A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.

A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.

A flap support mechanism includes a carrier beam on which a flap is mounted. The carrier beam is rotatably mounted to a flap support for rotation relative to a wing. A crankshaft assembly is rotatable about an axis and has a crankshaft eccentrically extending between an inboard cylindrical support and an outboard cylindrical support. A coupler link is rotatably engaged to the crankshaft and pivotally connected to the carrier beam. Rotation of the crankshaft from a first eccentric position to a second eccentric position translates the coupler link between a retracted position and a deployed position.

An aircraft wing having a main wing and a trailing edge flight control surface movable between a retracted position, a first extended position in which the control surface is positioned rearwardly in the chord wise direction relative to its retracted position, and a second extended position in which the control surface is rotated relative to its retracted position. A closure panel, mounted to the main wing, extends from the main wing to the control surface, to provide an air flow surface between the main wing and control surface, both when the control surface is in its retracted position and its first extended position. The closure panel is movable, relative to the control surface, to an open configuration in which it opens an airflow passage provided between the control surface and an opposed surface of the aircraft wing when the control surface is in its second extended position.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for an aerodynamic surface actuation system, including: a plurality of outer tracks, wherein each outer track of the plurality of outer tracks include: an inner roller channel; and an outer roller channel positioned above the inner roller channel; an aerodynamic surface connected to a carrier, wherein the carrier includes: a plurality of rollers configured to move within inner roller channels of the plurality of outer tracks; and a carrier rack; a plurality of fixed rollers mounted to a plurality of longitudinal structural elements in an aerodynamic structure, wherein the plurality of fixed rollers are disposed within outer roller channels of the plurality of outer tracks; and a plurality of fixed racks, wherein each fixed rack of the plurality of fixed racks is mounted to a longitudinal structural element of the plurality of longitudinal structural elements.

A wing system is provided for an air vehicle, the wing system having a stowed configuration, a pre-deployed configuration, and a deployed configuration. The wing system includes two wings, each wing having aerofoil profiles and being pivotably deployable about a respective pivot axis between the pre-deployed configuration and the deployed configuration. In the stowed configuration the two wings are in first general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and are capable of being accommodated within an envelope having an envelope cross-sectional profile and a corresponding envelope cross-sectional area. In the pre-deployed configuration, the two wings are in second general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and capable of deploying to the deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration the wings are each capable of generating aerodynamic lift in an airstream. Each aerofoil profile of each wing is a slotted aerofoil having a primary element, a secondary element and a chord, the secondary element being pivotable with respect to the primary element and spaced therefrom by a gap. Each aerofoil profile has a respective maximum thickness, and a respective maximum absolute thickness. In the stowed configuration, the respective second element of eachaerofoil of one wing is set at a different flap angle as compared with the respective second element of each aerofoil of the other wing.

A wing system is provided for an air vehicle, the wing system having a stowed configuration, a pre-deployed configuration, and a deployed configuration. The wing system includes two wings, each wing having aerofoil profiles and being pivotably deployable about a respective pivot axis between the pre-deployed configuration and the deployed configuration. In the stowed configuration the two wings are in first general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and are capable of being accommodated within an envelope having an envelope cross-sectional profile and a corresponding envelope cross-sectional area. In the pre-deployed configuration, the two wings are in second general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and capable of deploying to the deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration the wings are each capable of generating aerodynamic lift in an airstream. Each aerofoil profile of each wing is a slotted aerofoil having a primary element, a secondary element and a chord, the secondary element being pivotable with respect to the primary element and spaced therefrom by a gap. Each aerofoil profile has a respective maximum thickness, and a respective maximum absolute thickness. In the stowed configuration, the respective second element of eachaerofoil of one wing is set at a different flap angle as compared with the respective second element of each aerofoil of the other wing.

A blade seal for sealing a gap between a first aircraft component and a second aircraft component, including a flexible seal member having a first end for attaching to the first aircraft component and a second end for extending towards the second aircraft component, a sensor and an actuator directly coupled to the flexible seal member. The sensor is configured to detect deformation of the flexible seal member and send a signal to the actuator in response to the deformation, and the actuator is configured to impart a load on the flexible seal member and to activate only in response to the signal received directly from the sensor by the actuator to counter the detected deformation of the flexible seal member.

A blade seal for sealing a gap between a first aircraft component and a second aircraft component, including a flexible seal member having a first end for attaching to the first aircraft component and a second end for extending towards the second aircraft component, a sensor and an actuator directly coupled to the flexible seal member. The sensor is configured to detect deformation of the flexible seal member and send a signal to the actuator in response to the deformation, and the actuator is configured to impart a load on the flexible seal member and to activate only in response to the signal received directly from the sensor by the actuator to counter the detected deformation of the flexible seal member.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft (10) includes a fuselage and first and second forward wings (20, 22), each wing (20, 22) having a fixed leading edge and a trailing control surface (50) which is pivotal about a generally horizontal pivot axis. The aircraft (10) includes first and second electric motors (60) each having rotors (70), the electric rotors (70) being pivotal with the trailing control surface (50) between a first position in which each rotor (70) has a generally vertical axis of rotation, and a second position in which each rotor (70) has a generally horizontal axis of rotation, a control system (90) is configured to selectively operate the first electric motor (60) and the second electric motor (60) at different rotational speeds to generate a turning moment to pivot the control surface (50) about the pivot axis (33).