An electric drive device includes a rotary electric machine and a controller. The rotary electric machine includes a hollow shaft extending in a prescribed axial direction, and a housing extending in the axial direction on an outer circumference of the shaft, the shaft includes a main body accommodated in the housing, and an extending portion extending from the main body toward the controller, the extending portion is provided with at least one shaft hole, the controller includes a casing extending in the axial direction on an outer circumference of the extending portion, and the casing is provided with at least one vent, and a cooling air passage extending in the axial direction is formed on an outer circumference of the casing, and the cooling air passage is connected to an internal space of the shaft via the shaft hole, an internal space of the casing, and the vent.

An electric drive device includes one shaft extending in a prescribed axial direction, a first rotary electric machine and a second rotary electric machine each arranged coaxially with the shaft and connected to the shaft, a first controller electrically connected to the first rotary electric machine and configured to control driving of the first rotary electric machine, and a second controller electrically connected to the second rotary electric machine and configured to control driving of the second rotary electric machine. The first rotary electric machine and the second rotary electric machine are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction of the shaft, and the first controller and the second controller are arranged between the first rotary electric machine and the second rotary electric machine.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an aircraft comprises a battery pack mounted external to the aircraft structure. The batteries are configured to vent directly to the environment during battery thermal runaway. In one embodiment, an aerodynamic fairing provides an aerodynamically efficient surface and weather protection during nominal flight conditions. During battery thermal runaway however, the aerodynamic fairing is configured to expose the battery to the environment.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an aircraft comprises a battery pack mounted external to the aircraft structure. The batteries are configured to vent directly to the environment during battery thermal runaway. In one embodiment, an aerodynamic fairing provides an aerodynamically efficient surface and weather protection during nominal flight conditions. During battery thermal runaway however, the aerodynamic fairing is configured to expose the battery to the environment.

An electric aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a fuselage equipped with a power means, a front spar and a rear spar extending from the fuselage to an end of a wing, and a plurality of ribs extending from the rear spar to the front spar and coupled to the front spar and the rear spar, in which a plurality of solid state batteries are mounted in a plurality of individual spaces partitioned by the front spar, the rear spar, and the plurality of ribs, respectively, and the front spar and the rear spar are used as members for serial connection of the plurality of solid state batteries, and the plurality of ribs are used as members for parallel connection of the plurality of solid state batteries.

An electric aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a fuselage equipped with a power means, a front spar and a rear spar extending from the fuselage to an end of a wing, and a plurality of ribs extending from the rear spar to the front spar and coupled to the front spar and the rear spar, in which a plurality of solid state batteries are mounted in a plurality of individual spaces partitioned by the front spar, the rear spar, and the plurality of ribs, respectively, and the front spar and the rear spar are used as members for serial connection of the plurality of solid state batteries, and the plurality of ribs are used as members for parallel connection of the plurality of solid state batteries.

An electric aircraft includes a forward wing and an aft wing both located on a top side of a fuselage and both having an upward dihedral angle. The forward wing has a straight or slightly forward-swept leading edge. The aft wing has a swept leading edge. A plurality of propeller engines are located on a leading-edge side of the forward wing. A single propeller engine may be located on a top side of an aft end of the fuselage; alternatively, a plurality of propeller engines are located on the aft wing on either its leading or trailing edge. The propeller engines are each powered by an electric motor. An unobstructed cargo door is located on a side of the fuselage, aft of the forward wing.

An aircraft includes an airframe including a fuselage, a wing, and a tail, a main propulsion unit, including a motor and a propeller, a flight control device, including electric actuators, movable surfaces and sensors, and an autopilot computer sending instructions to the main propulsion unit and to the flight control device. Such unmanned aircraft further includes a pair of auxiliary propulsion units, each auxiliary propulsion unit including an electric motor, a propeller driven by the electric motor, and means for orienting the plane of the propeller with respect to the airframe, the flight control computer being programmed for setting a steering angle and a propeller speed of each auxiliary propulsion unit so as to compensate for a malfunction of the flight control system and/or of the main propulsion unit, in order to control the trajectory along all axes, the unmanned aircraft thereby exhibiting increased reliability.

An aircraft includes an airframe including a fuselage, a wing, and a tail, a main propulsion unit, including a motor and a propeller, a flight control device, including electric actuators, movable surfaces and sensors, and an autopilot computer sending instructions to the main propulsion unit and to the flight control device. Such unmanned aircraft further includes a pair of auxiliary propulsion units, each auxiliary propulsion unit including an electric motor, a propeller driven by the electric motor, and means for orienting the plane of the propeller with respect to the airframe, the flight control computer being programmed for setting a steering angle and a propeller speed of each auxiliary propulsion unit so as to compensate for a malfunction of the flight control system and/or of the main propulsion unit, in order to control the trajectory along all axes, the unmanned aircraft thereby exhibiting increased reliability.

An aircraft wing including: a wingbox; a fuel tank; a fuel cell system with a fuel cell; a fuel line configured to deliver fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel cell system; a propulsion system carried by the wingbox; and an electrical power line configured to deliver electrical power from the fuel cell system to the propulsion system. The fuel tank and the fuel cell system are located inside the wingbox, and the propulsion system is located outside the wingbox.