Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for swapping the battery on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV may be able to identify and land on an energy provision station autonomously. The UAV may take off and/or land on the energy provision station. The UAV may communicate with the energy provision station. The energy provision station may store and charge batteries for use on a UAV.
Abstract:
Provided are a surveillance system and a surveillance method. The surveillance system includes a control tower configured to be coupled with and separated from a flying vehicle, and receive an image captured by the flying vehicle through a first communication network, wherein the control tower is further configured to transmit the received image to a central control station through a second communication network for analysis of the received image. The surveillance system may further include the flying vehicle and the central control station.
Abstract:
A motor vehicle system includes a motor vehicle including an aircraft landing portion, and an actively propelled unmanned aircraft configured to be supported on the aircraft landing portion. The vehicle and aircraft are configured such that the vehicle can provide at least one of fuel and electrical energy to the aircraft while the aircraft is supported on the aircraft landing portion.
Abstract:
A micro air vehicle (MAV) comprises features that emulate insect-like topology and flight, including a dangling three part body (100a, 100b, 100c), wing-like dual side rotors (107, 107a) positioned to either side on rotor arms (103) providing tilt and teeter motions to vector thrust and allow crawling along improved surfaces, and elevators (101) that approximate the center of gravity and center of pressure control employed by insects via the inertial reaction and aerodynamic influence of a repositionable abdomen. Control, sensing, surveillance, and payload elements (114), (401), (402), (403), (404), (405), and (407) enable transmission of surveillance and engagement of an emerging target. Left and right perch hangers and grapples (112, 112a) allow perching on various structures, and energy storage (504) and (505) combined with power line (500) and solar (502) energy scavenging circuitry allow extended loiter and mission duration by replenishing onboard energy supplies.
Abstract:
A method of controlling an aero wind power generation device, includes take-off preparation process of preparing for take-off of the aero wind power generation device; a gas injection process of injecting gas into a buoyancy generation unit of the aero wind power generation device; a take-off process of taking off the aero wind power generation device using a drone unit and the buoyancy generation unit of the aero wind power generation device; and a charging process of charging a battery connected to the aero wind power generation device using the aero wind power generation device.
Abstract:
A drone delivery system hub and method for sending for take-off and receiving for landing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The drone delivery system hub includes a center shaft frame, a parcel-conveying system supported by the center shaft frame, structural arms coupled to and extending outward from the center shaft frame in a spoke-like configuration, drone-conveying systems each supported by one of the structural arms, and a linking conveyor span. The drone-conveying system conveys the UAVs along a length of a correspond one of the structural arms toward and away from the center shaft frame. The linking conveyor span selectably rotates to different orientations between different pairs of the structural arms, selectively conveying a UAV thereon between any two of the structural arms. The linking conveyor span is located above the parcel-conveying system such for the UAV thereon to deposit and retrieve parcels from the parcel-conveying system.
Abstract:
An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising at least one rotor motor. The rotor motor is powered by a micro hybrid generation system. The micro hybrid generator system comprises a rechargeable battery configured to provide power to the at least one rotor motor, a small engine configured to generate mechanical power, a generator motor coupled to the small engine and configured to generate AC power using the mechanical power generated by the small engine, a bridge rectifier configured to convert the AC power generated by the generator motor to DC power and provide the DC power to either or both the rechargeable battery and the at least one rotor motor, and an electronic control unit configured to control a throttle of the small engine based, at least in part, on a power demand of at least one load, the at least one load including the at least one rotor motor.
Abstract:
A method of redistributing motor power of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes determining, with aid of one or more processors, an operating state of a motor of the UAV. The motor is configured to drive a corresponding rotor to generate lift for the UAV. The method further includes determining, with aid of the one or more processors, how to redistribute power from the motor between a plurality of components when the motor has an operating state that is a decelerating state, and redistributing the power in accordance with the determination of how to redistribute the power.
Abstract:
In an example, a power source for an electric propulsion system of an aerial vehicle includes a body having an electrical energy storage device configured to store electrical energy. The power source also includes a plurality of terminals coupled to the electrical energy storage device for supplying the electrical energy from the electrical energy storage device to the electric propulsion system of the aerial vehicle. The power source further includes a plurality of flight control surfaces extending outwardly from the body. The flight control surfaces are actuatable to adjust a flight attitude of the power source. Additionally, the power source includes a flight control system including a processor and configured to actuate the plurality of flight control surfaces to fly the power source to a target location when the power source is jettisoned from the aerial vehicle.
Abstract:
The present invention is a drone for spraying liquid such as pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, plant growth regulators, plant defoliators, and fertilizers over field crop. The drone comprises: a frame with a slender rigid beam in the middle and two base structures at the two ends, a rigid tube with an array of nozzles on elongated stems and the rigid tube is suspended below the beam structure with retractable wires, at least three propellers on motors with arms that are rotatably mounted to each of the two base structures of the frame, a power source positioned in one of the bases, at least one distance detector for measuring height of the drone above the ground, an antenna for sending and receiving communication signals, an electronic control system to operate motors and sensors, a container for a liquid material with a caped opening for refilling and an air pump to maintain a positive pressure in the container and electronic valve to allow liquid in the container under pressure to be released through a transfer line to be sprayed from the nozzles, and a remote controller for operating the drone. The invention provides a specialized drone that is able to spray liquid solutions over a wide strip of the field at a height close to crop canopy to achieve high efficiency and precision and reduced drift of sprays while the drone flies at a relatively high above the crop canopy for safe operation and avoid damage to crop by air turbulence.