An aircraft has a battery block for supplying the aircraft with energy. The battery block is arrangeable within a battery compartment of the aircraft. The battery compartment is arranged within a volume formed by a fuselage of the aircraft and is accessible from the outside through a receiving opening in the fuselage. The battery block is introducible into the battery compartment through the receiving opening. When the aircraft is used as intended, the receiving opening is arranged on an upwardly facing top side of the fuselage. The battery block is insertable into the battery compartment by the battery block being moved along an introduction axis oriented substantially parallel to the direction of gravitational force. The battery block comprises a handle, which, when the battery block has been inserted properly into the battery compartment, is accessible from outside the aircraft.

A power distribution control approach employs power distribution buses that are controllably energized and de-energized to control which aerial vehicle systems received power based on the applicable operational mode. A method of controlling power distribution in an electrically powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft includes receiving an operational mode indication that identifies an operational mode. The operational mode is one of predetermined operational modes for the aircraft. Power distribution buses of the aircraft are controlled, based on the operational mode indication, to control each of the power distribution buses to be energized or de-energized.

A power distribution control approach employs power distribution buses that are controllably energized and de-energized to control which aerial vehicle systems received power based on the applicable operational mode. A method of controlling power distribution in an electrically powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft includes receiving an operational mode indication that identifies an operational mode. The operational mode is one of predetermined operational modes for the aircraft. Power distribution buses of the aircraft are controlled, based on the operational mode indication, to control each of the power distribution buses to be energized or de-energized.

An energy converter that utilizes compressed environmental air includes an air compressing unit, at least one first battery, at least one second battery, a plurality of direct current (DC) accessories. The air compressing unit includes a supply duct, a nozzle duct, a pressurized air tank, a compressor, a power-generating tube, and a plurality of air-flow generators. The compressor is in fluid communication with the supply duct. The pressurized air tank is in fluid communication with the compressor. The nozzle duct is in fluid communication with the pressurized air tank. The power-generating tube is in fluid communication with the pressurized air tank and nozzle duct. The plurality of air-flow generators is operatively coupled within the power-generating tube. The plurality of air-flow generators is electrically connected to the first battery that powers the plurality of DC accessories and is electrically connected to the second battery that powers the compressor via an inverter.

An electric aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a fuselage equipped with a power means, a front spar and a rear spar extending from the fuselage to an end of a wing, and a plurality of ribs extending from the rear spar to the front spar and coupled to the front spar and the rear spar, in which a plurality of solid state batteries are mounted in a plurality of individual spaces partitioned by the front spar, the rear spar, and the plurality of ribs, respectively, and the front spar and the rear spar are used as members for serial connection of the plurality of solid state batteries, and the plurality of ribs are used as members for parallel connection of the plurality of solid state batteries.

An electric aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a fuselage equipped with a power means, a front spar and a rear spar extending from the fuselage to an end of a wing, and a plurality of ribs extending from the rear spar to the front spar and coupled to the front spar and the rear spar, in which a plurality of solid state batteries are mounted in a plurality of individual spaces partitioned by the front spar, the rear spar, and the plurality of ribs, respectively, and the front spar and the rear spar are used as members for serial connection of the plurality of solid state batteries, and the plurality of ribs are used as members for parallel connection of the plurality of solid state batteries.

A method is provided for operating a propulsion system of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, the propulsion system including a turbomachine, an electric machine, a forward thrust propulsor, and a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans. The method includes driving the forward thrust propulsor with the turbomachine; rotating the electric machine with the turbomachine to generate electrical power; determining a failure condition of the turbomachine; and providing electrical power to the electric machine to drive the forward thrust propulsor with the electric machine in response to determining the failure condition of the turbomachine.

An aircraft includes a fuselage; a propulsion system including a power source and a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans driven by the power source; and a wing extending from the fuselage. The plurality of vertical thrust electric fans are arranged along a length of the wing, the wing including a variable geometry assembly extending along the length of the wing and moveable between a forward thrust position and a vertical thrust position, the variable geometry assembly at least partially covering the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans when in the forward thrust position and at least partially exposing the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans when in the vertical thrust position.

An aircraft includes a fuselage; a propulsion system including a power source and a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans driven by the power source; and a wing extending from the fuselage. The plurality of vertical thrust electric fans are arranged along a length of the wing, the wing including a variable geometry assembly moveable generally along a horizontal direction between a forward thrust position and a vertical thrust position, the variable geometry assembly at least partially covering at least one vertical thrust electric fan of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans when in the forward thrust position and at least partially exposing the at least one vertical thrust electric fan when in the vertical thrust position.

An aircraft includes a fuselage; a propulsion system including a power source and a vertical thrust electric fan driven by the power source; and a wing extending from the fuselage. The vertical thrust electric fan is positioned on or within the wing, the wing including a diffusion assembly movable between a first position and a second position and positioned at least partially downstream of the vertical thrust electric fan when in the second position, the diffusion assembly including a first member and a second member, the second member movable generally along the vertical direction relative to the first member such that the first member and second member together define at least in part an exhaust flowpath for the first vertical thrust electric fan when the diffusion assembly is in the second position.