Methods and systems for orienting a thrust propulsor in response to a failure event of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft

1. A system for orienting a thrust propulsor in response to a failure event of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the system comprising:

a plurality of lift propulsors mechanically connected to a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, wherein each of the plurality of lift propulsors are configured to produce lift along a single direction vector substantially parallel to a yaw axis, the single direction vector comprising an aggregate of a plurality of fixed direction vectors, wherein each lift propulsor produces lift along a corresponding fixed direction vector;

a thrust propulsor mechanically attached to the VTOL aircraft with an orientable joint, wherein the thrust propulsor is configured to produce forward thrust; and

a flight controller communicative with a plurality of sensors and the orientable joint, wherein the flight controller is configured to:

generate a thrust orientation datum; and

transmit the thrust orientation datum to the orientable joint;

wherein the orientable joint is configured to:

receive the thrust orientation datum; and

orient an angle of the thrust propulsor about the yaw axis as a function of the thrust orientation datum.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust orientation datum represents a rotation; and the orientable joint is configured to rotate the thrust propulsor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust orientation datum represents a translation; and the orientable joint is configured to translate the thrust propulsor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors introduces a yaw moment.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors prevents the flight controller from using the plurality of lift propulsors to control yaw.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein orienting the thrust propulsor introduces a yaw moment configured to control yaw of the VTOL aircraft.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the orientable joint is a gimbal.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of sensors, wherein at least a sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to:

detect a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors; and

transmit a failure datum in response to the failure; and

wherein the failure of a lift propulsor degrades lift provided by the plurality of lift propulsors.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least a sensor of the plurality of sensors comprises at least a rotation sensor configured to detect rotation of the at least a lift propulsor.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the failure datum comprises at least an element of data describing the failure of the at least a lift propulsor.

11. A method of orienting a thrust propulsor in response to a failure event of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the method comprising:

producing, a plurality of lift propulsors mechanically connected to a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, a lift along a single direction vector substantially parallel to a yaw axis, the single direction vector comprising an aggregate of a plurality of fixed direction vectors, wherein each lift propulsor produces lift along a corresponding fixed direction vector;

producing, using a thrust propulsor mechanically attached to the VTOL aircraft with an orientable joint, a forward thrust;

receiving, using a flight controller communicative with a plurality of sensors and the orientable joint, a failure datum;

generating, using the flight controller, a thrust orientation datum;

transmitting, using the flight controller, the thrust orientation datum to the orientable joint;

receiving, using the orientable joint, the thrust orientation datum; and

orienting, using the orientable joint, an angle of the thrust propulsor about the yaw axis as a function of the thrust orientation datum.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the thrust orientation datum represents a rotation; and orienting the thrust propulsor comprises rotating, using the orientable joint, a thrust propulsor.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the thrust orientation datum represents a translation; and orienting the thrust propulsor comprises translating, using the orientable joint, a thrust propulsor.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors introduces a yaw moment.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors prevents the flight controller from using the plurality of lift propulsors to control yaw.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein orienting the thrust propulsor introduces a yaw moment configured to control yaw of the VTOL aircraft.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the orientable joint is a gimbal.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting, using at least a sensor of a plurality of sensors, a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors;

transmitting, using the at least a sensor, the failure datum in response to a failure; and

wherein the failure of a lift propulsor degrades lift provided by the plurality of lift propulsors.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein detecting the failure comprises detecting, using at least a sensor, rotation of at least a lift propulsor.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the failure datum comprises at least an element of data describing the failure of the at least a lift propulsor.