An unmanned aerial vehicle and control method thereof are provided. Data associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle that is to be communicated during handoff is identified. A service supplier is informed of an operational status of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the identified data. Instructions corresponding to operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle are received from the service supplier.

Systems and associated methods for rapid integration and control of payloads carded by a multi-mode, unmanned vehicle configured to accommodate a variety of payloads of varying size, shape, and interface and control characteristics. Mechanical, power, signal, and logical interfaces to a variety of payloads operate to enable environmental protection, efficient placement and connection to the vehicle, and control of those payloads in multiple environmental modes as well as operational modes (including in air, on the surface of water surface, and underwater).

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. In a wireless communications system, a base station may transmit an indication of a pre-compensation timing value for transmission of a random access message by an aerial user equipment (UE), the random access message part of a random access procedure between the base station and the aerial UE when the aerial UE is in a connected state. The pre-compensation timing value may be based on a location of the aerial UE. In some examples, the base station may monitor a set of random access resources associated with the pre-compensation timing value and the aerial UE for the random access message, and the aerial UE may transmit the random access message using a first random access resource of a set of random access resources associated with the pre-compensation timing value and the aerial UE.

Intermodal vehicles may be loaded with items and an aerial vehicle, and directed to travel to areas where demand for the items is known or anticipated. The intermodal vehicles may be coupled to locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other vehicles, and equipped with systems for loading one or more items onto the aerial vehicle, and for launching or retrieving the aerial vehicle while the intermodal vehicles are in motion. The areas where the demand is known or anticipated may be identified on any basis, including but not limited to past histories of purchases or deliveries to such areas, or events that are scheduled to occur in such areas. Additionally, intermodal vehicles may be loaded with replacement parts and/or inspection equipment, and configured to conduct repairs, servicing operations or inspections on aerial vehicles within the intermodal vehicles, while the intermodal vehicles are in motion.

A payload coupler with a position control device for controlling a position of the payload coupler when suspended from a lower end of a line for attachment at an upper end thereof to a lifting device. The payload coupler includes a payload attachment means and at least two propulsors. The payload attachment means couples to and/or decouples from a payload and is arranged to directly couple the payload coupler to a payload. The propulsors are configured to generate resultant propulsion forces which are non-parallel and having at least a component perpendicular to the axis of the line when the line is hanging taut under gravity.

A damage identification (DI) system for identifying property damage may include a drone fleet including several autonomous or semi-autonomous drones communicatively coupled together and a DI computing device. Each drone may collect drone-collected damage data, including image data. The DI computing may assign a geographical region to the drone fleet. The drone fleet may automatically navigate to, and then within, the geographical region to detect potential damage to properties. The DI computing device may further receive drone-collected damage data associated with a property within the geographical region from the drone fleet when the drone fleet determines the property is actually or potentially damaged, generate aggregated damage data associated with the property based at least partially upon the drone-collected damage data, and/or store the aggregated damage data in a blockchain structure associated with the property for damage assessment of the property.

A method may include receiving, using at least one processor, location information that includes a location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); querying, using the at least one processor, a policy database to retrieve a notification condition for a first property with respect to UAVs; calculating, using the at least one processor, a distance between the UAV and the first property using the received location information determining, using the at least one processor, if the distance of the UAV with respect to the first property is within a range defined in the notification condition for the first property; and transmitting, using the at least one processor, a notification to a party associated with the first property when the distance of the UAV with respect to the first property is within the range defined in the notification condition for the first property.

Provided are a flight simulation and control method of a unmanned aerial vehicle with regenerative fuel cells and solar cells for high altitude long endurance, and a control apparatus thereof. The high altitude long endurance simulation method for an unmanned aerial vehicle based on regenerative fuel cells and solar cells includes: a variable inputting step of inputting design variables of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on regenerative fuel cells and solar cells; a modeling step of performing modeling of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on regenerative fuel cells and solar cells using the design variables input in the variable inputting step; and an analyzing step of analyzing a modeling result in the modeling step to perform a high altitude long endurance simulation while controlling any one of the design variables input in the variable inputting step.

An aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing comprises a fuselage, at least one processor carried by the fuselage and a pair of aerodynamic, lift-generating wings extending from the fuselage. A plurality of vectoring rotors are rotatably carried by the fuselage so as to be rotatable between a substantially vertical configuration relative to the fuselage for vertical take-off and landing and a substantially horizontal configuration relative to the fuselage for horizontal flight. The vectoring rotors are unsupported by the first pair of wings. The wings may be modular and removably connected to the fuselage and configured to be interchangeable with an alternate pair of wings. A cargo container may be secured to the underside of the fuselage, and the cargo container may be modular and interchangeable with an alternate cargo container.

An air vehicle is provided including: a main lift generating wing arrangement having a port wing and a starboard wing, empennage and main propulsion system. The air vehicle further includes a distributed electrical propulsion (DEP) system having secondary electrical propulsion units coupled to each one of the port wing and the starboard wing. The main propulsion system is configured for providing sufficient thrust such as to enable powered aerodynamic flight of the air vehicle including at least: powered aerodynamic take off absent operation of the DEP system; and powered aerodynamic landing absent operation of the DEP system. The DEP system is configured for selectively providing at least augmented lift to the main lift generating wing arrangement in at least landing. A method for landing an air vehicle on a moving platform under separated wake conditions is also provided.