Methods and devices for monitoring transportation of one or more of travelers and cargo containers in pods that are being transported on a vehicle. The methods and devices may determine that the pods have been deployed from the vehicle. After deployment, the landing locations may be determined. Information may be ascertained about the health of the travelers within the pods and/or a condition of the cargo containers within the pods. Recovery personnel may be notified about this information to facilitate rescue.

Methods and devices for monitoring transportation of one or more of travelers and cargo containers in pods that are being transported on a vehicle. The methods and devices may determine that the pods have been deployed from the vehicle. After deployment, the landing locations may be determined. Information may be ascertained about the health of the travelers within the pods and/or a condition of the cargo containers within the pods. Recovery personnel may be notified about this information to facilitate rescue.

A hitch mount assembly for an unmanned aerial vehicle is shown and described. The hitch mount assembly may include a mount body operatively engagable with an aerial vehicle such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), where the mount body has an attachment feature to be selectively secured to the UAV and allow for selective attachment to a plurality of UAVs. A stabilizing unit attached to the mount body. The stabilizing unit may include a gimbal mounted gyro stabilization unit. A connection plate attached to the stabilizing unit. The connection plate may be attachable to various implement assemblies.

The present invention relates to a spring arrangement for use in a countermeasure magazine, said spring arrangement including a plurality of elements, wherein each one of said elements has a base portion and a plurality of spring portions extending from a first edge of said base portion, and wherein said spring portions of each element are distributed along a length of said base portion, and wherein said elements include mating connection means such that said elements may be connected to each other.

A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle that includes a flight controller and a rotor. During a vertical landing state, during which the VTOL vehicle is performing a vertical landing, the flight controller decides whether to switch from the vertical landing state to a self adjusting state and in the event it is decided to do so, the flight controller switches from the vertical landing state to the self adjusting state. During the self adjusting state, the flight controller generates a control signal for a rotor where the control signal causes: (1) the rotor to rotate during the self adjusting state and (2) the VTOL vehicle to stay in place during the self adjusting state, such that an occupant is able to enter or exit the VTOL vehicle during the self adjusting state.

A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle that includes a flight controller and a rotor. During a vertical landing state, during which the VTOL vehicle is performing a vertical landing, the flight controller decides whether to switch from the vertical landing state to a self adjusting state and in the event it is decided to do so, the flight controller switches from the vertical landing state to the self adjusting state. During the self adjusting state, the flight controller generates a control signal for a rotor where the control signal causes: (1) the rotor to rotate during the self adjusting state and (2) the VTOL vehicle to stay in place during the self adjusting state, such that an occupant is able to enter or exit the VTOL vehicle during the self adjusting state.

Provided are a method of controlling a mobile robot, apparatus for supporting the method, and delivery system using the mobile robot. The method, which is performed by a control apparatus, comprises acquiring a first control value for the mobile robot, which is input through a remote control apparatus, acquiring a second control value for the mobile robot, which is generated by an autonomous driving module, determining a weight for each control value based on a delay between the mobile robot and the remote control apparatus and generating a target control value of the mobile robot in combination of the first control value and the second control value based on the determined weights, wherein a first weight for the first control value and a second weight for the second control value are inversely proportional to each other.

A dump gate system for a fluid hopper in a firefighting aircraft. A gate sealably engages a gate opening in the hopper at a closed position. The gate is hingedly connected about the gate opening, and a drive shaft is supported within the hopper. A crank arm is fixed to the drive shaft and is further coupled to the gate by a connecting link. The crank arm and the connecting link define an over-center geometry while the gate is at the closed position, such that weight of the fluid on the gate induces torque on the drive shaft in a gate-closing direction. An electric motor is selectively coupled to rotate the drive shaft in a gate-opening direction to thereby enable control of the fluid flow from the hopper according to an angular position of the drive shaft.

A method for controlling an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle for delivery of a medication package includes determining a thermal control period for the medication package. The method also includes identifying a delivery location corresponding to the medication package. The method also includes identifying at least one environmental characteristic of an environment that includes a delivery three-dimensional flight path between a starting location and the delivery location, wherein the at least one environmental characteristic indicates an actual weather value at the delivery location. The method also includes determining whether to deliver the medication package based on the thermal control period and the at least one environmental characteristic, using the unmanned aerial vehicle.

A method for controlling an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle for delivery of a medication package includes determining a thermal control period for the medication package. The method also includes identifying a delivery location corresponding to the medication package. The method also includes identifying at least one environmental characteristic of an environment that includes a delivery three-dimensional flight path between a starting location and the delivery location, wherein the at least one environmental characteristic indicates an actual weather value at the delivery location. The method also includes determining whether to deliver the medication package based on the thermal control period and the at least one environmental characteristic, using the unmanned aerial vehicle.