VTOL aircraft having fixed-wing and rotorcraft configurations

An aircraft, comprising:

• an airframe having a fixed-wing section;
• a plurality of electric rotors attached to the airframe, the rotors being variable-position rotors having first and second operating configurations and transitions therebetween based on rotor position signals supplied thereto, the first operating configuration being a vertical-flight configuration in which the rotors collectively generate primarily vertical thrust for vertical flight of the aircraft, the second operating configuration being a horizontal-flight configuration in which the rotors collectively generate primarily horizontal thrust for horizontal fixed-wing flight;
• a source of electrical power for powering the electric rotors;
• and control circuitry configured and operative to independently control each of the rotors independent of the other rotors, including at least rotor thrust and rotor orientation of each of the rotors to provide for (i) the transitions between the first and second operating configurations during corresponding transitions between the vertical flight configuration and the fixed-wing horizontal flight configuration, and (ii) commanded thrust-vectoring maneuvering of the aircraft in both the vertical-flight configuration and the horizontal-flight configuration, w herein the rotors are configured for variable angular position about respective first axes parallel to a tilt axis of the aircraft, and w herein the rotors are further configured for variable angular position about respective second axes parallel to a yaw axis of the aircraft, a combination of the variable angular positions about the respective first and second axes providing a resultant rotor orientation having respective angular components about the respective first and second axes, w herein the airframe has a wing-like central body having the rotors disposed thereabout, and the fixed-wing section is constituted by removable wing panels attached to the central body, the aircraft being further configured in a rotorcraft configuration without the removable wing panels and utilizing greater upward thrust from the rotors to maintain altitude in horizontal flight than in the fixed-wing horizontal flight configuration, and wherein the wing panels and central body are co-configured with an interlocking spar arrangement for securing the wing panels to the central body, each wing panel having a respective spar extending into a corresponding channel of the central body and being retained by a corresponding quick-release pin.