Disclosed is a personal flying machine using compressed air as power source, and an operation method thereof, the flying machine including a stationary rotor lift device in a cyclone duct, a seat frame and a compressed air supply device; wherein the stationary rotor lift device in a cyclone duct includes a cyclone duct, in-duct stationary rotors and in-duct compressed air artificial wind blowing ports; wherein the in-duct stationary rotor includes a stationary propeller hub and a plurality of stationary blades fixed connected around the stationary propeller hub and arranged radially; wherein the stationary blade is shaped as an airplane's wing having an airfoil, an angle of attack, a leading edge and a trailing edge; wherein the compressed-air supply device supplies compressed air to the in-duct compressed-air artificial wind blowing ports to eject airflows towards the leading edges of the stationary blades and form a cyclone to generate lift. The present application solves the problems of efficiency limitation, high cost, heavy structure and energy-environment issues related to the traditional personal flying machines of burning fossil fuels to do work, and overcomes their shortcomings and problems with the wingless or wing-movement to generate lift in relatively static air.

Disclosed is a personal flying machine using compressed air as power source, and an operation method thereof, the flying machine including a stationary rotor lift device in a cyclone duct, a seat frame and a compressed air supply device; wherein the stationary rotor lift device in a cyclone duct includes a cyclone duct, in-duct stationary rotors and in-duct compressed air artificial wind blowing ports; wherein the in-duct stationary rotor includes a stationary propeller hub and a plurality of stationary blades fixed connected around the stationary propeller hub and arranged radially; wherein the stationary blade is shaped as an airplane's wing having an airfoil, an angle of attack, a leading edge and a trailing edge; wherein the compressed-air supply device supplies compressed air to the in-duct compressed-air artificial wind blowing ports to eject airflows towards the leading edges of the stationary blades and form a cyclone to generate lift. The present application solves the problems of efficiency limitation, high cost, heavy structure and energy-environment issues related to the traditional personal flying machines of burning fossil fuels to do work, and overcomes their shortcomings and problems with the wingless or wing-movement to generate lift in relatively static air.

A convertible ducted fan engine and mounting system. The convertible ducted fan engine has a shroud encircling a mechanical fan. The convertible ducted fan engine includes a fluid-propulsion configuration in which the mechanical fan rotates freely with respect to the shroud to produce thrust through fluid flow, and a drive-wheel configuration in which the shroud rotates about the rotational axis.

An aircraft includes a wing and a rotor pod mounted to the wing. The rotor pod includes a body having a forward end and an aft end. A propeller is mounted to the body of the rotor pod at the forward end. A control surface is mounted to the body of the rotor pod between the forward and aft ends and extends outwardly from the body. The control surface is displaceable relative to the body between a first control configuration and a second control configuration to control an attitude of the aircraft. The control surface in the first control configuration is closer to the propeller than the control surface in the second control configuration.

A landing gear system includes wheel rotatably coupled to an axle. A driveshaft extends through a cavity formed in the axle and is rotatable about an axis. A planetary gear includes a sun gear operably coupled to the drive shaft and a planet gear operably engaging the sun gear. The planetary gear further includes a ring gear that surrounds and is operably coupled to the planet gear so that rotation of the drive shaft rotates the ring gear. A clutch assembly is selectively moveable between an engaged state and a disengaged state. The clutch assembly transfers rotation of the ring gear to the wheel when the clutch assembly is in the engaged state, and the clutch assembly does not transfer rotation of the wheel to the ring gear when the clutch assembly is in the disengaged state.

A multi-modal robot capable of legged and aerial locomotion includes a body structure including a plurality of legs, each leg having at least one joint; a plurality of thrusters connected to the body structure; and a plurality of actuators for controlled movement of the legs and thrusters. The plurality of actuators are embedded within composite housing structures in the body structure. The composite housing structures are formed by additive printing of composite material over components of the actuators. The composite housing structures are reinforced by layers of continuous carbon fiber material. A method of constructing an actuator for use in a multi-modal robot is also disclosed. Additionally, a computer-implemented method is disclosed to identify particular locations and sizes of components in multi-modal robots providing the lowest total cost of transport.

A multi-modal robot capable of legged and aerial locomotion includes a body structure including a plurality of legs, each leg having at least one joint; a plurality of thrusters connected to the body structure; and a plurality of actuators for controlled movement of the legs and thrusters. The plurality of actuators are embedded within composite housing structures in the body structure. The composite housing structures are formed by additive printing of composite material over components of the actuators. The composite housing structures are reinforced by layers of continuous carbon fiber material. A method of constructing an actuator for use in a multi-modal robot is also disclosed. Additionally, a computer-implemented method is disclosed to identify particular locations and sizes of components in multi-modal robots providing the lowest total cost of transport.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a body that supports one or more rotors, the one or more rotors each driven by a motor and configured to provide lift to the body. The UAV further includes a parts handler coupled to the body, the parts handler configured to grasp a payload, and rotate the payload with respect to an external structure to couple the payload to, or decouple the payload from, the external structure. The UAV includes a stabilizing mechanism extending from the body, the stabilizing mechanism configured to contact the external structure without transferring entire weight of the UAV to the external structure and prevent rotation of the body when the part-handler rotates the payload.

In one or more embodiments, the ground roll assist system is based on the electric in-wheel motors integrated with the main landing gear of an aircraft and linked to the aircraft control system. It is well known that modern electric motors possess superior torque density characteristics, potentially exceeding best in class internal combustion engines by more than an order of magnitude. Furthermore, electric motors performance is generally thermally limited, which makes it possible to achieve even higher performance for a short period of time.

A fractal unmanned aircraft system (200) includes a first module (100), a second module (100) and a third module, (100) each having a top member (120) and a first thruster (130) affixed thereto. Each module (100) is laterally coupled to each other. A fourth module (100) has a bottom that is affixed to the top members (120) of the first module(100), the second module (100) and the third module (100) so as to form a tetrahedral structure. A power source (220) supplies power to the first thrusters (130). A control circuit (222) controls the unmanned aircraft system so as to cause the fractal unmanned aircraft system (200) to fly in a controlled manner.