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An aerial vehicle may be equipped with propellers having reconfigurable geometries. Such propellers may have blade tips or other features that may be adjusted or reconfigured while the aerial vehicle is operating, on any basis. Propellers having reconfigurable blade tips joined to blade roots may ca

An aerial vehicle may be equipped with propellers having reconfigurable geometries. Such propellers may have blade tips or other features that may be adjusted or reconfigured while the aerial vehicle is operating, on any basis. Propellers having reconfigurable blade tips joined to blade roots may cause the blade tips to be aligned with the blade roots, or substantially perpendicular to the blade roots, e.g., in order to counter adverse effects of tip vortices, or at any intervening angle. The propellers may be reconfigured at predetermined times during operation of an aerial vehicle, or upon sensing one or more operational characteristics or environmental conditions, as may be desired or required.

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1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) propulsion system comprising: a first motor mounted to a UAV;a first propeller comprising a first blade root, a first blade tip, and a first hub, wherein the first blade root has a first proximal end mounted to the first hub and a first distal end pivotably joined

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) propulsion system comprising: a first motor mounted to a UAV;a first propeller comprising a first blade root, a first blade tip, and a first hub, wherein the first blade root has a first proximal end mounted to the first hub and a first distal end pivotably joined to the first blade tip by a first hinge,wherein the first motor is rotatably coupled to the first hub, andwherein the first motor is configured to rotate the first propeller through a plurality of angular orientations about a first axis; andat least one computer processor in communication with at least the first motor and the first propeller, wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to execute a method comprising: causing the first motor to rotate the first propeller, wherein causing the first motor to rotate the first propeller comprises: aligning the first blade tip at a first cant angle with respect to the first blade root when the first propeller is at a first angular orientation about the first axis; andaligning the first blade tip at a second cant angle with respect to the first blade root when the first propeller is at a second angular orientation about the first axis. 2. The UAV propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the first propeller further comprises a second blade root and a second blade tip,wherein the second blade root has a second proximal end mounted to the first hub and a second distal end pivotably joined to the second blade tip by a second hinge, andwherein causing the first motor to rotate the first propeller further comprises: aligning the second blade tip at a third cant angle with respect to the second blade root when the second blade root is at a third angular orientation about the first axis; andaligning the second blade tip at a fourth cant angle with respect to the second blade root when the second blade is at a fourth angular orientation about the first axis. 3. The UAV propulsion system of claim 1, further comprising: a second motor mounted to the UAV; anda second propeller comprising a second blade root, a second blade tip, and a second hub, wherein the second blade root has a second proximal end mounted to the second hub and a second distal end pivotably joined to the second blade tip by a second hinge,wherein the second motor is rotatably coupled to the second hub,wherein the second motor is configured to rotate the second propeller through a plurality of angular orientations about a second axis,wherein the at least one computer processor is in communication with at least the second motor and the second propeller, andwherein the method further comprises:causing the second motor to rotate the second propeller, wherein causing the second motor to rotate the second propeller comprises: aligning the second blade tip at a third cant angle with respect to the second blade root when the second propeller is at a third angular orientation about the second axis; andaligning the second blade tip at a fourth cant angle with respect to the second blade root when the second propeller is at a fourth angular orientation about the second axis. 4. The UAV propulsion system of claim 3, wherein each of the first cant angle and the third cant angle is approximately zero degrees, and wherein each of the second cant angle and the fourth cant angle is approximately ninety degrees. 5. The UAV propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the first blade root further comprises a first mechanical operator configured to vary a cant angle of the first blade tip within a first range comprising the first cant angle and the second cant angle, andwherein the first mechanical operator is configured to operate under control of the at least one computer processor. 6. The UAV propulsion system of claim 1, wherein aligning the first blade tip at the first cant angle comprises: determining that the first propeller is at the first angular orientation about the first axis;providing a first control signal to the first propeller;in response to the first control signal, causing the first blade tip to be aligned at the first cant angle with respect to the first blade root; andwherein aligning the first blade tip at the second cant angle comprises: determining that the first propeller is at the second angular orientation about the first axis;providing a second control signal to the second propeller; andin response to the second control signal, causing the first blade tip to be aligned at the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root. 7. The UAV propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: predicting, prior to a first time, an attribute of the aerial vehicle at the first time according to at least one machine learning algorithm; andselecting each of the first cant angle and the second cant angle based at least in part on the predicted attribute of the aerial vehicle at the first time,wherein the predicted attribute of the unmanned aerial vehicle at the first time is at least one of: a position, a speed, an acceleration, a rate of climb, a rate of descent, a turn rate, a temperature, a radiated sound, a barometric pressure, a weather event, a wind speed or a wind direction. 8. A method comprising: initiating an operation of a first propeller, wherein the first propeller comprises a first blade root having a first proximal end coupled to a first hub and a first distal end pivotably coupled to a first blade tip by a first variable-cant connection, and wherein the first blade tip is at a first cant angle with respect to the first blade root at a first time;determining a first attribute of the first propeller at a second time, wherein the first attribute of the first propeller is a first angular orientation of the first blade root about a first axis;in response to determining the first attribute of the first propeller at the second time, identifying a second cant angle with respect to the first blade root based at least in part on the first attribute of the first propeller, andcausing the first blade tip to pivot about the first variable-cant connection from the first cant angle with respect to the first blade root to the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root;determining a second attribute of the first propeller at a third time, wherein the second attribute of the first propeller is a second angular orientation of the first blade root about the first axis; andin response to determining the second attribute of the first propeller at the third time, causing the first blade tip to pivot about the first variable-cant connection from the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root to the first cant angle with respect to the first blade root. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first propeller is rotatably coupled to a first rotatable mast of a first motor, wherein the first rotatable mast defines a first axis, andwherein initiating the operation of the first propeller comprises:causing, by the first motor, the first propeller to rotate about the first axis at a first predetermined speed. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first propeller is rotatably mounted to an aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle further comprises at least one sensor, andwherein determining the first attribute of the first propeller at the second time comprises: capturing, by the at least one sensor, information regarding the first attribute at the second time. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first propeller is rotatably mounted to an aerial vehicle, and wherein determining the first attribute of the first propeller at the second time comprises: defining a model for predicting at least one attribute of the aerial vehicle according to at least one machine learning algorithm by at least one computer processor;providing historical data regarding operations of aerial vehicles to the model as inputs by the at least one computer processor;receiving at least one output from the model; andpredicting, prior to the second time, the first attribute of the first propeller at the second time according to the model by the at least one computer processor based at least in part on the at least one output. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first blade root comprises a first mechanical operator within the first propeller and wherein the first mechanical operator is configured to vary a cant angle of the first blade tip within a predetermined range comprising the first cant angle and the second cant angle. 13. A method comprising: initiating an operation of a first propeller rotatably coupled to an aerial vehicle, wherein the first propeller comprises a first blade root having a first proximal end coupled to a first hub and a first distal end pivotably coupled to a first blade tip by a first variable-cant connection, wherein the first blade tip is at a first cant angle with respect to the first blade root at a first time, and wherein the aerial vehicle comprises at least one sensor;capturing, by the at least one sensor, first acoustic energy radiated by the aerial vehicle at a second time;determining at least one of a first sound pressure level or a first frequency of the first acoustic energy, andin response to capturing the first acoustic energy radiated by the aerial vehicle at the second time, selecting a second cant angle with respect to the first blade root based at least in part on at least one of the first sound pressure level or the first frequency; andcausing the first blade tip to pivot about the first variable-cant connection from the first cant angle with respect to the first blade root to the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root. 14. A method comprising: initiating an operation of a first propeller rotatably coupled to an aerial vehicle, wherein the first propeller comprises a first blade root having a first proximal end coupled to a first hub and a first distal end pivotably coupled to a first blade tip by a first variable-cant connection, and wherein the first blade tip is at a first cant angle with respect to the first blade root at a first time, and wherein the aerial vehicle comprises at least one sensor;determining, by the at least one sensor, a first position of the aerial vehicle at a second time;in response to determining the first position of the aerial vehicle at the second time, selecting a second cant angle with respect to the first blade root based at least in part on the first position; andcausing the first blade tip to pivot about the first variable-cant connection from the first cant angle with respect to the first blade root to the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein selecting the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root further comprises: identifying a noise threshold associated with the first position, wherein the noise threshold is at least one of a sound pressure level threshold or a frequency threshold; andselecting the second cant angle based at least in part on the noise threshold. 16. A method comprising: initiating an operation of a first propeller rotatably coupled to an aerial vehicle, wherein the first propeller comprises a first blade root having a first proximal end coupled to a first hub and a first distal end pivotably coupled to a first blade tip by a first variable-cant connection, wherein the first blade tip is at a first cant angle with respect to the first blade root at a first time, and wherein the aerial vehicle comprises at least one sensor;capturing, by the at least one sensor, information regarding a first environmental condition in a vicinity of the first propeller at a second time, wherein the information is at least one of a level of precipitation, a level of cloud coverage, a level of sunshine, an atmospheric temperature, a barometric pressure, a weather event or a surface condition, andin response to capturing the information regarding the first environmental condition in the vicinity of the first propeller at the second time, selecting a second cant angle with respect to the first blade root based at least in part on the information regarding the first environmental condition; andcausing the first blade tip to pivot about the first variable-cant connection from the first cant angle with respect to the first blade root to the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root. 17. A method for operating an aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle comprises a controller, an acoustic sensor, a motor, and a propeller rotatably coupled to the motor,wherein the propeller comprises a hub, a first blade and the second blade, andwherein the method comprises: aligning, by a first mechanical operator, a first blade tip of the first blade of the propeller at a first cant angle with respect to a first blade root, wherein the first blade root defines a first air foil having the first mechanical operator within the first air foil, wherein the first blade tip is pivotably joined to a first distal end of the first blade root by a first hinge provided at a radial distance from the hub, wherein a first proximal end of the first blade root is mounted about the hub, and wherein the first blade tip is aligned by the first mechanical operator;aligning, by a second mechanical operator, a second blade tip of the second blade of the propeller at the first cant angle with respect to a second blade root;causing a first operation of the motor at a first operating speed;capturing first acoustic energy radiated by the aerial vehicle at a first time; andin response to capturing the first acoustic energy, selecting a second cant angle based at least in part on the first acoustic energy; andaligning, by the first mechanical operator, the first blade tip at the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: in response to capturing the first acoustic energy, aligning, by the second mechanical operator, the second blade tip at the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root. 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: aligning, by the second mechanical operator, the second blade tip to a third cant angle with respect to the first blade root,wherein the third cant angle is not the first cant angle or the second cant angle. 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising: capturing second acoustic energy radiated by the aerial vehicle at a second time, wherein the second time follows the first time; selecting a third cant angle based at least in part on the second acoustic energy;aligning, by the first mechanical operator, the first blade tip at the third cant angle with respect to the first blade root. 21. A method for operating an aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle comprises a controller, an acoustic sensor, a motor, and a propeller rotatably coupled to the motor, andwherein the method comprises: aligning, by a first mechanical operator, a first blade tip of a first blade of the propeller at a first cant angle with respect to a first blade root;aligning, by a second mechanical operator, a second blade tip of a second blade of the propeller at the first cant angle with respect to a second blade root;causing a first operation of the motor at a first operating speed;capturing first acoustic energy radiated by the aerial vehicle at a first time; andin response to capturing the first acoustic energy, selecting a second operating speed for the motor based at least in part on the first acoustic energy;selecting a second cant angle based at least in part on the first acoustic energy and the second operating speed;aligning, by the first mechanical operator, the first blade tip at the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root; andcausing a second operation of the motor at the second operating speed. 22. A method for operating an aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle comprises a position sensor, a controller, an acoustic sensor, a motor and a propeller rotatably coupled to the motor, andwherein the method comprises: aligning, by a first mechanical operator, a first blade tip of a first blade of the propeller at a first cant angle with respect to a first blade root;aligning, by a second mechanical operator, a second blade tip of a second blade of the propeller at the first cant angle with respect to a second blade root;causing a first operation of the motor at a first operating speed;capturing first acoustic energy radiated by the aerial vehicle at a first time;in response to capturing the first acoustic energy, determining, by the position sensor, a position of the aerial vehicle at approximately the first time;determining a noise threshold associated with the position of the aerial vehicle at the first time, wherein the noise threshold is at least one of a sound pressure level threshold or a frequency threshold;selecting a second cant angle based at least in part on the first acoustic energy and the noise threshold; andaligning, by the first mechanical operator, the first blade tip at the second cant angle with respect to the first blade root.