An oblique rotor-wing aircraft may be capable of vertical take-off and landing, subsonic cruise, transonic cruise, and/or supersonic cruise. The oblique rotor-wing aircraft may comprise one or more of a fuselage, a rotor-wing, a thrust-vectored propulsion system, a locking mechanism, and/or other components. The rotor-wing may be rotatably coupled to the fuselage. The rotor-wing may rotate about an axis in a first flight mode for vertical takeoff and landing. The oblique rotor-wing aircraft may include a thrust-vectored propulsion system that drives the rotation of the rotor-wing about the axis. The thrust-vectored propulsion system may include multiple, separately operable propulsion systems coupled to the rotor-wing and/or the fuselage. The oblique rotor-wing aircraft may comprise a locking mechanism that locks the rotor-wing at an angle oblique to the fuselage responsive to initiation of a second flight mode. The rotor-wing may be fixed at an angle oblique to the fuselage during the second flight mode.

Rotary-winged vehicle systems and devices are disclosed. In one aspect, one or more engine components are mounted within rotor blades of the rotary-winged system. In one embodiment, engines are mounted within the rotor blades, with exhaust ports positioned at the rotor blade tips. In another embodiment, the engine of a rotary-winged vehicle includes a centrifugal compressor co-axially mounted with a spindle of the rotor blades. In one aspect, the compressor of one or more engines is decoupled from the engine turbine and electrically driven. In one aspect, the rotary-winged vehicle may be operated autonomously.

Rotary-winged vehicle systems and devices are disclosed. In one aspect, one or more engine components are mounted within rotor blades of the rotary-winged system. In one embodiment, engines are mounted within the rotor blades, with exhaust ports positioned at the rotor blade tips. In another embodiment, the engine of a rotary-winged vehicle includes a centrifugal compressor co-axially mounted with a spindle of the rotor blades. In one aspect, the compressor of one or more engines is decoupled from the engine turbine and electrically driven. In one aspect, the rotary-winged vehicle may be operated autonomously.

A rotorcraft capable of a hover mode and a forward cruise mode including a fuselage, a first electric propulsion system, a second electric propulsion system, and an electric power control unit to control power to the first and second electric propulsion systems in the hover and forward cruise modes. The first electric propulsion system is a tip jet cold flow system that imparts rotation on a pair of rotor blades disposed above a top surface of the fuselage, and a first electric motor configured to drive the tip jet cold flow system. The second electric propulsion system includes a propeller disposed in the rear of the fuselage and a second electric motor configured to drive the propeller.

A rotorcraft capable of a hover mode and a forward cruise mode including a fuselage, a first electric propulsion system, a second electric propulsion system, and an electric power control unit to control power to the first and second electric propulsion systems in the hover and forward cruise modes. The first electric propulsion system is a tip jet cold flow system that imparts rotation on a pair of rotor blades disposed above a top surface of the fuselage, and a first electric motor configured to drive the tip jet cold flow system. The second electric propulsion system includes a propeller disposed in the rear of the fuselage and a second electric motor configured to drive the propeller.

An aircraft's two wings and joined thruster propellers or turbines serve as rotary wings in helicopter mode and as fixed wings in airplane mode. The thrusters along the wingspans or at the wing tips drive both rotary wing rotation and airplane flight. Large-angle controlled feathering about the pitch change axes of the left and right wings and thrusters allows them to rotate, relative to each other, between facing and thrusting forward in the same direction for airplane flight or facing and thrusting oppositely for helicopter flight. Optional controls include: helicopter cyclic and collective pitch; airplane roll by differential wing pitch; yaw by differential prop thrust; fuselage pitch by wing pitch change and prop thrust change interacting with an underslung craft e.g.; and fuselage yaw control independent of rotor rotation via a powered rotary mast coupling or a tail responsive to rotor downwash. A teetering rotor hub is a further option.

An aircraft's two wings and joined thruster propellers or turbines serve as rotary wings in helicopter mode and as fixed wings in airplane mode. The thrusters along the wingspans or at the wing tips drive both rotary wing rotation and airplane flight. Large-angle controlled feathering about the pitch change axes of the left and right wings and thrusters allows them to rotate, relative to each other, between facing and thrusting forward in the same direction for airplane flight or facing and thrusting oppositely for helicopter flight. Optional controls include: helicopter cyclic and collective pitch; airplane roll by differential wing pitch; yaw by differential prop thrust; fuselage pitch by wing pitch change and prop thrust change interacting with an underslung craft e.g.; and fuselage yaw control independent of rotor rotation via a powered rotary mast coupling or a tail responsive to rotor downwash. A teetering rotor hub is a further option.

Rotor systems are driven by jet engines arranged at the tip of a rotor that includes a structure that turns on a rotational axis. A jet stream generated by a jet engine produces a thrust force orthogonal to a rotor radius to motivate rotation. Methods presented include those which take advantage of the intrinsic centrifugal forces present in the rotor to convey gaseous fuel to the engine. Liquefied fuel from a source reservoir is evaporated into a gaseous state and made subject to centrifugal force causing it to move radially outward to a detonation type jet engine. These methods further include special process for mixing fuel with oxidizer and treating fuel or/and fuel mixtures to improve their detonation capacity.

Rotor systems are driven by jet engines arranged at the tip of a rotor that includes a structure that turns on a rotational axis. A jet stream generated by a jet engine produces a thrust force orthogonal to a rotor radius to motivate rotation. Methods presented include those which take advantage of the intrinsic centrifugal forces present in the rotor to convey gaseous fuel to the engine. Liquefied fuel from a source reservoir is evaporated into a gaseous state and made subject to centrifugal force causing it to move radially outward to a detonation type jet engine. These methods further include special process for mixing fuel with oxidizer and treating fuel or/and fuel mixtures to improve their detonation capacity.

A nozzle for use with a rotor blade for a reaction drive type helicopter includes a first wall, a second wall opposing the first wall, and sidewalls extending between the first wall and the second wall enclosing a cavity having an upstream end and a downstream end. The nozzle includes an inlet section for receiving a gasflow at the upstream end. The distance between the first wall and the second wall reduces to a throat downstream of the inlet section. An expansion section extending from the throat, downstream thereof.