A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the ground effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the ground effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

An air, sea, land and underwater tilt tri-rotor UAV capable of performing vertical take-off and landing. By the method for controlling a submerged floating device and a tilt tri-rotor device, the UAV is switched among the vertical take-off and landing mode, fixed wing mode, water surface sailing mode and underwater submerging mode, thereby making same have the advantages of four kinds of UAVs, and enhancing the applicability, maneuverability and efficiency of UAV. This has high efficiency in power system, has obviously improved endurance time and flight distance as compared with the traditional multi rotor UAV because of having the fixed wing mode, is applicable to more scenarios, and may operate on flat land, mountain land, water surface and underwater, thereby completing designated missions such as aerial, ground, water surface and underwater investigation, survey and concealment.

The invention provides a float plane having a fuselage, a wing, and two floats mounted to the fuselage. In one group of embodiments, the float plane is a firefighting float plane that includes a water tank and a water scooping assembly. In another group of embodiments, the float plane includes a spreader bar suspension assembly. In certain embodiments, the float plane is a firefighting float plane that includes a water tank, a water scooping assembly, and a spreader bar suspension assembly.

The invention provides a float plane having a fuselage, a wing, and two floats mounted to the fuselage. In one group of embodiments, the float plane is a firefighting float plane that includes a water tank and a water scooping assembly. In another group of embodiments, the float plane includes a spreader bar suspension assembly. In certain embodiments, the float plane is a firefighting float plane that includes a water tank, a water scooping assembly, and a spreader bar suspension assembly.

An attachment for an aircraft. The attachment comprises a single, central float portion positioned under a centre of the aircraft, and a retraction apparatus. One end of the retraction apparatus is attached to the float portion and another end of the retraction apparatus is attached to the underside of the aircraft. The retraction apparatus is deployable and retractable between a first and second configuration, such that, with the retraction apparatus in the first configuration, the float portion is retracted towards the aircraft fuselage and, with the retraction apparatus in the second configuration, the float portion is deployed away from the aircraft fuselage. When the float portion is deployed, the float portion allows the aircraft to land on a body of water. When the float portion is retracted, the aircraft is able to land on a ground surface. The attachment can be retrofit to an existing non-amphibious aircraft.

The invention provides a float plane having a fuselage, a wing, and two floats mounted to the fuselage. In one group of embodiments, the float plane is a firefighting float plane that includes a water tank and a water scooping assembly. In another group of embodiments, the float plane includes a spreader bar suspension assembly. In certain embodiments, the float plane is a firefighting float plane that includes a water tank, a water scooping assembly, and a spreader bar suspension assembly.