Compound multi-copter aircraft

An aircraft capable of fixed-wing and rotor flight modes, the aircraft comprising:

• a fuselage, wherein the fuselage includes a front portion and a rear portion, and wherein the fuselage includes a longitudinal axis of the aircraft extending through the front portion and the rear portion, wherein the aircraft includes an aircraft center-of-gravity;
• a detachable cargo container having a detachable cargo container center-of-gravity, and wherein the detachable cargo container includes one or more sensors configured to autonomously detect data indicative of an overall detachable cargo container weight and the detachable cargo container center-of-gravity;
• and
• wherein the fuselage includes a mounting system, the mounting system having a winch, an adjustment apparatus, and at least one controller for controlling movement of the winch and the adjustment apparatus, wherein the mounting system:
• receives, from the one or more sensors, the data indicative of the overall detachable cargo container weight and the detachable cargo container center-of gravity,
• couples the detachable cargo container to an exterior portion of the fuselage, and
• based on the received data, autonomously adjusts a position of the detachable cargo container fore and aft along the longitudinal axis such that the aircraft center-of-gravity and the detachable cargo container center-of-gravity are aligned;
• a wing coupled to the fuselage;
• a first support boom coupled to the wing and a second support boom coupled to the wing wherein the fuselage is positioned equidistant between the first support boom and the second support boom and wherein the first support boom and the second support boom are parallel to the longitudinal axis;
• a propulsion system configured to provide thrust substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a rotor array distributed among the first support boom and the second support boom wherein the rotor array provides substantially vertical thrust and wherein each rotor includes a rotor pitch mechanism to change rotor pitch angle and a rotor attitude mechanism to change rotor attitude and wherein the rotor array includes two or more rotor pairs, each rotor pair having a first rotor on the first support boom and a second rotor on the second support boom, characterized in that wherein each rotor in at least one rotor pair is mounted at an angle tilted away at an equal but opposite fore and aft angle from a vertical axis parallel to a vertical axis of the aircraft wherein the rotor attitude is configured to be operationally varied and, in that each rotor in at least one other rotor pair is mounted at another angle tilted away at an equal but opposite left and right angle from the vertical axis parallel to a vertical axis of the aircraft wherein the rotor attitude of the other rotor pair is configured to be operationally varied, the vertical axis of the aircraft being perpendicular to a lateral axis of the aircraft and to the longitudinal axis.