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.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which fly to destinations (e.g., for delivering items) may land on transportation vehicles (e.g., delivery trucks, etc.) for temporary transport. An agreement with the owner of the transportation vehicles (e.g., a shipping carrier) may be made, and the associated transportation vehicles that are available for landings may be identified by markers on the roof or other identification techniques. Different types of communications may be provided as part of a landing process (e.g., a notification regarding a proposed landing may be sent including a request for a confirmation that the proposed landing is acceptable, etc.). The routes of the transportation vehicles may be known and utilized to determine locations where UAVs will land on and take off from the transportation vehicles.

The present invention discloses an unfolding propeller unit type unmanned aerial vehicle including a body unit, a plurality of propeller units in which propellers are installed, a locking unit configured to lock the propeller units so that a state in which the propeller units are overlapping on the body unit is maintained, and propeller unit unfolders, each configured to connect each of the propeller units to the body unit, and unfold the propeller unit from the body unit so the propeller units are positioned around the body unit when locking of the locking unit is released.

A method and apparatus for scalable and fast deployment of drones are presented. The method is based on packing multiple drones within a cell structure that provides means for changing, communication and fast deployment of drones as well as environmental protection. Multiple cells can be combined the further scale up the number and rate of drones being deployed. In a preferable arrangement, individual drones are equipped with special contacts that allow them to connect to the cell and optionally with other drones for power supply, diagnostic and communication.

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a central body having a plurality of sides and a plurality of arms extendable from the central body. Each arm is configured to support one or more propulsion assemblies that provide a propulsion force while the unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight. The arms are configured to transform between a flight configuration in which the arms are extended away from the central body and a compact configuration in which free ends of a first subset of the arms collectively define a rectangular area. Free ends of a second subset of the arms are closer to a yaw-axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle than the free ends of the first subset of the arms. The yaw-axis passes through the rectangular area.

An unmanned aircraft system includes a testing and calibration system that enables automated testing of movable parts of an unmanned aircraft. The testing and calibration system uses a camera-based technique to determine the position and angle of movable parts, in order to establish whether or not those parts are moving in a manner consistent with correct function.

Vehicles such as unmanned air vehicles that are capable of movement from an open, flight configuration to an enclosed configuration in which all major flight components can be protected by an outer shell are disclosed. In the enclosed configuration, the vehicles can take on standard geometric shapes such as a rectangular prism, sphere, cylinder, or another shape, so as to not be recognizable as an unmanned air vehicle. Embodiments of vehicles can also include interchangeable and/or wireless motor arms, motor arms which are electrically connected to the remainder of the vehicle only when in an open configuration, remote controllers removably attached to the remainder of the vehicle, and clip or other attachment mechanisms for attachment to objects such as backpacks.

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.

An aircraft and an outer shell therefor. The aircraft includes an outer shell; and main body components, accommodated in the outer shell. The outer shell includes: an inner cavity, the inner cavity being provided with a space for at least accommodating the main body components of the aircraft; an outer surface, the outer surface enclosing the inner cavity.

Various systems, methods, for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are disclosed. In one aspect, UAVs operation in an area may be managed and organized by UAV corridors, which can be defined ways for the operation and movement of UAVs. UAV corridors may be supported by infrastructures and/or systems supported UAVs operations. Support infrastructures may include support systems such as resupply stations and landing pads. Support systems may include communication UAVs and/or stations for providing communications and/or other services, such as aerial traffic services, to UAV with limited communication capabilities. Further support systems may include flight management services for guiding UAVs with limited navigation capabilities as well as tracking and/or supporting unknown or malfunctioning UAVs.