Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation

Regent Craft Inc.

Daniel B Cottrell

Michael Klinker

William Bryan Baker

William Thalheimer

Edward Andrew Lester

Andrew Levin

Bradley C Buskirk

Andrew Gregg

Jason Castriota

Christian Bailey

Garrett Steven Hennig

Brett C Peters

Cory Asher Kays

John Andrew Gaynor

Francesco Giannini

Martin Gomez

Carl G Schaefer, Jr

Steven Petullo

Jean-Charles Lede

Herbert E Hunter

David Larson

Dorian Colas

Michael Christopher Tilley

Brian Whipple

Timothy Nuhfer

Randall Tatman

Jonathan Grohs

Marco Borge

Thomas Roberts

Steve Petullo

Mahmood Abdulrazzaq Mahmood Alwash

Christopher Hermann

P Graves H Riley

Daniel S Campbell

P Graves Riley

A craft comprises at least one hull, a main wing coupled to the hull and configured to facilitate airborne operations of the craft, a plurality of propellers that include one or more electric motor propellers and one or more combustion motor propellers arranged along each of a port side and a starboard side of the main wing and configured to generate lift on the craft by blowing air over the main wing, and a control system. The control system comprises data storage having instruction code stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors of the control system, causes the control system to: after receiving a takeoff indication, increase thrust generated by the electric motor propellers to cause the craft to transition from a hull-borne mode of operation to an airborne mode of operation, and after a thrust adjustment condition occurs, increase thrust generated by the combustion motor propellers.

Hybrid propulsion for airborne craft

A craft comprises at least one hull; at least one wing configured to generate upwards aero lift as air flows past the at least one wing to facilitate wing-borne flight of the craft; a front hydrofoil connected to the at least one hull via a front hydrofoil strut and configured to generate upward hydrofoil lift as water flows past the front hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water; a rear hydrofoil connected to the at least one hull via a rear hydrofoil strut and configured to generate upward hydrofoil lift as water flows past the rear hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water; and a control system. While the craft is hydrofoil-borne, the control system is configured to facilitate transition of the craft from hydrofoil-borne operation to wing-borne operation via a process comprising: while the upwards aero lift generated by the at least one wing is below a threshold lift, controlling one or both of the front hydrofoil and the rear hydrofoil to generate a downward hydrofoil lift that causes the front hydrofoil and the rear hydrofoil to remain at least partially submerged in the water; and after the upwards aero lift generated by the at least one wing has increased above the threshold lift, transitioning the craft from hydrofoil-borne operation to wing-borne operation at least in part by controlling one or both of the front hydrofoil and the rear hydrofoil to switch from (a) generating the downward hydrofoil lift to (b) generating an upward hydrofoil lift that pushes the craft up and out of the water.

Hydrofoil takeoff and landing with multiple hydrofoils

Winged vehicle, toy, and/or replica model thereof

A craft includes a hull, a wing, a hydrofoil, and a control system. The wing is configured to generate upwards aero lift as air flows past the wing to facilitate wing-borne flight of the craft. The hydrofoil is configured to generate upwards hydrofoil lift during a first mode of operation as water flows past the hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water. While the craft is hydrofoil-borne, the control system is configured to determine the upwards aero lift generated by the wing. The control system is further configured to control the hydrofoil to generate downwards hydrofoil lift to counteract the upwards aero lift generated by the wing that maintains the hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water while the determined upwards aero lift is below a threshold lift.

Wing-in-ground effect vehicles and methods of control

Hydrofoil equipped seaglider takeoff

The present disclosure relates to propulsion system for an aircraft. The propulsion system comprises a motor, a battery bank, a thermal management system, and a controller. The motor being configured to rotate a rotor via a rotor shaft and to drive the thermal management system. The thermal management system configured to urge fluid through a fluid pathway defined by the battery bank. The controller configured to drive the motor and/or control charge and discharge of the battery bank.

Integrated electric nacelle system and method

A fan blade comprising a blade body spanning from a blade root to a blade tip in a longitudinal direction and a fluid passageway formed within the blade body and extending from the blade root to the blade tip. The blade body spanning from a leading edge to a trailing edge in a lateral direction. The fluid passageway allowing fluid to flow out of the blade.

Composite fan blades with integral attachment mechanism

An example wing-in-ground effect vehicle includes (i) a main wing having main wing control surfaces; (ii) a tail having tail control surfaces; (iii) a blown-wing propulsion system arranged along the main wing or the tail; (iv) a retractable hydrofoil configured to operate in: (a) an extended configuration in which the retractable hydrofoil extends below a hull of the vehicle for submersion below a water surface and (b) a retracted configuration in which the retractable hydrofoil is retracted at least partially into the hull of the vehicle; and (v) a control system configured to maneuver the vehicle by (i) causing a change in orientation of the retractable hydrofoil when the retractable hydrofoil is operating in the extended configuration, and (ii) causing a change in orientation of the main wing control surfaces and tail control surfaces when the retractable hydrofoil is operating in the retracted configuration.

Wing-in-ground effect vehicle

Propulsors (e.g., an electric motor mechanically coupled to a rotor) are described that passively cool the electric motors via an airflow path through the electric motor and out of the rotors. One embodiment comprises a method of cooling an electric motor. The method comprises operating the electric motor of a propulsor for an aircraft to rotate a rotor of the propulsor, where the rotor has one or more air outlets, and where the electric motor has a housing that includes one or more air inlets in fluid communication with the one or more air inlets. The method further comprises generating, by rotating the rotor using the electric motor, an airflow through the electric motor from the one or more air inlets to the one or more air outlets to cool the electric motor.

Propulsor system with integrated passive cooling

A power distribution system is disclosed for conducting electrical power through a combination of hollow tube conductors and flexible cabling. Each hollow tube conductor includes an end formed into flat pads. The flexible cabling comprises litz wire, and includes ends crimped to integral lugs. An end of the flexible cabling is coupled to an end of the hollow tube conductor. The other end of the flexible cabling is coupled to an electric device. The other end of the hollow tube conductor is coupled to another flexible cable, which is in turn coupled to another electric device. By connecting the hollow tube conductors, flexible cabling, and electrical devices in this way, an electrically conductive pathway may be established between the electrical devices. The power distribution system conducts alternating current (AC) power, and addresses the skin effect phenomenon that occurs when conducting AC power. The power distribution system can be utilized in the highly-constrained environment of electric aircraft, where weight and space is at a premium.

Power distribution system for aircraft

A power generation system includes an aircraft that includes a propulsor and a platform attached to a structure and configured to support the aircraft. The propulsor is configured to generate electrical power via a wind rotating the propulsor while the aircraft is supported by the platform. A method for using a propulsor of an aircraft to generate electrical power includes positioning the aircraft such that the aircraft is supported by a structure and generating the electrical power via a wind rotating the propulsor while the aircraft is supported by the structure.

System and method for generating power

Propulsors, aircraft including the propulsors, and methods of directing a fluid stream in a propulsor. The propulsors include a housing defining a partially enclosed volume that extends from an inlet to both a first thrust outlet and a second thrust outlet. The propulsors also include a fan assembly including a plurality of blades and a blade pitch control mechanism that is configured to selectively vary a respective pitch angle of each blade in the plurality of blades. The fan assembly is configured to provide a motive force for fluid flow into the partially enclosed volume via the inlet. The propulsors further include an outlet flow control assembly configured to direct the fluid flow to preferentially exit the partially enclosed volume via a selected one of the first thrust outlet and the second thrust outlet. The aircraft include the propulsors. The methods include methods of operating the propulsors.

Propulsors, aircraft including the propulsors, and methods of directing a fluid stream in a propulsor

A hybrid propulsion aircraft is described having a distributed electric propulsion system. The distributed electric propulsion system includes a turbo shaft engine that drives one or more generators through a gearbox. The generator provides AC power to a plurality of ducted fans (each being driven by an electric motor). The ducted fans may be integrated with the hybrid propulsion aircraft's wings. The wings can be pivotally attached to the fuselage, thereby allowing for vertical take-off and landing. The design of the hybrid propulsion aircraft mitigates undesirable transient behavior traditionally encountered during a transition from vertical flight to horizontal flight. Moreover, the hybrid propulsion aircraft offers a fast, constant-altitude transition, without requiring a climb or dive to transition. It also offers increased efficiency in both hover and forward flight versus other VTOL aircraft and a higher forward max speed than traditional rotorcraft.

Hybrid propulsion vertical take-off and landing aircraft

The present disclosure relates to a method of fabricating a composite structure using a pre-cured composite stiffener and a dry fabric component. In one example, the method includes the steps of: wrapping an adhesive film and a resin film around an edge of said pre-cured composite stiffener; inserting the edge of said pre-cured composite stiffener into a clevis of a dry fabric component to form a composite structure assembly; securing the pre-cured composite stiffener substantially perpendicularly to the base portion of the dry fabric component; and starting a consolidated infusion and cure process. The consolidated infusion and cure process applies a first temperature to the composite structure assembly for a first predetermined period of time to infuse the dry fabric component, and the increases the first temperature to a second temperature for a second predetermined period of time to cure the composite structure assembly.

Methods for combining components of varying stages of cure

Growing community of inventors

Centreville, VA, United States of America

Daniel B Cottrell