A mass propelled device includes an evaporation chamber and at least one nozzle. The evaporation chamber includes (i) at least one transparent substrate and (ii) a plurality of nanostructures disposed on a second surface opposite a first surface. The evaporation chamber receives light on the first surface and the plurality of nanostructures excites conduction electrons in response to the received light. The evaporation chamber heats propellent therein using the conduction electrons thereby generating heated propellant. The at least one nozzle produces thrust by exhausting the heated propellent from the evaporation chamber.

A flux-balanced magnetic circuit for an electric propulsion (EP) system is presented. The magnetic circuit includes a magnetic core with a thickness profile that is configured to equalize the magnetic flux conducted through a magnetically permeable material of magnetic elements of the magnetic core, including an inner pole, an outer pole, an inner screen, and outer screen, and a baseplate. According to one aspect, equalization of the magnetic flux is provided for operation of the magnetic circuit in a linear regime and a nonlinear regime. According to another aspect, the thickness profile includes a region with varying thickness. According to another aspect, the thickness profile in the region with varying thickness is configured to follow shape and/or contour of magnetic flux lines of the magnetic flux. According to another aspect, the curvature and/or slope is configured to increase a material thickness in a region of higher magnetic flux density.

A thruster includes a current loop, a magnetic circuit within the current loop, a channel, a propellant reservoir and an ejection outlet. The channel forms an ejection path from an output of the propellant reservoir to the ejection outlet. The current loop is driven by a tuned current density based on at least a selected propellant. The selected propellant is ejected down the channel due to an applied electric field.

An aircraft includes a body defining an interior compartment configured to hold at least one of a passenger and a payload, a battery system, a plurality of arms coupled to and extending from the body, and a plurality of propulsion devices configured to provide thrust to fly the aircraft. Each of the plurality of propulsion devices is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of arms. The plurality of propulsion devices are powered by the battery system. Each of the plurality of propulsion devices is selectively pivotable about at least one axis. The plurality of propulsion devices include at least one of (i) counter rotating ducted fans and (ii) ionizing electrode engines.