Disclosed is an aerial vehicle such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In one implementation, the vehicle includes a base and one or more front-facing arms extending from the base. Each front facing arm includes an inner segment affixed to the base and an outer segment. The vehicle also includes a rear-facing arm affixed to the base. In another implementation, a UAV includes one or more arms mounted to a base. At least one of the arms includes a first segment that is proximate to the base and a second segment that is distant from the base. A first hinge connects the first segment and the second segment. Various dimensions of the UAV are reduced when the arm(s) are folded along the first hinge.

In an aspect, an apparatus includes a hovering unmanned aerial vehicle (HUAV). The HUAV includes an arm assembly configured to support a propeller in such a way that propeller drag of the propeller is decoupled from yaw torque requirements associated with the hovering unmanned aerial vehicle. In another aspect, an apparatus includes an HUAV that has an arm assembly that is field-foldable relative to the HUAV between a flight-ready state and a folded state. In another aspect, an apparatus includes an HUAV having an arm assembly that is keyed in such a way as to facilitate field-assembly relative to the HUAV.

A drone recharging station comprising a housing carried by a base; one or more photovoltaic panels carried by the housing; an electrical energy storage assembly located within the housing, the electrical energy storage assembly having an electrical input and an electrical output, wherein the or each photovoltaic panel is electrically connected to the electrical input of the electrical energy storage assembly; a drone receiving platform carried by the housing which is configured to receive thereon a drone; and a power coupling electrically connected to the electrical output of the electrical energy storage assembly, wherein the power coupling transfers electrical energy from the electrical storage assembly to a drone in use.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided, which includes a main body; a plurality of frames each extending from the main body; and a plurality of thrust generating devices respectively mounted on the plurality of frames, each of the thrust generating devices including a propeller. The propeller includes a hub that provides a rotation axis of the propeller, and rotates according to an operation of the thrust generating device, and a pair of blades, each of which is pivotably mounted on the hub, and generates a thrust or lift while rotating around the rotation axis as the hub is rotated. The blades are pivotably interlocked with each other such that the blades are aligned to a folded position in which the blades are parallel with each other on the hub in a first arrangement or aligned to an expanded position in a diametric direction of a rotating region of the propeller in a second arrangement.

This document describes a system and method through which unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be docked, with a device that can secure the UAVs, and information can be transmitted to and from such UAVs. The UAVs are secured through the use of magnetic fields. The system also includes a means for transmitting information between the docking system itself, the UAV(s) and/or between the docking system and a command center, which may be a notable distance from the docking system, or among the docking system, the UAV(s) and the command center.

Disclosed are embodiments of a rotary-wing drone that includes a drone body with two front linking arms and two rear linking arms extending from the drone body with a propulsion unit located on a distal end of the linking arms. The points of fixation of the front linking arms and the points of fixation of the rear linking arms are located at different respective heights with respect to the horizontal median plane of the drone body. The two front linking arms of the drone may form a first angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal median plane of the drone body and the two rear linking arms may form a second angle of inclination. Additionally, the linking arms of the drone may further be adapted to be folded over along the drone body.

Disclosed are embodiments of a rotary-wing drone that includes a drone body, linking arms that extend from the drone body with a propulsion unit located on a distal end of the linking arms, and at least two drone supports extending from the drone body. The drone supports may include a lifting means so that the drone supports are able to be lifted when the drone flies, where the drone supports come into alignment with the linking arms. The drone supports may form the leading edge of the rear linking arms and/or the trailing edge of the front linking arms of the drone.

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a central body and a plurality of arms extendable from the central body. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to support one or more propulsion units. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to transform between (1) a flight configuration in which the arm is extending away from the central body and (2) a compact configuration in which the arm is folded against the central body. At least one of the plurality of arms is configured to rotate about a first rotational axis and at least a portion of the at least one of the plurality of arms is configured to rotate about a second rotational axis not parallel to the first rotational axis.

Stowable and deployable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A UAV in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a main body, frames carried by the main body, and motors carried by the frames. At least two frames are positioned to move relative to each other between a stowed configuration in which the frames are generally aligned proximate to each other and a deployed configuration different from the stowed configuration. The main body can include a first body portion pivotably connected to a second body portion. In a stowed configuration, the body portions can generally overlap each other. A UAV in accordance with particular embodiments includes a modular electronics unit carried by the UAV and including a camera, a battery, and a vehicle controller. Modular electronics units can be configured to be removably connected to and disconnected from the UAV and other vehicles.

An emergency unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a method for employing a UAV. The method includes storing a digital elevation model (DEM) and associated data including locations of communication networks, updating the locations of communication networks in the associated data via a wireless transceiver, and storing position information determined by a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver. The method includes detecting a predetermined condition using electronic sensors, determining whether the UAV is within a communications range of any communication network via the wireless transceiver, and determining a path to a communication network using the DEM and the associated data. The method also includes causing the UAV to become airborne and fly along the path, and transmitting a distress message via the wireless transceiver to the communication network, the distress message including position information corresponding to a location where the UAV detected the predetermined condition.