An aircraft equipped with a multi-fan propulsion system for controlling flight orientation transitions is provided. In one example aspect, an aircraft includes a fuselage and a pair of wings. The aircraft includes a propulsion system having a first propulsor and a second propulsor each mounted to the fuselage. The first propulsor has a fan positioned primarily above and the second propulsor has a fan positioned primarily below the pair of wings. The aircraft also includes a computing system having one or more processors configured to cause, in response to a demand to change an orientation of the aircraft for a flight orientation transition, the fans of the first and second propulsors to produce different amounts of thrust with respect to one another so that the aircraft performs the flight orientation transition. The thrust differential causes the aircraft to transition between orientations.

A duct for a ducted-rotor aircraft includes a hub, a duct ring, and a plurality of stators that extend outward from the hub. The duct ring defines a trailing edge. The duct includes one or more fittings, such as a system of fittings. Each fitting has a body that defines a first attachment interface that is configured to couple to structure of the duct ring and a second attachment interface that is configured to couple to one of the plurality of stators. The first and second attachment interfaces are spaced from each other such that when the fittings are coupled to the duct ring and the plurality of stators, all or substantially all of each of the plurality of stators are located aft of the trailing edge of the duct ring.

A motor vehicle (100) has four centreless wheels (10) drivable for use on the ground and four propellers (16) rotatable within the open centres of the wheels (10) for use in the air. The wheel-propeller assemblies (10, 16) are carried on mounting units (14) secured to a frame (12). The mounting units (14) are rotatable on the frame (12) and the wheel-propeller assemblies (10, 16) are rotatable on their respective mounting units (14), in each case by means of servomotors, to convert the vehicle (1009) from its ground mode shown in FIG. 1 to its air mode as shown in FIG. 2, and also to turn the wheel-propeller assemblies (10, 16) so as to steer the vehicle (100) when on the ground and to tilt the wheel-propeller assemblies (10, 16) so as to direct the vehicle (100) when in the air.

A method of transporting cargo, a cargo transport system and an unmanned Wing In Ground Effect vessel (UWIG) for transporting the cargo. A wake up signal indicates assignment of a new delivery. The UWIG begins pre-flight, causes cargo to be transported to the UWIG, and causes the cargo loaded into UWIG storage compartments. Once loaded and the loaded UWIG is ready, the UWIG taxis, e.g., to the open sea. Environmentally sealed PAR thrust fans provide PAR thrust during takeoff. The UWIG flies to a delivery location where cargo is unloaded, and may be stored.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle having a foldable fixed wing and a twin-ducted fan power system (7) arranged at a tail portion of a fuselage in a transverse and tail propulsion arrangement provides lift for vertical take-off and landing and propulsion for horizontal flight. By means of deflection of a control servo plane arranged at a duct exit, a vectored thrust is provided to enable a fast attitude change. When the aerial vehicle takes off and lands vertically/flies at a low speed, the wing is folded to reduce the frontal area exposure to crosswind. When the aerial vehicle is flying horizontally, the wing is expanded to obtain larger lift. A Coanda effect is created at a trailing edge of the wing by suction of the duct to improve performance.

A propulsion system, comprising: a fan blade housing; a plurality of fan blades within the fan blade housing; one or more rows of permanent magnets, affixed to the outside of the fan blade housing; one or more fan blade bearings; one or more magnetic field generators affixed to the one or more fan blade bearings and corresponding to the one or more rows of permanent magnets, the magnetic field generators configured to cause the permanent magnets to be propelled forward in the same direction, thereby causing the fan blade housing to which they are attached, and the fan blades within, to spin.

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to intelligent drone traffic management via a radio access network (“RAN”). As disclosed herein, a RAN node, such as an eNodeB, can receive, from a drone, a flight configuration. The flight configuration can include a drone ID and a drone route. The RAN node can determine whether capacity is available in an airspace associated with the RAN node. In response to determining that capacity is available in the airspace associated with the RAN node, the RAN node can add the drone ID to a queue of drones awaiting use of the airspace associated with the RAN node. When the drone ID is next in the queue of drones awaiting use of the airspace associated with the RAN node, the RAN node can instruct the drone to fly through at least a portion of the airspace in accordance with the drone route.

An unmanned aircraft includes: a processor; and at least two generators that generate thrust for the unmanned aircraft to fly, the at least two generators each including a corresponding one of rotor blades that produce airflows. In the unmanned aircraft, the processor generates a control request for changing a rotational speed of at least one of the rotor blades of the at least two generators to reduce a difference between rotational speeds, in response to start of sound recording by a microphone, and the at least two generators rotate the rotor blades in accordance with the control request.

In some embodiments, a multi-modal robot can be capable of aerial mobility and ground mobility, and can switch between configuration. The multi-modal robot can include a chassis, and a leg attached to the chassis. The leg can include a frontal hip joint. The frontal hip joint can rotate around a frontal hip axis of rotation. The frontal hip axis of rotation can be parallel to a longitudinal axis of the chassis. The leg can further include a sagittal hip joint, wherein the sagittal hip joint is coupled to the first distal end of a first link. The sagittal hip joint can rotate around a sagittal hip axis of rotation. The leg can include a wheel. The wheel can be configured to rotate around a wheel axis of rotation. The leg can further include a propeller. The propeller can be co-axial with the wheel.

The aircraft thrust control system comprises a central power unit and peripheral power units. The central power unit comprises upper and lower propellers arranged one above the other and adapted to rotate in opposite directions, while propellers of the peripheral power units are located outside the aerodynamic operating range of the central power unit propellers.