A motorized aircraft is controlled by a drive control means (120) that rotationally drives a propulsion system propeller. The propulsion system propeller is driven by a plurality of electric motors (130). Total output of the plurality of electric motors (130) and required output satisfy the following relationship: Pmax(n1)/n>Preq (where Pmax is the total output (kW) of the electric motors, n is the number of electric motors, and Preq is the required output (kW)).

The Distributed Electric Ducted Fan Wing concept incorporates multiple electric ducted fans on lifting surfaces configured to provide integrated aerodynamics and propulsion resulting in enhanced aerodynamic characteristics and thus aircraft performance. The concept uses a plurality of electric ducted fans (EDFs) to not only provide thrust, but to also blow air across the upper surface of a substantial portion of the lifting surface area increasing lift at little loss in efficiency. Not only can the total lift on the surfaces be enhanced, but the lift distribution managed: to aid in aircraft control; ameliorate the effects of turbulence: reduce shed vortices; mitigate the effects of system failures; eliminate stalls; and compensate for crosswinds. This concept offers the potential for increasing electric airplane efficiency and performance, enhancing Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) capabilities, improving passenger comfort, and reducing the structural stress and cost of aircraft.

An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using a set of wing mounted thrust producing elements and a set of tail mounted rotors for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to vertical takeoff with the rotors in a rotated, take-off attitude then transitions to a horizontal flight path, with the rotors rotated to a typical horizontal configuration. The aerial vehicle uses different configurations of its wing mounted rotors and propellers to reduce drag in all flight modes.

A multi-rotor passenger-carrying aircraft with foldable aircraft arm is disclosed, including an aircraft body, a fixing mechanism, a connector and an aircraft arm. The fixing mechanism is fastened on the aircraft body, an end of the aircraft arm is articulated to the fixing mechanism, the fixing mechanism is provided with at least one first mounting hole, and the aircraft arm is provided with at least one second mounting hole. When the aircraft arm is in a folded state, one end of the connector is removably attached to the fixing mechanism through a first fastener, and the other end of the connector is removably attached to the aircraft arm through a second fastener, so that the fixing mechanism is kept to be at a first angle with the aircraft arm. When the aircraft arm is in a working state, a third fastener is adapted to pass through both the first and second mounting holes to cause the fixing mechanism to be fixedly connected to the aircraft arm and kept at a second angle with the aircraft arm. The above multi-rotor passenger-carrying aircraft with foldable aircraft arm can change the angle between the aircraft arm and the fixing mechanism to achieve switching of the aircraft arm between the folded state and the working state, which is convenient for transportation and storage.

A rotor-lift aircraft has at least two rotors 1, 2 mounted on spaced parallel axes A1, A2. The rotors rotate in use in planes in which the blade envelope subscribed by the tips of the blade(s) of each of the rotors overlaps with the blade envelope subscribed by the tips of the blade(s) of at least one other of the rotors without intermeshing of the blades.

An electrical propulsion system for an aircraft includes a central bus and a plurality of branches, each branch having at least one electrical power source, at least one electric propulsion device, and a branch bus, connected to each source and to each propulsion device of the branch. Each branch includes a DC/DC voltage converter connecting the branch bus to the central bus, said DC/DC voltage converter being configured to galvanically isolate said branch bus from the central bus.

A method for gathering inflight data during operation of an electric or hybrid-electric aircraft. The aircraft includes: a swappable battery pack, connected to an electrical system of the aircraft, the swappable battery pack including a data storage module accessible via a data interface of the swappable battery pack; and a control unit, connected to the swappable battery pack via the data interface. The method includes, while the aircraft is in flight, gathering, by the control unit, the inflight data from the aircraft and saving the gathered inflight data to the data storage module of the swappable battery pack.

An aircraft comprises a fuselage; wings; engines connected to the wings; a set of liquid hydrogen tanks; a vent located on the tail on the fuselage; a conduit system connecting the liquid hydrogen tanks to the vent; and a controller. The controller is configured to control the conduit system to remove gaseous hydrogen in the set of liquid hydrogen tanks to travel through the conduit system and exit at the vent in response to pressure in the set of liquid hydrogen tanks being greater than a specified tolerance.

An aircraft comprises a fuselage, wings connected to the fuselage, engines connected to the wings, and liquid hydrogen tanks. Each engine in the engines comprises a nacelle, an electric motor within the nacelle, a fuel cell stack within the nacelle, and a nacelle heat exchanger within the nacelle that receives air flowing through an inlet in the nacelle. The liquid hydrogen tanks are configured to store liquid hydrogen, wherein the liquid hydrogen tanks extend along an outside of the fuselage and above the wings and below windows in the fuselage.

A fluid ice protection system for an aircraft includes a plenum back wall and a fluid delivery network. The plenum back wall is affixed to an interior surface of an inlet cowl of a nacelle of the aircraft to define a plenum between the interior surface and a front surface of the plenum back wall. The nacelle surrounds a rotor assembly of an aircraft propulsion system. The inlet cowl defines a plurality of perforations through a thickness of the inlet cowl. The perforations are fluidly connected to the plenum. The fluid delivery network is coupled to the plenum back wall and configured to supply an anti-ice liquid into the plenum for the anti-ice liquid to penetrate through the perforations onto an exterior surface of the inlet cowl along a leading edge section of the inlet cowl.