Methods for performing maintenance operations using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The methods are enabled by equipping a UAV with a maintenance tool capable of performing a desired maintenance operation (e.g., nondestructive inspection) on a limited-access surface of a large structure or object (e.g., a wind turbine blade). The UAV uses re-orientation of lifting means (e.g., vertical rotors) to move the maintenance tool continuously or intermittently across the surface of the structure while maintaining contact with the surface of the structure undergoing maintenance.

This disclosure relates to system and method for cleaning surfaces using drones. The method includes identifying, by a first drone, a cleaning strip in contact with a surface. The cleaning strip connects a second drone and a third drone. The second drone is communicatively coupled with the third drone. The first drone is communicatively coupled with each of the second drone and the third drone. The method further includes releasing a cleaning agent at a preconfigured pressure upon a current target region of the surface near the cleaning strip. The method further includes relocating the cleaning strip upon the current target region. The method further includes performing a set of oscillations through the cleaning strip across the current target region. Each of the set of oscillations includes coordinating a displacement of the cleaning strip by a predefined distance, alternating towards each of ends of the cleaning strip.

UAV airways system generally are disclosed. Such UAV airway systems may comprise UAV cargo transportation systems and UAV surveillance and monitoring systems. Such systems preferably overlay and are commensurate with a system of high-voltage power transmission lines of high-voltage transmission system, and electric field actuated (EFA) generators preferably are utilized in UAVs that travel along the transmission lines, in UAV charging stations located along the transmission lines, or in both. Each EFA generator represents a power supply and comprises first and second electrodes separated and electrically insulated from each other for enabling a differential in voltage at the first and second electrodes resulting from a differential in electric field strength experienced by the first and second electrodes arising from the power transmission lines of the high-voltage transmission system.

An aircraft includes at least one sensor, an altitude actuator, a memory device, and an electronic controller. The at least one sensor is configured to detect altitude of the aircraft, current position of the aircraft and speed of the aircraft. The altitude actuator is configured to change the altitude of the aircraft. The memory device is configured to store predetermined terrain data of an area. The electronic controller is configured to estimate a future position of the aircraft based on a detected current position of the aircraft and a detected speed of the aircraft. The electronic controller is further configured to control the altitude actuator based on the future position, a detected altitude of the aircraft and the predetermined terrain data.

Apparatus and methods for controlling unmanned systems (UMSs), such as unmanned aircraft, are provided. A UMS can be provided that includes a physical computer, one or more auxiliary systems for the UMS, and a payload. The physical computer can execute software to cause the physical computer at least to instantiate a plurality of virtual computers that include a mission virtual computer and a payload virtual computer for: controlling the one or more auxiliary systems for the UMS using the mission virtual computer, communicating with the payload using the payload virtual computer, determining whether a software fault has occurred on one virtual computer of the plurality of virtual computers, and after determining that a software fault has occurred on one virtual computer of the plurality of virtual computers, preventing the software fault from causing a fault on a different virtual computer of the plurality of virtual computers.

An aircraft that can fly stably when water is discharged from a hose installed on the airframe, and an aircraft system, are provided. The aircraft system can include a master aircraft, slave aircrafts and a remote control device. The aircraft preferably fly as a unit. Each slave aircraft can include four rotary blade portions having propellers, and a suspending means for suspending a part of a hose. The master aircraft may include four first rotary blade portions having first propellers arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane, four second rotary blade portions having second propellers arranged to rotate in a vertical plane, and a nozzle on which a tip end part of the hose is installed. The direction of the center axis of the nozzle is parallel to the direction of the rotational axes of the second propellers.

A navigation controller system and method for retrieving control of a remotely controlled device includes an onboard primary controller supportable on a remotely controlled device and adapted to control operation thereof, a base controller adapted to communicate with the onboard primary controller by a first mode of communications to provide instructions to control and operate the remotely controlled device, and an auxiliary controller module supportable on the remotely controlled device either separately from or integrated into the onboard primary controller and adapted to communicate with the base controller by a second mode of communications not the same as the first mode of communications so that the auxiliary controller module acts as a backup to disable, disconnect or otherwise take over control from the onboard primary controller when it is rendered non-responsive to communications from the base controller.

Apparatus, method, and software for assisting human operator in flying drone using remote controller. The apparatus includes an internal data communication interface configured to receive data from the remote controller, an augmented reality display configured to display the data, one or more memories including computer program code, and one or more processors to cause the apparatus to: superimpose, on the augmented reality display, a target symbol indicating a position of the drone while the human operator is looking towards the drone; and superimpose, on the augmented reality display, an orientation symbol indicating an orientation of the drone while the human operator is looking towards the drone.

An equipment monitoring system includes an unmanned vehicle, an alarm circuit remote from the unmanned vehicle, and a vehicle control circuit remote from the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle can include a communications circuit and a flight controller. The alarm circuit detects a failure condition of a building component and outputs an indication of the failure condition. The vehicle control circuit receives the indication of the failure condition from the alarm circuit; generates, based on the indication of the failure condition, an equipment verification signal that includes an identifier of the building component, a position of the building component, and a test of the building component to be executed; and transmits the equipment verification signal to the flight controller of the unmanned vehicle via the communications circuit of the unmanned vehicle to cause the unmanned vehicle to execute the test of the building component.

A marking maintenance system comprising a marking database, a drone, and a data network communicatively coupled to the marking database and drone. The marking database is arranged to store marking data associated with one or more markings. The marking data can include one or more marking locations within a geographic area and a type of infrastructure associated with each of the one or more marking. The drone is arranged to determine the location of the drone via one or more location sensors, receive data from the marking database, and deploy to each marking location within a portion of the geographic area. The drone is also arranged to determine whether each marking within the portion of the geographic area is sufficiently present using one or more marker sensors and repair each marking within the portion of the geographic area that is determined to not be sufficiently present.