A method to operate a propulsion unit of an aerial vehicle, wherein the propulsion unit comprises: a base having a gimbaling mechanism; a plate element having a bore, wherein the plate element defines a plane; at least one plate support extending between the base and the plate element, wherein the at least one plate support comprises at least one actuator to adjust a length of the at least one plate support; a motor pivotably joined to the gimbaling mechanism, wherein the motor is configured to rotate a drive shaft extending through the bore of the plate element substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate element, and wherein the gimbaling mechanism enables an angular orientation of the drive shaft to vary within a predetermined angular range; a propeller (170-1; 170-2; 170-3; 170-4) comprising a variable pitch hub and a plurality of blades pivotably joined to the variable pitch hub, wherein a pitch angle (θ4-1) of each of the plurality of blades is determined based at least in part on a relative position of the variable pitch hub with respect to the plate element, and wherein the propeller is coupled to the motor by the drive shaft, and wherein the method comprises: determining a first desired force to be generated by the propulsion unit by at least one computer processor, wherein the first desired force comprises a first magnitude and a first direction; determining at least a first motor speed and at least a first pitch angle to generate the first magnitude of the first desired force; determining a first angular orientation of the drive shaft associated with the first direction of the first desired force; determining a first relative position of the plate element with respect to the variable pitch hub for placing each of the plurality of blades of the propeller at the first pitch angle and to place the drive shaft at the first angular orientation; causing the motor to operate at the first motor speed; and causing the at least one actuator to place at least a portion of the plate element at the first relative position with respect to at least a portion of the base. a base having a gimbaling mechanism; a plate element having a bore, wherein the plate element defines a plane; at least one plate support extending between the base and the plate element, wherein the at least one plate support comprises at least one actuator to adjust a length of the at least one plate support; a motor pivotably joined to the gimbaling mechanism, wherein the motor is configured to rotate a drive shaft extending through the bore of the plate element substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate element, and wherein the gimbaling mechanism enables an angular orientation of the drive shaft to vary within a predetermined angular range; a propeller (170-1; 170-2; 170-3; 170-4) comprising a variable pitch hub and a plurality of blades pivotably joined to the variable pitch hub, wherein a pitch angle (θ4-1) of each of the plurality of blades is determined based at least in part on a relative position of the variable pitch hub with respect to the plate element, and wherein the propeller is coupled to the motor by the drive shaft, and determining a first desired force to be generated by the propulsion unit by at least one computer processor, wherein the first desired force comprises a first magnitude and a first direction; determining at least a first motor speed and at least a first pitch angle to generate the first magnitude of the first desired force; determining a first angular orientation of the drive shaft associated with the first direction of the first desired force; determining a first relative position of the plate element with respect to the variable pitch hub for placing each of the plurality of blades of the propeller at the first pitch angle and to place the drive shaft at the first angular orientation; causing the motor to operate at the first motor speed; and causing the at least one actuator to place at least a portion of the plate element at the first relative position with respect to at least a portion of the base.