An aerial vehicle includes a hybrid power generation system comprising an engine; a generator mechanically coupled to the engine; and a propulsion system comprising an electric motor electrically coupled to the generator and a rotational mechanism coupled to the electric motor.

An aircraft includes a fuselage and a wing assembly attached to or formed integrally with the fuselage. The aircraft also includes a hybrid electric propulsion system having a port propulsor and a starboard propulsor, with the port and starboard propulsors attached to the wing assembly on opposing sides of the fuselage and rotatable between a forward thrust position and a vertical thrust position. The hybrid electric propulsion system additionally includes an electric power source including a combustion engine and an electric generator, with the electric generator being driven by the combustion engine. The electric generator is in electrical communication with each of the port and starboard propulsors for powering the port and starboard propulsors.

A manned or unmanned aircraft has a main body with a circular shape and a circular outer periphery. One or more rotor blades extend substantially horizontally outward from the main body at or about the circular outer periphery. In addition, one or more counter-rotation blades extend substantially horizontally outward from said main body at or about the circular outer periphery, but vertically offset from the main rotor blades. The rotor blades and counter-rotation blades can be folded upward into a storage position. In addition, the unmanned aircraft can have solar panels positioned about the top housing and fuselage of the aircraft.

An aspect provides an aircraft including a fuselage and a cross-flow fan system attached to the fuselage. The cross-flow fan system including a cross-flow fan assembly associated with a rotatable wing member having an exterior aerodynamic surface. In one aspect, there is provided an aircraft with a fuselage having a forward portion and an aft portion; a first cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the left side of the forward portion of the fuselage; a second cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the right side of the forward portion of the fuselage; a third cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the left side of the aft portion of the fuselage; and a fourth cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the right side of the aft portion of the fuselage.

An aircraft where an engine creates mechanical energy. That energy is then converted into another transmittable form, e.g., electrical using a generator, or hydraulic using a pump, and is delivered to remotely-located motors and thrusters, e.g., propellers at one or more locations on the aircraft. The general concept makes the engine as well as the motors used scalable to accomplish overall efficiency objectives.

A propulsion system for an aircraft includes an engine (e.g., piston engine, or turbine) having an axis made to be nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. This is enabled using an electrical, hydraulic, or other system to transfer energy generated by the engine (e.g., via electrical wiring, fluid conduits, etc.) to remotely power a motor used to drive a thrust-creating device (e.g., propeller or ducted fan). That the engine is able to be freely oriented allows for it being positioned without regard to any mechanical restraints existing in conventional arrangements.

A hybrid airship (drone, UAV) capable of significantly extended flight times can use one of two technologies, or both together. The first technology uses a combination of a lifting gas (such as hydrogen or helium) in a central volume or balloon and multirotor technology for lift and maneuvering. The second technology equips the airship with an on board generator to charge the batteries during flight for extended flight operations, with an internal combustion engine (such as a high power to weight ratio gas turbine engine) driving the generator. A quadcopter or other multicopter configuration is desirable.

Hybrid-electric aircraft and a series hybrid powertrain configured to power the aircraft for a medium-haul flight. The series hybrid power train includes a plurality of energy storage units, at least one range extending generator, and a plurality of electric propulsors, each coupled to a distribution bus. The electric propulsors can produce a maximum thrust of at least 15 MW. During a cruise regime, the hybrid-electric aircraft can have an airspeed of at least 0.7 Mach at an altitude of less than 32000 feet, and the plurality of electric propulsors can have a fan pressure ratio of between 1.15 and 1.19. The hybrid-electric aircraft can have a degree of hybridization of at least 25% for the medium-haul flight and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO.sub.2e) well-to-wake greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions less than 0.25 lbs/Available Seat Mile (ASM).

Hybrid-electric aircraft and a series hybrid powertrain configured to power the aircraft for a medium-haul flight. The series hybrid power train includes a plurality of energy storage units, at least one range extending generator, and a plurality of electric propulsors, each coupled to a distribution bus. The electric propulsors can produce a maximum thrust of at least 15 MW. During a cruise regime, the hybrid-electric aircraft can have an airspeed of at least 0.7 Mach at an altitude of less than 32000 feet, and the plurality of electric propulsors can have a fan pressure ratio of between 1.15 and 1.19. The hybrid-electric aircraft can have a degree of hybridization of at least 25% for the medium-haul flight and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO.sub.2e) well-to-wake greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions less than 0.25 lbs/Available Seat Mile (ASM).

A power supply device includes a power generator, a drive source, a plurality of power supply lines, a plurality of batteries, a difference calculating unit 11, a difference summing unit 12, and an electric power summing unit 13. The difference calculating unit 11 is configured to calculate differences D1, D2, D3, and D4 between a target charge state set for each battery and an estimated charge state. The difference summing unit 12 is configured to sum the differences D1, D2, D3, and D4 calculated by the difference calculating unit 11. The electric power summing unit 13 is configured to sum the charge state calculated by the difference summing unit 12 and electric power used for the electric loads. A control unit 9 controls the drive source such that electric power calculated by the electric power summing unit 13 is generated by the power generator.