Magnetic rotor alignment for aircraft

An unmanned aircraft, comprising:

• a forward propulsion system comprising a forward thrust engine;
• a vertical propulsion system comprising a vertical thrust engine, wherein the vertical thrust engine comprises a motor;
• a shaft attached to the vertical thrust engine and extending along a thrust axis of the vertical thrust engine;
• a thrust rotor fixedly attached to the shaft;
• a bearing assembly defining a first surface oriented toward the vertical thrust engine, and a second surface opposite the first surface, the bearing assembly comprising:
• an aperture to accept the shaft;
• a bearing mounted to the aperture and positioned to rotatably support the shaft through the aperture;
• and
• a first plurality of rotor alignment magnets fixedly mounted in the bearing assembly and oriented such that their magnetic axes are substantially parallel to the thrust axis, wherein the first plurality of rotor alignment magnets are mounted to provide an alternating pattern of north and south poles facing in a direction away from the vertical thrust engine;
• and
• a magnet support structure fixedly mounted on the shaft in a spaced apart relation to the bearing assembly, the magnet support structure including a second plurality of rotor alignment magnets mounted to provide an alternating pattern of north and south poles facing in a direction toward the bearing assembly;
• wherein the first and second plurality of rotor alignment magnets are positioned such that when the vertical thrust engine is disengaged, attraction between the first and second rotor alignment magnets causes the magnet support structure to rotate relative to the bearing assembly to an alignment position defined by a relative placement of the north and south poles of the rotor alignment magnets and thereby causing the motor to rotate to an alignment position of the thrust rotor, and
• wherein the shaft comprises a first portion extending from the vertical thrust engine and supporting a thrust rotor, and a second portion extending opposite from the vertical thrust engine and supporting a magnet support structure.

An aircraft, comprising:

• a forward propulsion system comprising a forward thrust engine and a first rotor coupled to the forward thrust engine;
• a vertical propulsion system comprising a vertical thrust engine, wherein the vertical thrust engine comprises a motor;
• a shaft coupled to the vertical thrust engine and extending along a thrust axis of the vertical thrust engine;
• and a second rotor fixedly mounted to a first end of the shaft distal to the vertical thrust engine;
• a bearing assembly including mounting structures to fixedly mount the vertical thrust engine to a support structure of the aircraft, the bearing assembly including a first plurality of rotor alignment magnets;
• a magnet support structure fixedly mounted on the shaft in a spaced apart relation to the bearing assembly, the magnet support structure including a second plurality of rotor alignment magnets;
• wherein the first and second plurality of rotor alignment magnets are positioned such that when the vertical thrust engine is disengaged, attraction between the first and second rotor alignment magnets causes the magnet support structure to rotate relative to the bearing assembly to an alignment position defined by a relative placement of north and south poles of the first and second plurality of rotor alignment magnets and thereby causing the motor to rotate to an alignment position of the second rotor, and
• wherein the shaft comprises a first portion extending from the vertical thrust engine and supporting the second rotor, and a second portion extending opposite from the vertical thrust engine and supporting the magnet support structure.