An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system for maintaining UAV flight continuity, includes a ground station, a first UAV, a second UAV, a processor, and a memory. The memory contains instructions thereon, which, when executed by the processor in response to receiving a remaining battery charge signal from the first UAV, selectively deploy the second UAV from the ground station when the remaining battery charge signal indicates that a remaining battery charge of the first UAV is below a threshold value, and return the first UAV to the ground station.

An apparatus for supporting a ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station in a premises security system is provided for a premises including a ceiling grid and a support structure disposed above the ceiling grid. The apparatus includes an unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket including a top surface and a bottom surface which is affixable to an exposed surface of a ceiling element in the ceiling grid by a first plurality of fastening elements. The bottom surface of the bracket is affixable to the ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station. The apparatus further includes a panel including a top surface and a bottom surface which is affixable to a concealed surface of the ceiling element by the first plurality of fastening elements. The top surface of the panel includes at least one anchoring element for physically coupling the panel to the support structure.

An apparatus for supporting a ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station in a premises security system is provided for a premises including a ceiling grid and a support structure disposed above the ceiling grid. The apparatus includes an unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket including a top surface and a bottom surface which is affixable to an exposed surface of a ceiling element in the ceiling grid by a first plurality of fastening elements. The bottom surface of the bracket is affixable to the ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station. The apparatus further includes a panel including a top surface and a bottom surface which is affixable to a concealed surface of the ceiling element by the first plurality of fastening elements. The top surface of the panel includes at least one anchoring element for physically coupling the panel to the support structure.

A drone box landing system includes features for increasing drone docking capacity and positioning drones on the landing pad area. Some embodiments include a dual platform configuration which rotates one platform out of the way for another platform. In some applications, one drone may land on a first platform, be secured into place by an automatic positioning system, and the platform flipped over to reveal a second platform ready to receive a second drone. The positioning system is configured to make contact with a landed drone and guide the drone to a docking position in the landing pad area.

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a central body, a plurality of arms extendable from the central body, and one or more joints. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to support one or more propulsion units, and 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. Each joint is configured to couple one arm to the central body. At least one of the one or more joints includes an elastic element configured to cause at least one of the plurality of arms to automatically retract when the at least one of the plurality of arms is reversibly folded to a first predetermined state, and automatically extend when the at least one of the plurality of arms is reversibly extended to a second predetermined state.

An unmanned aircraft system operable for wing-borne lift in a flying wing orientation. The unmanned aircraft system includes an airframe having a leading edge, a trailing edge, first and second wingtips and a root chord. The airframe has an airfoil cross-section along chord stations thereof. A thrust array is coupled to the airframe including first and second motor mounts coupled to the leading edge respectively between the root chord and the first and second wingtips. The motor mounts each have first and second propulsion assemblies coupled to respective first and second distal ends thereof. The motor mounts each have a flight configuration substantially perpendicular with the leading edge forming a two-dimensional distributed thrust array such that the airframe extends outboard of the first and second motor mounts. The unmanned aircraft system includes an electric power system and a flight control system that are operably associated with the thrust array.

A system comprising: one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs); and a UAV carrier configured to carry the UAVs from an origin to a destination; wherein the UAV carrier comprises a first controller configured to release the UAVs from the UAV carrier; and wherein each of the UAVs comprises: one or more motors configured to generate, directly or indirectly, a lift, lifting the UAV; and a second controller, configured to: activate at least one of the motors upon fulfilment of one or more conditions, thereby generating the lift, wherein after the release of the respective UAV and before the activation of the at least one motor of the respective UAV the motors of the respective UAV are inactive.

A system includes a camera configured such that a field of view of the camera is positioned to capture a base portion and a movable portion of an aircraft. A computer communicatively connected to the camera is configured to determine a relative orientation between a base identification feature of the base portion and a movable identification feature of the movable portion of the aircraft based on image data received from the camera. The computer is also configured to determine a position of the movable portion of the aircraft based on the relative orientation between the base identification feature and the movable identification feature and a position of the base portion and to compare the position of the movable portion to a reported position for the movable portion to determine a variance. An aircraft control system is configured to monitor a state of the aircraft based on the variance.

A system for storing one or more unmanned aerial vehicles is described herein. The system includes one or more shelves attached to a holding structure, the one or more shelves being configured to support one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the one or more shelves defining one or more shelf areas configured to receive the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles. The system also includes an electrical charging station configured to charge electrical batteries of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles supported by the one or more shelves; and a data transfer and storage system configured to transfer and store data that is previously stored in a data storage device of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in a data storage unit.

A UAV location management method for use with a flight management system is provided, where the method comprises providing a location for at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for at least one of: landing, taking-off and loading, providing at least a first weight-sensitive UAV pad at the UAV location, assigning a gross weight limit to each UAV scheduled to take-off from the first weight-sensitive UAV pad, the gross weight limit being based on a safety factor and at least one of: (i) a characteristic of the UAV; (ii) a characteristic of a power source of the UAV; (iii) a scheduled flight path for the UAV; and (iv) a weather condition, monitoring a weight exerted on the first weight-sensitive UAV pad when the UAV is positioned on the UAV pad, and transmitting a halt-flight signal to the flight management system for the UAV where the weight exceeds the gross weight limit.