The present disclosure provides a propulsion
assembly for mounting on an aircraft platform, the propulsion
assembly configured to generate thrust and enable controllable accelerated inflow and outflow of a
mass flow of air. The propulsion
assembly includes one or more fluid-based rotary actuators or motors in fluid communication with a source of active / pressurized
working fluid, driving the one or more fluid-based rotary actuators by receiving the active
working fluid. The propulsion assembly further comprises one or more
actuator disk devices, each including a plurality of blades rotatable by one or more fluid-based rotary actuators. The valve mechanism of the propulsion assembly is disposed along a flow path between the source of active
working fluid and the one or more fluid-based rotary actuators. The propulsion assembly further comprises at least one
processing circuit and one or more memories connected to the at least one
processing circuit and storing
programming instructions executed by the at least one
processing circuit, (1) the at least one processing circuit executing the
programming instructions to control the valve mechanism so as to effect at least one of (i) a selected flow rate of the active working fluid within the one or more fluid-based rotary actuators or the active working fluid received by the one or more fluid-based rotary actuators, (ii) a selected
fluid pressure, and (iii) a selected temperature. This configuration of the propulsion assembly enables control of the instantaneous
angular acceleration and rotational speed of the motor, and thus enables control of the rotational movement of the
actuator disk device.