Hybrid multirotor vehicles and related methods

An aircraft comprising:

• a first rotor coupled to a first wing of the aircraft, the first rotor to autorotate during flight of the aircraft;
• a first motor operatively coupled to the first rotor, the first motor to refrain from driving rotation of the first rotor when the first rotor is autorotating;
• a second rotor coupled to a second wing of the aircraft, the second rotor to autorotate during flight of the aircraft;
• a second motor operatively coupled to the second rotor;
• a thruster disposed between the first wing and the second wing;
• and
• a rotor operation manager to:
• cause the first motor to switch between (a) electrically controlling a rotational speed of the first rotor when the first rotor is autorotating and (b) refraining from controlling the rotational speed of the first rotor when the first rotor is autorotating based on movement of the aircraft relative to one or more axes of rotation during flight;
• cause the second motor to switch between (a) electrically controlling a rotational speed of the second rotor when the second rotor is autorotating and (b) refraining from controlling the rotational speed of the second rotor when the second rotor is autorotating;
• cause movement of the aircraft relative to the one or more axes of rotation to be adjusted based on a thrust generated by the thruster when at least one of (a) the first motor is electrically controlling the rotational speed of the first rotor when the first rotor is autorotating or (b) the second motor is electrically controlling the rotational speed of the second rotor when the second rotor is autorotating;
• and
• cause the first motor and the second motor to refrain from applying torque when switching between (a) electrically controlling the rotational speed of the first rotor and the second rotor when the first rotor and the second rotor are autorotating and (b) refraining from controlling the rotational speed of the first rotor and the second rotor.

An aircraft comprising:

• a first rotor and a second rotor;
• means for providing thrust;
• first means for generating power, the first power generating means to transition between (a) a first state in which the first power generating means is to drive rotation of the first rotor to control a rotational speed of the first rotor, (b) a second state in which the first power generating means is to refrain from controlling the rotational speed of the first rotor when the first rotor is autorotating during flight of the aircraft, and (c) a third state in which the first power generating means is to increase drag on the first rotor to control the rotational speed of the first rotor when the first rotor is autorotating, the first power generating means to refrain from driving the rotation of the first rotor when the first power generating means is in the third state, the first means for generating power to operate in the third state when transitioning from the first state to the second state;
• and
• second means for generating power, the second power generating means to control a rotational speed of the second rotor,
• the thrust providing means, the first power generating means, and the second power generating means to adjust rotation of the aircraft relative to one or more axes based on a thrust generated by the thrust providing means when the first power generating means has transitioned from the second state to the third state.

An aircraft comprising:

• a frame including a wing;
• a battery carried by the frame;
• a rotor coupled to the wing;
• a motor operatively coupled to the rotor;
• a thruster coupled to the frame;
• and
• a processor operatively coupled to the motor, the processor to:
• cause the motor to drive rotation of the rotor during a first time period of flight of the aircraft;
• and
• cause the motor to switch from driving rotation of the rotor during the first time period to free spinning during a second time period of flight of the aircraft, the second time period different from the first time period;
• cause the motor to switch from free spinning during the second time period to providing electrical energy to the battery during a third time period of flight of the aircraft, the motor to refrain from driving rotation of the rotor during the third time period, the third time period different from the first time period and the second time period;
• and
• cause movement of the aircraft with respect to a yaw axis, a pitch axis, or a roll axis to be adjusted based on a thrust generated by the thruster when the motor is refraining from driving rotation of the rotor during the third time period.