A computer architecture includes an application program interface (API). The API does not include a user interface. The computer architecture asynchronously receives into the API data relating to mission plan domains from clients. The data include an identification of vehicles, goals of the vehicles, and threats to the vehicles. The mission plan domains include an air domain, a sea or ocean domain, and a land domain. The computer architecture uses a parallel processing scheme to process the mission plan domains from the clients for determining goal priorities for each of the plurality of vehicles, processing the data using a genetic algorithm and physics models associated with the plurality of vehicles, and transmitting to the vehicles path commands based on the processing of the genetic algorithm.

Embodiments of the present invention describe creating a mesh network of autonomous vehicles. Embodiments describe, for a set of autonomous vehicles configured to perform joint tasks, creating a plurality of subset networks of autonomous vehicles based on geographical proximity, wherein the plurality of subset networks of autonomous vehicles overlap to form a mesh network of autonomous vehicles, and wherein the mesh network of autonomous vehicles and the subset networks of autonomous vehicles support a non-centralized task assignment feature to assign tasks to autonomous vehicles in the mesh network. Additionally, embodiments describe sending a status signal to a first autonomous vehicle in the mesh network via a second autonomous vehicle in the mesh network, wherein the first autonomous vehicle is in a same subset network of autonomous vehicles as the second autonomous vehicle.

An operations platform includes a structure configured to house and transport drones and a storage facility configured to store the drones within the structure. The operations platform includes a lift or conveyor configured to move the plurality of drones to/from a launching area. In some implementations, the operations platform may also include at least one robotic element configured to move the drones to and from the storage facility.

Deflection of a rotor of a motor, such as a brushless motor, of an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) during operation may cause the magnets coupled to the interior surface of the rotor to move or walk down the surface, imbalancing the motor and potentially creating an unsafe flying condition for the UAV. The described methods and apparatus monitor rotor deflection of the motor during operation and alter one or more flight characteristics of the UAV if the deflection exceeds a tolerance range. By altering flight characteristics, external forces acting on the motor may be reduced, thereby reducing the deflection of the rotor.

Described is a system and method for utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAV”) to facilitate delivery of ordered items to user specified delivery destinations. In one implementation, the UAV may be configured as a one-way UAV that is designed to transport ordered items to the user specified delivery destination but not return to a materials handling facility under its own power. Instead, the one-way UAV may remain at the delivery destination for later retrieval by a retrieval unit (e.g., truck).

An inspection apparatus (100) according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first determination unit (121) that determines an operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (1) based on a first threshold for determining whether the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) can enter the inside, a second threshold, which is greater than the first threshold, for determining whether the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) can land on a water surface of pooled water in the inside, and space information indicating a space of the inside, and a second determination unit (122) that determines a flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) with respect to the water surface or a floor surface of the manhole after the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) enters the inside based on the first and second thresholds, and the space information in a case where it has been determined that the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) can enter the inside and cannot land on the water surface.

A device receives a request for a flight path, for a UAV, from a first location to a second location, and calculates the flight path based on the request for the flight path. The device determines network requirements for the flight path based on the request, and determines scores for multiple networks with coverage areas covering a portion of the flight path. The device selects a particular network, from the multiple networks, based on the network requirements for the flight path and based on the scores for the multiple networks. The device causes a connection with the UAV and the particular network to be established, and generates flight path instructions for the flight path. The device provides, via the connection with the particular network, the flight path instructions to the UAV to permit the UAV to travel from the first location to the second location via the flight path.

A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.

Provided are a device for communicating with and controlling a small unmanned airplane, and a method therefor. In an information processing system to which the present invention is applied, a drone is provided with: a converter module that operates on a storage battery; an onboard communication means; an FDR module; a drive unit or the like, not illustrated; a leg section that contacts or approaches a landing port; and a charging terminal for supplying power for charging to the storage battery, the charging terminal being disposed in the proximal area. The landing port is the landing port where the drone lands, and has a projection for guiding the leg section onto a planar section.

Embodiments described herein may relate to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigating to a target in order to provide medical support. An illustrative method involves a UAV (a) determining an approximate target location associated with a target, (b) using a first navigation process to navigate the UAV to the approximate target location, where the first navigation process generates flight-control signals based on the approximate target location, (c) making a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, and (d) in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, using a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to the target, wherein the second navigation process generates flight-control signals based on real-time localization of the target.