Systems, devices, and methods for an aircraft having a fuselage (110); a wing (120) extending from both sides of the fuselage; a first pair of motors (132b, 133b) disposed at a first end of the wing; and a second pair of motors (142b, 143b) disposed at a second end of the wing; where each motor is angled (381, 382, 391, 392) to provide a component of thrust by a propeller (134, 135, 144, 145) attached thereto that for a desired aircraft movement applies a resulting torque additive to the resulting torque created by rotating the propellers.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, a method, system and apparatus for an aircraft may be shown and described. An exemplary embodiment may be an autonomous aircraft which can vertically takeoff and land (VTOL). The VTOL aircraft may have a modular pod which carries a removable payload. The entire VTOL aircraft may be portable. An exemplary embodiment may fit into a standard sized freight container. A propulsion system may be based on distributed electric propulsion. An exemplary embodiment may implement variable pitch propellers and collective pitch variation.

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.

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 propulsion unit with a propeller is provided, having a nacelle and a propeller rotatably mounted in the nacelle by a hub. The propeller includes blades mounted in a blade cuff pivotable about a pitch axis relative to the hub, each blade being pivotable relative to the cuff about a folding axis. The propulsion unit can further include a folding device that comprises an actuator for folding the blades. The folding device can include a control member rotationally affixed to the blade cuff and driven by the actuator, and a connecting rod pivotably mounted, on the one hand, on a root of the associated blade and, on the other hand, on the movable control member.

A propulsion unit with a propeller is provided, having a nacelle and a propeller rotatably mounted in the nacelle by a hub. The propeller includes blades mounted in a blade cuff pivotable about a pitch axis relative to the hub, each blade being pivotable relative to the cuff about a folding axis. The propulsion unit can further include a folding device that comprises an actuator for folding the blades. The folding device can include a control member rotationally affixed to the blade cuff and driven by the actuator, and a connecting rod pivotably mounted, on the one hand, on a root of the associated blade and, on the other hand, on the movable control member.

Embodiments provide a VTOL aircraft including a plurality of tilting propeller assemblies each coupled to a support structure and configured to transition between a vertical flight and a forward flight position. Each tilting propeller assembly comprising a propeller and a movable fairing provided downstream of the propeller. The movable fairing is configured to extend along an axis of rotation of the propeller. When the tilting propeller assembly transitions between the vertical and forward flight position, the movable fairing is configured to swivel to extend parallel to the direction of resultant airflow over the tilting propeller assembly into a minimum drag orientation. The movable fairing is damped enough to prevent any oscillations from the propeller wake shedding, and at the same time, keep the propeller aligned in a minimum-drag orientation with the resultant flow.

Embodiments provide a VTOL aircraft including a plurality of tilting propeller assemblies each coupled to a support structure and configured to transition between a vertical flight and a forward flight position. Each tilting propeller assembly comprising a propeller and a movable fairing provided downstream of the propeller. The movable fairing is configured to extend along an axis of rotation of the propeller. When the tilting propeller assembly transitions between the vertical and forward flight position, the movable fairing is configured to swivel to extend parallel to the direction of resultant airflow over the tilting propeller assembly into a minimum drag orientation. The movable fairing is damped enough to prevent any oscillations from the propeller wake shedding, and at the same time, keep the propeller aligned in a minimum-drag orientation with the resultant flow.

A VTOL fixed wing aircraft capable of high-speed forward flight. The aircraft has a main wing internally reinforced with front and aft spars. Spar boxed are located in roll-balanced locations along the wing. Each spar box serves as a connection point for a support linkage that supports a leading-edge and trailing-edge propulsion units. The leading-edge propulsion unit is fitted with a puller propeller and designed for articulated movement between a VTOL position in front of the wing leading edge and a forward flight position below the wing leading edge. The trailing-edge propulsion unit is fitted with a pusher propeller and designed for articulated movement between a VTOL position in behind the wing trailing edge and a forward flight position above the wing leading edge. The propeller includes a propulsor thrust ring having an aerodynamic profile and a thrust nozzle to capture and vector radial air leakage into thrust.

A propeller includes a blade free to rotate. A first stop is positioned to mechanically engage one or both of a first portion of the blade and a first structure coupled to the blade when the blade is in a first position at a first end of the rotational range of motion. A second stop is positioned to mechanically engage one or both of a second portion of the blade and a second structure coupled to the blade when the blade is in a second position at a second end of the defined rotational range. The blade rotates to the first position against the first stop when the propeller is rotated in a first direction and to the second position against the second stop when the propeller is rotated in a second direction.