Various embodiments of a vision-guided unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system to identify and collect foreign objects from the surface of a body of water are disclosed herein. A vision system and methodology has been developed to reduce reflections and glare from a water surface to better identify an object for removal. A linearized polarization filter and a specularity-removal algorithm is used to eliminate excessive reflection and glare. A contour-based detection algorithm is implemented for detecting the targeted objects on water surface. Further, the system includes a boundary layer sliding mode control (BLSMC) methodology to reduce and minimize position and velocity errors between the UAV and object in the presence of modeling and parameter uncertainties due to variation in a moving water surface.

A system for tracking a below-ground transmitter from an aerial receiver. The receiver has an antenna assembly, a processor, and a propulsion system. The antenna assembly detects the magnetic field from an underground transmitter and generates an antenna signal. The processor is programmed to receive the antenna signal and generate a command signal, which moves the receiver to a position above the transmitter. Once in the desired position, which may be a reference plane at a fixed elevation, the antenna assembly measures the magnetic field to determine the location of the drill bit along borepath.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for controlling an unmanned vehicle, an electronic device and a computer readable storage medium. In this method, the computer device of the unmanned vehicle determines occurrence of an event associated with physical discomfort of a passenger in the vehicle. The computer device also determines a severity degree of the physical discomfort of the passenger. The computer device further controls a driving action of the vehicle based on the determined severity degree.

A system for locating an optimal location of a reception antenna that has an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a wireless internet service provider (WISP) tower configured for transmitting radio signals, and an antenna removably coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the antenna configured for receiving the radio signals. Further, the system has a processor for automatically flying the UAV to a height, for rotating the unmanned aerial vehicle at the height and detecting the radio signals from the at least one WISP tower as the UAV rotates to determine an optimal azimuth, and if the radio signals received are not conducive for the provision of wireless services at the height, the processor moves the UAV to different heights and rotates the UAV until radio signals received are conducive for the provision of wireless services thereby determining an optimal azimuth and location altitude range for a reception antenna.

Disclosed is a method of determining location information of a signal source. A method of determining location information of a signal source by using an unmanned aerial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes determining, at a first location, first location information and first posture information of the unmanned aerial vehicle provided with a linear array antenna; determining, at the first location, a first measurement azimuth between the signal source and the linear array antenna; determining, at least one second location, at least one second location information and at least one second posture information of the unmanned aerial vehicle having the linear array antenna; determining, at the at least one second location, at least one second measurement azimuth between the signal source and the linear array antenna; and predicting the location information of the signal source using the information described above.

An autonomous aerial vehicle for ventilating persons. The ventilation becomes necessary as a result of fires, accidents, or medical emergencies. In these and comparable cases, the aerial vehicle aids for ventilating a person quickly and independently of the transport links of a location or the traffic situation at the time so the state of the person is stabilized until the arrival of an emergency doctor or other rescue workers and the chances of survival improves. The aerial vehicle provides positional determination inside and/or outside buildings, recording of the surrounding area, ventilation of at least one person, and a communication method or mechanism.

An unmanned aerial vehicle having a dynamic balance system that comprises a moveable battery support to secure a vehicle battery to the vehicle, the moveable battery support being attached to an actuator that will shift the moveable battery support relative to the vehicle body under the control of an electronic controller during vehicle operations to help maintain the balance and orientation of the vehicle.

Provided herein are systems and methods for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to skid and roll along an environmental surface. A rollable UAV includes an airframe assembly, a propulsion system, and a logic device configured to communicate with the propulsion system. The airframe assembly includes a cylindrical rolling guard configured to allow the UAV to roll along an environmental surface in contact with the cylindrical rolling guard. The logic device is configured to determine a rolling orientation for the UAV corresponding to the environmental surface, maneuver the UAV to place the cylindrical rolling guard of the airframe assembly in contact with the environmental surface, and roll the airframe assembly of the UAV along the environmental surface at approximately the determined rolling orientation while the cylindrical rolling guard is in contact with the environmental surface.

A system and method to distribute pesticides, fertilizers, water, and other materials on a farm with accuracy and precision is disclosed in order to combat the problems imposed on the environment due to over-fertilization and over use of pesticides. This system and method is a social networking control system in which multiple farms have independent grids of sensors capable of detecting the presence of pesticides, fertilizers, water, and other materials in the air, in the top-soil, and in the groundwater. These grids of sensors detect the location and concentration of these materials and reports them back to a social control system for analysis. The control system regulates the deposition of further chemicals through computer control of the chemical dispersal systems.

A cargo receiving facility includes a net and a transport mechanism. The net is suspended among supports. The net is configured to receive a cargo dropped from an unmanned aircraft in flight. The transport mechanism is configured to transport the cargo received by the net. The net has an elasticity corresponding to a mass of the cargo. The net has openings each having a size corresponding to a pressure of down-wash from the unmanned aircraft.