A hybrid airship (drone, UAV) capable of significantly extended flight times can use one of two technologies, or both together. The first technology uses a combination of a lifting gas (such as hydrogen or helium) in a central volume or balloon and multirotor technology for lift and maneuvering. The second technology equips the airship with an on board generator to charge the batteries during flight for extended flight operations, with an internal combustion engine (such as a high power to weight ratio gas turbine engine) driving the generator. A quadcopter or other multicopter configuration is desirable.

The disclosure generally pertains to a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising a fuselage and at least one fixed wing. The aircraft may include at least two powered rotors located generally along a longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The rotor units may be coupled to the fuselage via a rotating chassis, which allows the rotors to provide directed thrust by movement of the rotor units about at least one axis. By moving the rotor units, the aircraft can transition from a hover mode to a transition mode and then to a forward flight mode and back.

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.

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.

An aircraft comprises an aircraft body, multiple battery packs positioned on the aircraft body, a load balancing circuit positioned on the aircraft body and connected to a battery power node, multiple motors positioned on the aircraft body and connected to the battery power node, and multiple bypass circuits positioned on the aircraft body. The load balancing circuit comprises multiple current delivery circuits. Each current delivery circuit is connected between one of the battery packs and the battery power node. Each of the bypass circuits is connected to the battery power node and one of the battery packs to provide a signal path from the battery power node to the respective battery pack that bypasses a respective current delivery circuit for regenerative current from one or more of the motors.

A battery replacement system for controlling a battery pack loadout for an aircraft includes a vehicle including a battery storage assembly, a controller, and a battery transfer assembly. The battery storage assembly is configured for storing at least one stored battery pack. The controller is configured to identify an energy storage prerequisite for a flight or series of flights of the aircraft using flight information for the aircraft and to identify a battery pack loadout plan for the aircraft using the energy storage prerequisite. The battery pack loadout plan identifies one or more of the at least one stored battery pack to be installed on the aircraft. The controller is further configured to control the battery pack loadout for the aircraft by controlling the battery transfer assembly to receive the one or more of the at least one stored battery pack from the battery storage assembly and install the one or more of the at least one stored battery pack into the aircraft.

A battery replacement system for controlling a battery pack loadout for an aircraft includes a vehicle including a battery storage assembly, a controller, and a battery transfer assembly. The battery storage assembly is configured for storing at least one stored battery pack. The controller is configured to identify an energy storage prerequisite for a flight or series of flights of the aircraft using flight information for the aircraft and to identify a battery pack loadout plan for the aircraft using the energy storage prerequisite. The battery pack loadout plan identifies one or more of the at least one stored battery pack to be installed on the aircraft. The controller is further configured to control the battery pack loadout for the aircraft by controlling the battery transfer assembly to receive the one or more of the at least one stored battery pack from the battery storage assembly and install the one or more of the at least one stored battery pack into the aircraft.

A battery replacement system for controlling a battery pack loadout for an aircraft having at least one installed battery pack includes a vehicle including a battery storage assembly, a controller, and a battery transfer assembly. The battery storage assembly is configured for storing at least one stored battery pack. The controller is configured to identify a state of charge for each of the at least one installed battery pack installed on the aircraft, identify an energy storage prerequisite for a flight or series of flights of the aircraft, and identify a battery pack loadout plan for the aircraft. The battery pack loadout plan identifies one or more of the at least one stored battery pack to be installed on the aircraft. The controller is further configured to control the battery pack loadout for the aircraft by controlling the battery transfer assembly to install the one or more of the at least one stored battery pack into the aircraft.

A battery replacement system for controlling a battery pack loadout for an aircraft having at least one installed battery pack includes a vehicle including a battery storage assembly, a controller, and a battery transfer assembly. The battery storage assembly is configured for storing at least one stored battery pack. The controller is configured to identify a state of charge for each of the at least one installed battery pack installed on the aircraft, identify an energy storage prerequisite for a flight or series of flights of the aircraft, and identify a battery pack loadout plan for the aircraft. The battery pack loadout plan identifies one or more of the at least one stored battery pack to be installed on the aircraft. The controller is further configured to control the battery pack loadout for the aircraft by controlling the battery transfer assembly to install the one or more of the at least one stored battery pack into the aircraft.

A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.