An aircraft operable to transition between a forward flight mode and a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings. A plurality of propulsion assemblies is attached to the airframe with each of the propulsion assemblies including a nacelle and a tail assembly having at least one active aerosurface. A flight control system is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. For each of the propulsion assemblies, the tail assembly is rotatable relative to the nacelle such that the active aerosurface has a first orientation generally parallel to the wings and a second orientation generally perpendicular to the wings.

A multi-rotor aircraft (100) is provided, comprising: a main aircraft assembly (10) comprising a first magnetic medium (13), a main housing (11), and a control motherboard accommodated in the main housing (11), wherein the first magnetic medium (13) is provided on the main housing (11), a slot (1120) is further provided on the main housing (11), and a connection point of the control motherboard is provided in the slot (1120); and a plurality of rotor systems (20), wherein each of the plurality of rotor systems comprises a second magnetic medium (23), a rotor mechanism (21), and a rotor protection cover (22) that is of a hollow annular structure and is fixed outside the rotor mechanism (21), wherein the second magnetic medium (23) is fixed to the rotor protection cover (22) and attracting the first magnetic medium (13), and a pin (2200) matching the slot (1120) is further provided on the rotor protection cover (22). The rotor systems (20) can be quickly mounted on or dismounted from the main aircraft assembly (10), thereby achieving the technical effects of shortening the mounting and dismounting time and improving the operation efficiency.

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with improved reliability. According to one aspect of the invention, interference experienced by onboard sensors from onboard electrical components is reduced. According to another aspect of the invention, user-configuration or assembly of electrical components is minimized to reduce user errors.

Implementations of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) provided with detachable motor arms are provided. In this way, the UAV may be conveniently stored and transported, rapidly assembled in the field, and repaired in the event of a crash. Also, the motor arms are configured to separate from the fuselage of the UAV upon crashing into the ground and/or another object. In this way, damage to the motors arms and/or the fuselage of the UAV may be minimized or prevented. An example UAV comprises a fuselage having two motor arms detachably secured thereto, each motor arm is detachably secured to the fuselage by two mechanical connectors (or fuses) and comprises a tube having a rotary wing propulsion system on each end thereof. The mechanical connectors securing each motor arm to the fuselage of the UAV are configured to facilitate the separation of the motor arm from the fuselage during a crash.

A modular vehicle system includes at least one body module having at least one body connection interface, and a kit. The kit includes a plurality of utility modules including at least one first utility module (in the form of a fixed-wing utility module) and at least one second utility module (in the form of a rotor-wing utility module). Each first utility module includes at least one utility module connection interface in the form of a first utility module connection interface for coupling with the body connection interface. Each second utility module includes at least one utility module connection interface in the form of a second utility module connection interface, distinct from the first utility module connection interface, for coupling with the body connection interface. Each body connection interface is configured for selective reversible coupling at least with respect to any one of the utility module connection interfaces while concurrently excluding coupling of another utility module connection interface thereto, to provide an air vehicle.

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a propulsion system including a driving device having a main body, a driving shaft rotatable relative to the main body, and a locking member disposed on the main body. The locking member includes at least one snap-fitting member. The propulsion system also includes a propeller coupled with the driving device, the propeller including a blade base and a blade mounted on the blade base. The at least one snap-fitting member is configured to snap-fit with the propeller. The propulsion system also includes an elastic abutting member sleeve coupled with the driving shaft, a first installation foolproof member disposed on the blade base, and a second installation foolproof member disposed on the locking member.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a central body, a plurality of arms extending out from the central body, and a plurality of propulsion units. Each of the plurality of arms includes a stem portion, one or more branch portions, and a joint connecting the stem portion with the one or more branch portions. The joint includes a sleeve configured to lock a position of one of the one or more branch portions relative to the stem portion. Each of the propulsion units is attached to one of the one or more branch portions of one of the plurality of arms.

One example includes a dual-aircraft system. The system includes a glider aircraft configured to perform at least one mission objective in a gliding-flight mode during a mission objective stage. The system also includes an unmanned singlecopter configured to couple to the glider aircraft via a mechanical linkage to provide propulsion for the glider aircraft during a takeoff and delivery stage. The unmanned singlecopter can be further configured to decouple from the glider aircraft during a detach stage in response to achieving at least one of a predetermined altitude and a predetermined geographic location to provide the gliding-flight mode associated with the glider aircraft, such that the glider aircraft subsequently enters the mission objective stage.

An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons coupled therebetween. The airframe has a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis in hover. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array is coupled to the airframe. The thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each operable for variable speed and omnidirectional thrust vectoring. A flight control system is operable to independently control the speed and thrust vector of each of the propulsion assemblies such that in an inclined flight attitude with at least one of the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis extending out of a horizontal plane, the flight control system is operable to maintain hover stability responsive to controlling the speed and the thrust vector of the propulsion assemblies.

A method for operating a vehicle chassis includes providing the vehicle chassis including a main body and at least one compartment arranged on the vehicle chassis, selectively receiving one or more components in the compartment, and effecting an operational state of a vehicle comprising the vehicle chassis based on a type of at least one of the one or more components that are selectively received in the compartment. The one or more components is selected from a plurality of components of different types.