A landing gear is disclosed having a main strut connected at one end to an aircraft via a main joint is disclosed. The landing gear further includes an inboard sidestay assembly connected to the main strut. The inboard sidestay assembly includes a forward stay connected at one end to the aircraft, a rear stay connected at one end to the fuselage, and a shear web extending between the forward stay and the rear stay and configured to resist movement of the forward stay relative to the rear stay. The landing gear is arranged such that when the landing gear is extended substantially all the landing gear loads are transferred from the landing gear to the aircraft via one or more of the main joint, the forward stay and the rear stay.

An aircraft landing gear 2 is disclosed having a first arm 6a configured to have one or more wheels 8a mounted at one end, the first arm 6a being configured for mounting to a pivot 10a. The landing gear 2 includes a second arm 6b configured to have one or more wheels 8b mounted at one end, the second arm 6b being configured for mounting to a pivot 10b. The landing gear 2 further includes a first link 18a pivotally coupled to the first arm 6a, a second link 18b pivotally coupled to the second arm 6b; and a main link 20 pivotally coupled to each of the first and second links 18a, 18b and to a shock absorber 22 arranged to provide a biasing force via (i) the main linkage 20 and the first link 18a which opposes rotation of the first arm 6a about the pivot 10a and (ii) the main linkage 20 and the second link 18b which opposes rotation of the second arm 6b about the pivot 10b.

An aerodynamic cover panel for a landing gear wheel well in an undercarriage of an aircraft includes at least one embodiment having a peripheral lip that defines a plane. Movements of the cover panel to open and close the wheel well are confined to pivotal rotation within the plane, and occur within an aerodynamic boundary layer of the undercarriage about a pivot axis in one rotational direction to open the wheel well, and in an opposite rotational direction to close the wheel well. The cover panel includes a flange, to which a rotary shaft is secured at one end for rotation about the pivot axis. The other end of the rotary shaft is secured to an actuator fixed within the undercarriage. In one embodiment, the cover panel rotates about an arc of least 75 between fully opened and fully closed positions of the wheel well.

A shock strut for a vehicle includes a housing with a through channel and a motor mount, and a motor fixed to the housing. The cylinder of a shock strut is configured to define a lead screw on its outer surface. The cylinder extends through the housing. The piston of the shock strut is attached to a ground engaging assembly. A gear nut rotatably mounted in the housing threadably engages the threaded cylinder, and is configured to be driven by the motor. The housing is attached to the vehicle, and the gear nut is controllably rotated to extend and retract the shock strut. A sensor provided on the assembly monitors the position of the shock strut. A torsion link assembly reacts rotational forces on the cylinder.

Landing gear doors may be opened in an emergency event, e.g., a failure of the normal landing gear actuation system that requires a gravity free-fall deployment. The retractable aircraft landing gear door actuation mechanism will include a landing gear door and a door support bracket attached to the landing gear door. The support bracket is attached to aircraft structure for pivotal movement about a pivot axis between a closed condition whereby the landing gear door covers an aircraft landing gear when retracted relative to the aircraft structure, and an opened condition whereby the landing gear door is moved laterally and upwardly relative to the aircraft landing gear when extended relative to the aircraft structure. A gear door actuation assembly is operatively connected to the door support bracket for moving the door support bracket and the gear door supported thereby between the closed and opened conditions thereof. The gear door actuation assembly will include an over-the-center spring assembly which assists in pivotal movement of the door support bracket and the gear door supported thereby from the closed condition into the opened condition thereof.

A multi-mode mobility micro air vehicle (MAV) accomplishes ground locomotion by hopping on a retractable leg. The hopping is translated into forward locomotion when aided by the forward thrust of propellers, and the orientation of locomotion is directed by aerodynamic controls like ailerons, rudders, stabilators, or plasma actuators. The foot of the leg is convexly curved so as to produce hopping that is statically and passively dynamically stable. The MAV is also equipped for vertical takeoff so that it may conduct multiple idling missions in sequence and may return home for recovery and reuse. Structural integration of power storage and photovoltaic generation systems into the aerodynamic surface of the MAV lightens the weight of the MAV while also providing a strong structure and permitting the MAV to harvest its own energy. The MAV may autonomously conduct surveillance missions and/or serve as a flying platform for self-healing sensor or communications networks, especially when multiple MAVs are used in concert.

A landing gear assembly for use with an aircraft includes a housing including a trunnion brace, a drag brace, and an aft brace that together define an opening through the housing. The landing gear assembly also includes a shrink link assembly coupled to the housing such that the shrink link assembly is accessible through the opening.

A front landing gear comprising an undercarriage and a landing gear bay, the undercarriage including a single wheel, a landing gear strut and a stay rod, the undercarriage being movable between a retracted position in which it is stowed inside the landing gear bay and a deployed position in which it extends mainly outside the landing gear bay and the aircraft, the wheel then extending in a median longitudinal plane of the aircraft. The landing gear strut is laterally offset, extending in a plane strictly parallel to the plane of the wheel. The landing gear strut is articulated about a longitudinal axis pivot connection such that, when the undercarriage is moved between its retracted and deployed positions, the landing gear strut moves in a transverse plane. The front landing gear is particularly suitable for an aircraft of flying wing type.

Methods, devices, and systems of various embodiments are disclosed for operating a propeller assembly for use with a UAV. Various embodiments include a propeller assembly including a pivotal arm, a propeller mounted on the pivotal arm, and pivotal leg coupled to the pivotal arm. The pivotal leg may be folded into the pivotal arm and the pivotal arm may be folded into a body of the UAV. A processor may be coupled to the propeller assembly and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations of the propeller assembly.

A structural assembly for an aircraft having pairs of main gantries distributed in the longitudinal direction, two transverse panels fixed to the front and the rear of the pairs of main gantries to together define a compartment for a landing gear of the aircraft, at least one pair of secondary gantries between the main gantries, at least one crossmembers parallel to the transverse panels and that straddles at least one secondary gantry, and, for each secondary gantry and each crossmember straddling the secondary gantry, a connecting rod mounted to be able to freely rotate, via a first end, on a lower part of the crossmember and, via a second end, on an outer lateral part of the secondary gantry. Such an arrangement reduces the vertical bulk of the structural assembly.