Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation

Adam Scott Ehrmantraut

Ed Wen

Robert William Parks

Dan Cottrell

David Kordonowy

Mark Blehar

Mark Drela

John Gundlach

James McDaniel Snider, Ii

Melissa Dominguez

Amaresh Emani

Adam Ian Nadel

A system for facilitating navigation of an aircraft comprises one or more processors and a memory coupled to the processors. The memory stores data into a data store and program code that, when executed by the processors, causes the system to detect an infrared site signal indicating a site code transmitted by one or more infrared beacons that form a beacon network around a site. The site code represents a site. In response to detecting the infrared site signal, the system determines the site indicated by the site code. The system searches for two or more infrared beacon signals and detects the two or more infrared beacon signals. In response to detecting the two or more infrared beacon signals, the system determines a location of the aircraft based on the two or more infrared beacon signals.

System for navigating an aircraft based on infrared beacon signals

A solar power system comprising a solar panel, a load, and a battery pack group. The load comprising an electric motor operatively coupled with a propeller. The battery pack group comprises one or more voltage controllable battery packs, each of said one or more voltage controllable battery packs comprising a plurality of battery cells. The voltage controllable battery packs having a rigid printed circuit board electrically coupled with the plurality of battery cells, the rigid printed circuit board including an interconnect connector to electrically couple with a corresponding interconnect connector of a second voltage controllable battery pack.

Solar power system and method thereof

A multi-functional composite system, the multi-functional composite system comprising a core, a plurality of structural composite fiber layers, a matrix material, a composite conductor assembly, the composite conductor assembly having one or more conductors disposed between two or more insulating layers, and an electric power source electronically coupled with said composite conductor assembly, the electric power source is configured to pass electric current through at least one of said one or more conductors.

Multi-functional composite structures

A multi-functional composite system generally comprises a core, a plurality of structural composite fiber layers, a matrix material, a connector configured to interface with one or more electrical devices and a composite conductor assembly, the composite conductor assembly having one or more conductors disposed between two or more insulating layers.

The present disclosure endeavors to provide an SHM system and method using a conductive material (e.g., CNT) to measure changes in a layered structure. Change in capacitance of a layered structure may be measured over time thereby indicating a change in the structural integrity of the material. The SHM system may be embedded with, or within, the layered structure such that the system is effectively part of the material. Alternatively, it may be external to the layered structure such that the system is a separate device used to measure the capacitance. The SHM system may also localize any changes in a layered structure by using, for example, strips or panels of conductive material on opposite sides of the layered structure being measured. Damage within overlapping portions of the conductive material provides localization capability where varying the size of the strips or panels may be use to vary the sensitivity and resolution of both the locations and size of the defect.

Capacitance-based system health monitoring system, apparatus and method for layered structure

An aircraft conductor sandwich assembly configured to be embedded in a composite aircraft structure. The conductor sandwich assembly comprises a plurality of carbon conductors disposed between two sheets of insulating layers and an adhesive resin bonding the plurality of carbon conductors and the two sheets of insulating layers into a carbon sandwich assembly such that (i) the conductors are electrically isolated and (ii) structural loads can be passed through said conductor sandwich assembly.

Apparatus and method for an aircraft conductor sandwich assembly embedded to an aircraft structure

A system and method for reducing the noise penalty of a pusher propeller, allowing an aircraft to retain its advantages for UAV configurations, while allowing acoustic performance similar to that of a tractor propeller by reducing, or eliminating, propeller noise emissions. The system and method provide an airfoil-shaped flight surface with (i) a scoop configured to route boundary layer air and associated wake from said flight surface, and (ii) a suction device configured to provide a suction pressure, wherein the scoop routes boundary layer air from the flight surface to the suction device via an opening in the flight surface.

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Dumfries, VA, United States of America

Adam Scott Ehrmantraut