An air module may be attached to a ground module. The air module may be equipped with a center of gravity effector to change the relative locations and hence the center of gravity of the air and ground modules when the modules are attached. The center of gravity effector may be active or passive or a combination of active and passive. The center of gravity effector may be combined with a center of lift effector to change the relative locations of the center of gravity and center of lift.

Various embodiments of vehicle occupant safety systems having extendable restraints for use with, for example, airbags are described herein. In one embodiment, for example, the disclosed technology includes a 2-point occupant restraint that secures an occupant in an aircraft seat. In this embodiment, the aircraft seat is positioned in a seating area that includes a forward monument housing a stowed airbag. In the event of a crash or other significant dynamic event that causes, for example, a rapid deceleration of the aircraft above a preset magnitude, the airbag deploys between the occupant and the monument as the dynamic forces cause the occupant to pitch forward. The forward momentum of the occupant's body creates a significant tension load in the 2-point restraint, which causes the restraint to extend by a preset amount, thereby allowing the occupant to move forward in the seat more than the occupant would have moved had the occupant been wearing a conventional, non-extending 2-point restraint. Although the occupant is allowed to move forward, the occupant remains secured to the extended restraint by means of non-extending webbing that is secured around the waist of the occupant. Allowing the occupant to move forward in this manner enables the occupant's upper torso to impact the airbag at a reduced or otherwise more favorable angle. This can reduce both the speed and the angle at which the occupant's head impacts the airbag, thereby reducing the likelihood of injury.

In one aspect, an example system includes: (i) a base including a bottom surface and a first coupling-point; (ii) a vertically-oriented elongate structure comprising a lower end, an upper end, and an inner channel, wherein the inner channel comprises an upper access-point disposed proximate the upper end, wherein the base is coupled to the elongate structure proximate the lower end; (iii) a deployable cushioning-device coupled to the elongate structure; and (iv) a tether comprising a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion, wherein the first portion is coupled to the first coupling-point, the second portion is coupled to a second coupling-point of the UAV, the third portion extends through the inner channel, the fourth portion extends from the upper access-point to the second coupling-point, and the fourth portion has a length that is less than a distance between the upper access-point and the bottom surface.

A solar power panel failure search and detect system to search and detect malfunctioning or failed sites of a solar power panel. A search unit is installed in a remotely controllable aerial vehicle. The search unit maintains a constant distance between a solar panel and a failure detector, and maintains the failure detector at an optimum angle. A control unit controls a flight path and a flight angle of the aerial vehicle and controls/regulates an angle of the failure detector, a receiver, a processor, and the search unit. The search unit has an angle sensor, the failure detector, an angle adjuster and an imaging device. The control unit has a transmitter to transmit the search result data.

A system and method that reduces the descent velocity of an aerial vehicle, the system including a control system, an inflation device, and a deployable, inflatable cage. The control system detects a descent condition, such as an uncontrolled descent and activates the inflation device to inflate the cage to at least partially encase the aerial vehicle and protect the vehicle during descent and landing. The inflatable cage includes a main fill tube, a perimeter tube, and support tubes. The support tubes are connected between the main fill tube and the perimeter tube, and enable gas to flow from the inflation device through the support and perimeter tubes and into the perimeter tube. A drag inducing material enclosure is connected to the inflatable cage and structured to induce drag to reduce a descent speed of the aerial vehicle.

An electronic module assembly (EMA) for use in controlling one or more personal restraint systems. A programmed processor within the EMA is configured to determine when a personal restraint system associated with each seat in a vehicle should be deployed. In addition, the programmed processor is configured to perform a diagnostic self-test to determine if the EMA and the personal restraint systems are operational. In one embodiment, results of the diagnostic self-test routine are displayed on a display included on the electronic module assembly. In an alternative embodiment, the results of the diagnostic self-test routine are transmitted via a wireless transceiver to a remote device. The remote device can include a wireless interrogator or can be a remote computer system such as a cabin management computer system.

A safety device has a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion defines a cavity for receiving a seat belt buckle assembly and has at least one rear wall portion extending between opposing sidewalls that partially define the cavity. The rear wall portion forms a slot area to permit a strap attached to the seat belt buckle assembly to extend from the cavity when the seat belt buckle assembly is positioned in the cavity. The rear wall portion is configured to prevent the seat belt buckle assembly from moving laterally out of the cavity. The upper portion is hingedly coupled to the lower portion such that the upper portion completely covers the cavity of the lower portion when the upper portion is rotated into engagement with the lower portion.

A safety device for preventing accidental discharge of an airbag. A lower portion of the safety device includes two opposing sidewalls at least partially defining a cavity for holding a seat belt buckle assembly. An upper portion of the safety devices is hingedly coupled to the lower portion. The safety device also includes a mechanism for securely latching the upper portion to the lower portion and a mechanism for releasing the upper portion from the lower portion when the upper portion is securely latched to the lower portion to allow the upper portion to rotate away from the lower portion.

A pressure control system for an aircraft seat includes a base plate and a plurality of cells attached to the base plate, each cell having a bellows and a top inflatable diaphragm and defines a pressure chamber therein. Charging apertures are formed in the base plate such that each cell has an associated charging aperture such that each charging aperture is in fluid communication with a pressure chamber. Discharging apertures are formed in the base plate such that each cell has an associated discharging aperture such that each discharging apertures is in fluid communication a pressure chamber. A charging valve and a discharging valve is in fluid communication with the pressure chambers and configured to supply or extract air to or from the chambers through the apertures. A pump is configured to supply pressurized air to the at least one charging valve.

An unmanned air module includes one or more rotors, engines, a transmission and avionics. Any of several different ground modules may be attached to the air module. The air module may fly with and without the ground module attached. The ground module may be manned. The air module may have two rotors, which may be ducted fans. The air module may include a parachute, an airbag and landing gear.