An aircraft, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle or a small-sized manned aircraft, can be hybrid-powered by fuel engines and electric motors. In various embodiments, such an aircraft can include both of rotors and fixed wings, and can perform vertical take-off and landing like a helicopter and level flight like a fixed-wing aircraft.

Aircraft with an emission-free drive and method for emission-free driving of an aircraft. The aircraft includes an aircraft thruster structured and arranged to generate thrust force on the aircraft, an aircraft lift device structured and arranged to generate lift on the aircraft, and a heat engine, which is structured and arranged to convert thermal energy into kinetic energy to drive the aircraft thruster, that includes at least one flat-plate Stirling engine drivable by solar thermal radiation.

Aircraft with an emission-free drive and method for emission-free driving of an aircraft. The aircraft includes an aircraft thruster structured and arranged to generate thrust force on the aircraft, an aircraft lift device structured and arranged to generate lift on the aircraft, and a heat engine, which is structured and arranged to convert thermal energy into kinetic energy to drive the aircraft thruster, that includes at least one flat-plate Stirling engine drivable by solar thermal radiation.

Aircraft with an emission-free drive and method for emission-free driving of an aircraft. The aircraft includes a drive device structured and arranged to generate thrust, a lift device structured and arranged to generate lift, and a heat engine structured and arranged to convert thermal energy into kinetic energy to drive the drive device. The heat engine includes at least one flat-plate Stirling engine drivable by solar thermal radiation.

Aircraft with an emission-free drive and method for emission-free driving of an aircraft. The aircraft includes a drive device structured and arranged to generate thrust, a lift device structured and arranged to generate lift, and a heat engine structured and arranged to convert thermal energy into kinetic energy to drive the drive device. The heat engine includes at least one flat-plate Stirling engine drivable by solar thermal radiation.

Aerodynamic lifting structures, such as aircraft wings, having embedded engines and associated methods and systems are disclosed herein. A wing assemblies configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, an upper wing portion, a lower wing portion, and a plurality of independent ducts positioned between the upper wing portion and the lower wing portion. Each duct can extend between a corresponding inlet positioned toward a leading portion of the wing assembly and a corresponding outlet positioned toward a trailing portion of the wing assembly. The wing assembly can further include a plurality of fans and a plurality of electric motors operably coupled to the plurality of fans. The fans and electric motors are positioned in the corresponding individual ducts and the fan is rotatable to propel fluid received in the inlet through the duct to create lift.

A propulsion system for aircraft, in particular lightweight aircraft, provides a low-noise and low-cost aircraft. The propulsion system includes at least two ducted propellers (3, 3). The ducts of are provided laterally on the fuselage (4) of the aircraft in such a way that the common net thrust of the ducted propellers is substantially collinear to the net drag.

A propulsion system for aircraft, in particular lightweight aircraft, provides a low-noise and low-cost aircraft. The propulsion system includes at least two ducted propellers (3, 3). The ducts of are provided laterally on the fuselage (4) of the aircraft in such a way that the common net thrust of the ducted propellers is substantially collinear to the net drag.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is provided and includes wings, first and second nacelles supported on each of the wings, each of the first and second nacelles including a propeller drivable to generate aircraft thrust, and an asymmetrical power generation unit. The asymmetrical power generation unit includes a single engine unit disposed in only one of the first and second nacelles to generate power to drive the propellers of both the first and second nacelles.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is provided and includes wings, first and second nacelles supported on each of the wings, each of the first and second nacelles including a propeller drivable to generate aircraft thrust, and an asymmetrical power generation unit. The asymmetrical power generation unit includes a single engine unit disposed in only one of the first and second nacelles to generate power to drive the propellers of both the first and second nacelles.