Textron Innovations Inc.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Joshua Allan Edler

Thomas Mast

Jon Damon Bennett

John Robert Wittmaak, Jr

Brent Scannell

Joseph Scott Drennan

Joseph Daniel Leachman

Levi Bilbrey

Matthew Wade Hendricks

Keith C Pedersen

Jean Pierre Paradis

Sarah R Villanueva

Doug Fidler

Rares Halmagean

Mark Adam Wiinikka

Jeremy Robert Chavez

Andrew James Zahasky

Alan Hisashi Steinert

Nicholas James Plagianos

Nicholas Brodeur

Jason Paul Hurst

Kevin Knott

James R Williamson

Eric Christopher Terry

Karl R Burge

Chyau J Tzeng

Steve Pothier

David Platz

David Michael Tiedeman

Nathan Alexander Mills

Brian Mesing

Chad Sparks

Joshua A Duckett

Bob Thornton

Edith Richard

Tomy Turcotte

Daniel John Burns

Sarah Villanueva

Chyau Tzeng

Joseph Leachman

Thomas M Mast

A kiosk for use an unmanned aerial system (UAS) delivery system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the kiosk includes an enclosure comprising at least one vertical wall having a secured entrance therethrough to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the enclosure, wherein an external appearance of the enclosure corresponds to a location of the kiosk; a landing zone for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the UAS located within the enclosure, the landing zone comprising infrastructure from which the UAV can take off and on which the UAV can land; sensors for detecting an environment of at least one of the kiosk and the enclosure; and a guidance system for providing signals to the UAV to guide the UAV into the enclosure and onto the landing zone.

Unmanned aerial system kiosk

A vehicle comprises a propulsion assembly that includes a rotor system configured to swivel about a pivot axis and a flight control system in communication with the propulsion assembly. In one embodiment, the pivot axis is fixedly oriented at an angle relative to a lateral axis of the vehicle in a plane defined by a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The flight control system is configured to activate a particular operational mode of the propulsion assembly, in which the rotor system is configured to swivel about the pivot axis to move a rotor axis of the rotor system from a first gimbal angle to a second gimbal angle. In various embodiments, the gimbal angle is configured to change a center of gravity, or direction of thrust vectors, or attitude of the vehicle. The operational mode may comprise a one engine inoperative (OEI) mode in an example embodiment.

Controllable vectored thrust in propulsion assemblies

Methods and systems are described for increasing the safety of unmanned vehicles. Failure rates of components can be combined and adjusted if necessary given sensor data or statistical or historical data that impacts failure rates. The failure rates of components can be combined to give an overall failure or success rate for a vehicle and can be compared to an accepted failure or success rate in connection with a hazard. Hazards with heightened safety requirements can be avoided by a contingency maneuver if the unmanned vehicle's failure or success rate is not acceptable.

Unmanned aircraft vehicle state awareness

One example of a mount for a rotorcraft comprises a structural support member, a bracket, and an elastomer. The bracket is configured to attach to a component of the rotorcraft. The component of the rotorcraft produces vibrations at a first frequency. The structural support member configured to transfer a weight of the component of a rotorcraft to an airframe of the rotorcraft. A rotor system of the aircraft vibrates the airframe of the rotorcraft at a second frequency. The elastomer is located between a structural support member and a bracket. The elastomer is configured to attenuate noise caused by the vibrations at the first frequency by isolating the vibrations at the first frequency from reaching the airframe of the rotorcraft while the airframe vibrates at the second frequency.

Mount for supporting a component and attenuating noise

The present invention achieves technical advantages as a pilot and passenger seating. An aircraft employs a pilot seat, comprising a contoured structure having ergonomically formed and padded surfaces, with left and right arm supports that include an articulated control knob, movable in three rectangular axes and rotatable about a vertical axis to provide one or more aircraft steering functions for an aircraft, and a touch-sensitive control surface for controlling one or more power system components. A passenger seat, having a contoured structure, having ergonomically formed and padded surfaces, a headrest, a seat, a left support member, and a right support member are adapted to cradle a portion of a passenger's body to support the passenger during travel.

Pilot and passenger seat

An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft has an airframe including first and second wings with first and second pylons coupled therebetween. A distributed thrust array is coupled to the airframe including a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first wing and a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second wing. A cargo pod is coupled between the first and second pylons. The cargo pod is rotatable between a loading configuration, substantially perpendicular to the wings and a transportation and deployment configuration, substantially parallel to the wings. A flight control system is configured to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies and to autonomously deploy a payload from the cargo pod at a desired location.

Autonomous payload deployment aircraft

The present invention includes a safety apparatus and method for protecting users during maintenance operations for a rotorcraft comprising: at least one permanent, semi-permanent, or detachable safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop that is attached or attachable to a rotorcraft, wherein the safety bar, strap, fastener, hook, or loop is positioned in an area or surface between a windshield of the rotorcraft and a tail boom of the rotorcraft and is connectable to a user safety device to provide fall protection from the area or surface.

Rotorcraft fall restraint protection attach points and mechanism systems

One example of a duct support for a rotorcraft includes a stabilizing mechanism configured to transfer a weight of a duct to an airframe of the rotorcraft, where the duct undergoes thermal expansion. The stabilizing mechanism includes a first stabilizing member attached to the duct, a second stabilizing member attached to the rotorcraft, and a coupling mechanism where the coupling mechanism is configured to couple the first stabilizing member to the second stabilizing member and accommodate thermal expansion of the duct by allowing for movement of the first stabilizing member relative to the second stabilizing member. In an example, the duct is an exhaust duct of an engine of the rotorcraft and heat from the engine cause the exhaust duct to undergo the thermal expansion.

Duct support

One embodiment is a passive particle separation system including a plenum; an inlet for feeding outside air into the plenum, wherein the outside air has particles entrained therewith; a housing for enclosing the plenum; and a standpipe installed on the housing. The outside air enters the plenum via the inlet and plenum, housing, and standpipe interact to impact the outside air entering the plenum to cause the particles to be released from the outside air.

Passive particle separation system

In some examples, a track comprises a plurality of members coupled to one another. The plurality of members comprises a first member, a second member, and a third member. The first member is operable to couple the track to an aircraft. The second member forms a first rail. The third member forms a second rail. In addition, the third member comprises at least a portion of an outer mold line of the aircraft. Moreover, the third member is operable to support a step load. The first rail and the second rail are operable to guide movement of an aircraft component along the track.

Track integrated with rails, outer mold line, and support for step loads

One example of a fairing for a rotorcraft includes an outer mold line portion (OML portion) and a bearing portion extending from the OML portion. The OML portion provides at least a portion of an outer mold line of the rotorcraft. Both the OML portion and the bearing portion shield a portion of a structural member. The bearing portion can protect the portion of the structural member from damage resulting from foot traffic associated with accessing an area nearby the structural member.

Fairing integrating with outer mold line and protective portions

A valve assembly for an engine, the valve assembly can include a housing; an in-flow port configured for connection with a drain line; a first out-flow port configured for connection with a fuel line; a second out-flow port configured for connection with a disposal line; and a passageway that is rotatable with a handle, the passageway being operable to redirect a flow of a fluid between the fuel line and the disposal line. The handle is configured to impede an attachment of the fluid source to a water wash connection when the passageway is in a position to direct the flow of the fluid from the drain line to the fuel line.

Fuel drain valve for a turbine engine

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Joshua Allan Edler