. The batteries are used to power electric motors that provide the sole source of torque to fans, propellers, or rotors that propel the aircraft. These differ from the prior configurations by provisioning integrated architectures.

A system and method for preventing a maximum asymmetric condition between pylon tilt angles due to a degraded pylon in a fly-by-wire tiltrotor aircraft during transitions between airplane mode and helicopter mode includes a conversion system for imparting movement on a right and left pylon. A flight control computer is operatively connected to a set of transducers for measuring pylon angles. The flight control computer is further connected to a set of actuators which are attached to each pylon. The flight control computer receives flight dynamics input from the set of transducers and/or the pilot and sends pylon command to the set of actuators. The conversion system measures the difference between the pylon angles during the transition and provides a pylon command adjustment if the difference exceeds a preset threshold.

Fluid systems are described herein. An example embodiment of a fluid system has a first body portion, a second body portion, a plurality of supports, a plurality of fluid pressurizers, and a plurality of ducts. The first body portion and the second body portion cooperatively define an injection opening, a suction opening, and a channel that extends from the injection opening to the suction opening. The fluid pressurizer is disposed within the channel cooperatively defined by the first body portion and the second body portion. Each duct of the plurality of ducts is disposed within the channel cooperatively defined by the first body portion and the second body portion.

The invention relates to a device for propelling a passenger, comprising a body arranged to receive said passenger and cooperating with a fuel-fed thrust unit. The arrangement of such a device enables great freedom of movement in the air. More specifically, the thrust unit comprises at least one thrust sub-unit, each advantageously comprising at least two thrusters and secondary course-correction and/attitude-correction thrusters.