A sensor wall placing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) comprising: a UAV frame; a plurality of motors; a mounting mechanism configured to detachably attach a sensor casing comprising at least one sensor, during flight of the sensor wall placing UAV, the mounting mechanism being connected to a top part of the sensor wall placing UAV so that the mounting mechanism is facing upwards from the top part of the sensor wall placing UAV, and upon detachably attaching the sensor casing to the mounting mechanism, a face of the sensor casing faces away from the sensor wall placing UAV thereby enabling the sensor wall placing UAV to perform a maneuver that results in direct contact between the face of the sensor casing and a target wall.

A base module may be used to receive and house one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) via one or more cavities. The base module receives commands from a manager device and identifies a flight plan that allows a UAV to execute the received commands. The base module transfers the flight plan to the UAV and frees the UAV. Once the UAV returns, the base module once again receives it. The base module then receives sensor data from the UAV from one or more sensors onboard the UAV, and optionally receives additional information describing its flight and identifying success or failure of the flight plan. The base module transmits the sensor data and optionally the additional information to a storage medium locally or remotely accessible by the manager device.

A ground station for aerial vehicles including a protective casing, at least one charging mechanism, and an extendable landing pad. The extended landing pad is operable to transition between a closed configuration having dimensions suitable to be contained within said protective casing, and an open configuration having dimensions suitable to land the aerial vehicle.

Systems, devices, and methods that may include: determining one or more take-off variables for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle; increasing an altitude of the VTOL aerial vehicle to a first altitude, where increasing the altitude comprises substantially vertical flight of the VTOL aerial vehicle; performing a first pre-rotation check of the VTOL aerial vehicle; adjusting a pitch of the VTOL aerial vehicle to a first pitch angle via motor control; adjusting the pitch of the VTOL aerial vehicle to a second pitch angle via at least one of: motor control and one or more effectors; and adjusting the pitch of the VTOL aerial vehicle to a third pitch angle via the one or more effectors, where the third pitch angle is substantially perpendicular to a vertical plane.

A parachute device for drone includes a container, a power source, a base, a parachute body and an open-assist member. A top of the container has an opening. The power source is disposed on a bottom of the container. The base is disposed on the power source. The parachute body, disposed on the base, is in a folded status. The open-assist member is disposed in the parachute body. The open-assist member contacts the base and the center of the inner surface of the parachute body.

The disclosed inventions include personal Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's) and UAV universal docking ports “docking ports” to be incorporated into and/or attached to headwear, including helmets, hard hats and hats and face masks, as well as footwear including boots and shoes, clothing and outerwear, devices, gear and equipment, land, air, water and space vehicles, buildings, wireless towers and other mobile or stationary objects and surfaces referred to collectively as “docking stations”. A docking station may have one or more docking ports for docking, networking and charging or refueling compact personal UAVs, and for providing data communications between said UAVs and other electronic devices that remain with the person while the UAV is in flight or driving or landed on terrain. Said docking ports may also incorporate wireless power transmission for remote wireless charging of one or more UAV's. Supplemental power for recharging said UAVs when docked may be supplied by integrated battery(s) in said docking port or me be provided directly from the docking station or other connected power source.

Systems and methods to reduce aerodynamic drag and/or affect flight characteristics of an aerial vehicle may include adjustable fairings associated with one or more components of the aerial vehicle. The adjustable fairings may be coupled to and at least partially surround a motor, propulsion mechanism, motor arm, strut, or other component of an aerial vehicle. In addition, the adjustable fairings may be passively movable between two or more positions responsive to airflow around the fairings, and/or the adjustable fairings may be actively moved between two more positions to affect flight characteristics. Further, the adjustable fairings may include actuatable elements to alter a portion of an outer surface of the fairings to thereby affect flight characteristics. In this manner, adjustable fairings associated with various components of an aerial vehicle may reduce aerodynamic drag and/or may improve control and safety of an aerial vehicle.

End effectors and systems may capture, release, and/or create a mating engagement between the end effector and a target object. Said end effectors are tolerant of positional and rotational misalignment of the target object, and include a plurality of roller wheels, one or more of which is arranged in a non-parallel plane with respect to one or more other roller wheels. A first roller wheel configured to rotate in a first plane, a second roller wheel configured to rotate in a second plane, and a third roller wheel configured to rotate in a third plane may be arranged such that the end effector is configured to engage a passive receptacle of the target object, to capture the target object. Rotating the roller wheels in the opposite direction may cause the target object to be released or launched, by urging the passive receptacle off of or away from the roller wheels.

A system and method for the transfer of cryogenic fluid fuel includes a nozzle positionable with respect to fuel tank inlet, e.g., of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a seal to seal the area where the nozzle and inlet are connected, a collapsible and expandable bellows providing an isolation volume where the fluid is transferred from the nozzle into the inlet; a vacuum is provided in the volume to avoid accumulation of fuel or other species in the volume.

Methods, devices, and systems of various embodiments are disclosed for managing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) charging station having a docking terminal. In various embodiments, a priority of a first UAV and a second UAV may be determined for using the docking terminal when a docking request is received from the second UAV while the first UAV occupies the docking terminal. In some embodiments, the priorities of the first and second UAVs may be based on an available power level of each of the first and second UAVs. The first UAV may be instructed to undock from the docking terminal in response to determining that the second UAV has a higher priority.