Patent attributes
An aircraft comprising rotors and/or propellers rotated by a shaft and including a power unit. The distributed electric power unit is formed by stacked electric power elements, each conferring, on the shaft, a fraction of the total power necessary; the distributed electric power unit is in direct engagement with the shaft, with no movement transmission mechanism inserted between the unit and the shaft; each electric power element is directly connected to the rotation shaft and comprises a fixed stator, a moving rotor and a mechanical or electromagnetic free wheel in direct engagement with the shaft, said moving rotor co-operating with the free wheel to be coupled to the rotation shaft during normal operation of the electric power unit and to be disconnected from the shaft in the event of the failure of the electric element.