Aircraft and methods of operating the aircraft to provide for increased descent angles. The aircraft includes a fuselage having fixed wings, a horizontal thrust source coupled to the fuselage and configured to selectively generate and supply horizontal thrust to the aircraft, a vertical thrust source coupled to the fuselage and configured to selectively generate and supply vertical thrust to the aircraft, the vertical thrust source including a vertical thrust rotor that is configured to selectively operate in a locked mode, in which the vertical thrust rotor cannot rotate freely in response to contact of airflow therewith, and an unlocked mode, in which the vertical thrust rotor can rotate freely in response to contact of airflow therewith, and a controller configured to selectively supply a command to the vertical thrust source that causes the vertical thrust rotor to operate in the unlocked mode.

A precision landing system is described for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The system may include one or more anchors configured for placement in proximity to a landing zone, a tag configured for securement to the UAV where the tag wirelessly communicates with at least three or more of the anchors. A controller may be configured to fly the UAV towards a centerline axis defined through a first airspace zone at a first altitude above the landing zone while descending towards the first altitude and then fly the UAV towards the centerline axis defined through a second airspace zone at a second altitude which is below the first altitude while descending towards the second altitude, and finally to fly the UAV towards the centerline axis defined through a third airspace zone at a third altitude which is below the second altitude while descending towards the landing zone.

A precision landing system is described for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The system may include one or more anchors configured for placement in proximity to a landing zone, a tag configured for securement to the UAV where the tag wirelessly communicates with at least three or more of the anchors. A controller may be configured to fly the UAV towards a centerline axis defined through a first airspace zone at a first altitude above the landing zone while descending towards the first altitude and then fly the UAV towards the centerline axis defined through a second airspace zone at a second altitude which is below the first altitude while descending towards the second altitude, and finally to fly the UAV towards the centerline axis defined through a third airspace zone at a third altitude which is below the second altitude while descending towards the landing zone.

A system and a method for operating an aircraft during a climb phase of flight include a control unit configured to receive data regarding one or both of a current flight or one or more previous flights of the aircraft from one or more sensors of the aircraft. The control unit is further configured to determine efficient climb phase parameters for the aircraft based on the data. The aircraft is operated during the climb phase of one or both of the current flight or one or more future flights according to the efficient climb phase parameters.

A system and method for protecting a rotorcraft from entering a vortex ring state, the method including monitoring a vertical speed of a rotorcraft, comparing the vertical speed to a vertical speed safety threshold, and performing vortex ring state (VRS) avoidance in response to the vertical speed exceeding the vertical speed safety threshold. The performing the VRS avoidance includes determining a power margin available from one or more engines of the rotorcraft, limiting the vertical speed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin exceeding a threshold, and increasing a forward airspeed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin not exceeding the threshold.

A method for assisting an aircraft in landing on a runway and an associated system includes determining a target exit point from the runway and a target taxi speed at which the aircraft has to take the target exit; calculating a target ground distance representative of a ground deceleration phase; and calculating the position of a target touchdown point on the basis of the target ground distance. The target ground distance is calculated as a function of a target deceleration profile for the aircraft to reach the target exit point at the target taxi speed.

Aircraft and methods of operating the aircraft to provide for increased descent angles. The aircraft includes a fuselage having fixed wings, a horizontal thrust source coupled to the fuselage and configured to selectively generate and supply horizontal thrust to the aircraft, a vertical thrust source coupled to the fuselage and configured to selectively generate and supply vertical thrust to the aircraft, the vertical thrust source including a vertical thrust rotor that is configured to selectively operate in a locked mode, in which the vertical thrust rotor cannot rotate freely in response to contact of airflow therewith, and an unlocked mode, in which the vertical thrust rotor can rotate freely in response to contact of airflow therewith, and a controller configured to selectively supply a command to the vertical thrust source that causes the vertical thrust rotor to operate in the unlocked mode.

Aircraft and methods of operating the aircraft to provide for increased descent angles. The aircraft includes a fuselage having fixed wings, a horizontal thrust source coupled to the fuselage and configured to selectively generate and supply horizontal thrust to the aircraft, a vertical thrust source coupled to the fuselage and configured to selectively generate and supply vertical thrust to the aircraft, the vertical thrust source including a vertical thrust rotor that is configured to selectively operate in a locked mode, in which the vertical thrust rotor cannot rotate freely in response to contact of airflow therewith, and an unlocked mode, in which the vertical thrust rotor can rotate freely in response to contact of airflow therewith, and a controller configured to selectively supply a command to the vertical thrust source that causes the vertical thrust rotor to operate in the unlocked mode.

A system and method for protecting a rotorcraft from entering a vortex ring state, the method including monitoring a vertical speed of a rotorcraft, comparing the vertical speed to a vertical speed safety threshold, and performing vortex ring state (VRS) avoidance in response to the vertical speed exceeding the vertical speed safety threshold. The performing the VRS avoidance includes determining a power margin available from one or more engines of the rotorcraft, limiting the vertical speed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin exceeding a threshold, and increasing a forward airspeed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin not exceeding the threshold.

A local server includes a controller configured to select a processing function for processing offload, and receive, from a traffic filter, target data that originates from a local network; and a processing platform comprising one or more processors and configured to apply the processing function to the target data to obtain processed data; and wherein the controller is further configured to send the processed data to a remote server for remote processing.