Improved aircraft, which may be configured as unmanned drones or piloted aircraft, having improved fail-operational performance. The aircraft includes a twin fan arrangement and innovative motor, propeller, driver and/or power source redundancies configured to provide fail-operational functioning in the event of failure of one or more of these aircraft components. In various optional features, the aircraft may be configured for vertical takeoff and landing. The disclosed embodiments provide an aircraft that is safer and more reliable than current multi-propeller drones, while operably more versatile in cargo delivery.

A series of convertible aircrafts with a core with an airframe defining a first axis is described; a first, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth and a sixth rotor which are rotatable about respective first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth axis, and operable independently of each other so as to generate respectively a first, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth and a sixth thrust value independent of each other; the core comprises an electric power source and electric motors which are connected to said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth rotor; each aircraft of the series comprises a module associated with a respective architecture and interfaced with said core.

A series of convertible aircrafts with a core with an airframe defining a first axis is described; a first, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth and a sixth rotor which are rotatable about respective first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth axis, and operable independently of each other so as to generate respectively a first, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth and a sixth thrust value independent of each other; the core comprises an electric power source and electric motors which are connected to said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth rotor; each aircraft of the series comprises a module associated with a respective architecture and interfaced with said core.

A method for controlling a thermal and electrical power plant for setting in motion at least one rotary member of a rotorcraft, the power plant comprising at least one heat engine and an electrical system provided with at least one electric machine. The method comprises: selecting, with a selector, an operating mode chosen from several operating modes; determining a density altitude and comparing, with a controller, the current density altitude and a threshold density altitude; and controlling, with the controller, the at least one electric machine depending on at least the chosen operating mode as well as the comparison and a necessary power to be supplied to the power transmission system.

A method for controlling a thermal and electrical power plant for setting in motion at least one rotary member of a rotorcraft, the power plant comprising at least one heat engine and an electrical system provided with at least one electric machine. The method comprises: selecting, with a selector, an operating mode chosen from several operating modes; determining a density altitude and comparing, with a controller, the current density altitude and a threshold density altitude; and controlling, with the controller, the at least one electric machine depending on at least the chosen operating mode as well as the comparison and a necessary power to be supplied to the power transmission system.

A propulsion system includes a propulsor, an engine, an electrical assembly, and an emergency energy protection assembly. The engine includes a fuel system. The fuel system includes a fuel control unit. The electrical assembly includes a battery, a motor control unit, an electric motor, and an electrical distribution system. The electrical distribution system includes at least one contactor electrically connected between the battery and the motor control unit. The at least one contactor is switchable between a closed state and an open state. The engine and the electric motor are coupled with the propulsor. The emergency energy protection assembly includes an emergency actuator. The emergency actuator is actuable in an actuated state to control the at least one contactor to switch to the open state, control the motor control unit to deenergize the electric motor, and control the fuel control unit to stop fuel flow for the engine.

A propulsion system includes a propulsor, an engine, an electrical assembly, and an emergency energy protection assembly. The engine includes a fuel system. The fuel system includes a fuel control unit. The electrical assembly includes a battery, a motor control unit, an electric motor, and an electrical distribution system. The electrical distribution system includes at least one contactor electrically connected between the battery and the motor control unit. The at least one contactor is switchable between a closed state and an open state. The engine and the electric motor are coupled with the propulsor. The emergency energy protection assembly includes an emergency actuator. The emergency actuator is actuable in an actuated state to control the at least one contactor to switch to the open state, control the motor control unit to deenergize the electric motor, and control the fuel control unit to stop fuel flow for the engine.

Flight safety of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts is a matter of life and death, crucial to their future regulatory and market acceptance as the next generation of aerial vehicles. Only those aircraft equipped with a safe emergency landing system will be selected for human use, but the current eVTOL models lack reliable emergency landing systems. The first inventor, who already holds patents for an eVTOL helicopter with an electric propeller torque arm (EPTA) driving the main rotorfeaturing high efficiency, structural simplification, zero emissions, and low noisesuccessfully completed test flights and then invented the safest, most innovative autorotation landing system. This system significantly enhances and optimizes the traditional helicopter's inherent autorotation landing capability, ensuring a critical safety measure for eVTOLs during power system failures. Thus, this invention of the safety landing system will help make the safest vertical take-off and landing aircraft eligible for market acceptance.

Flight safety of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts is a matter of life and death, crucial to their future regulatory and market acceptance as the next generation of aerial vehicles. Only those aircraft equipped with a safe emergency landing system will be selected for human use, but the current eVTOL models lack reliable emergency landing systems. The first inventor, who already holds patents for an eVTOL helicopter with an electric propeller torque arm (EPTA) driving the main rotorfeaturing high efficiency, structural simplification, zero emissions, and low noisesuccessfully completed test flights and then invented the safest, most innovative autorotation landing system. This system significantly enhances and optimizes the traditional helicopter's inherent autorotation landing capability, ensuring a critical safety measure for eVTOLs during power system failures. Thus, this invention of the safety landing system will help make the safest vertical take-off and landing aircraft eligible for market acceptance.

A method of operation is provided during which an electric motor of an aircraft is powered using a power supply. The power supply includes a plurality of power strings electrically coupled in parallel. The powering includes: outputting string electricity from each of the power strings; and outputting supply electricity from the power supply. A plurality of string parameters are measured using a sensor system. Each of the string parameters is indicative of an electrical parameter of the string electricity from a respective one of the power strings. The string parameters are added together to provide a total string parameter. A supply parameter is measured using the sensor system indicative of the electrical parameter of the supply electricity. Operability of the sensor system is evaluated based on the total string parameter and the supply parameter.