A system delivering fire retardant materials in fighting a surface fire is provided, having an aircraft carrying the fire-retardant material, a hose deployable from the aircraft, the delivery hose connected to the reservoir and having a controllable nozzle at a deployed end with a remotely operable valve, an end effector connected by a multi-axis gimbal at the deployed end of the delivery hose the end effector having fixed wings with ailerons and elevators, and a rudder, the ailerons, elevators and rudder moved by electrical actuators, and control apparatus and circuitry in the aircraft and the end effector enabling an operator in manipulating the ailerons, elevators and the rudder. An operative in the aircraft controls the end effector via the control apparatus to fly at a lower altitude and in a different path than the aircraft, and opens the remotely operable valve to deliver the fire-retardant material from the delivery hose.

A system delivering fire retardant materials in fighting a surface fire is provided, having an aircraft carrying the fire-retardant material, a hose deployable from the aircraft, the delivery hose connected to the reservoir and having a controllable nozzle at a deployed end with a remotely operable valve, an end effector connected by a multi-axis gimbal at the deployed end of the delivery hose the end effector having fixed wings with ailerons and elevators, and a rudder, the ailerons, elevators and rudder moved by electrical actuators, and control apparatus and circuitry in the aircraft and the end effector enabling an operator in manipulating the ailerons, elevators and the rudder. An operative in the aircraft controls the end effector via the control apparatus to fly at a lower altitude and in a different path than the aircraft, and opens the remotely operable valve to deliver the fire-retardant material from the delivery hose.

A refueling system has a first vehicle having a fuel tank connected to a deployable fuel hose with a nozzle on the deployable end, a second vehicle carrying a supply of fuel, having a refueling panel with a refueling port adapted to connect to the nozzle on the deployed end of the fuel hose, an end effector joined to the fuel hose proximate the nozzle, the end effector having a plurality of thrusters providing thrust in a plurality of directions; and control circuitry in the first vehicle and in the end effector enabling an operative to vary direction and thrust of the thrusters. The operative controls the thrusters through the control circuitry to direct the nozzle toward and to connect the nozzle to the refueling port on the refueling panel of the second vehicle.

A refueling system has a first vehicle having a fuel tank connected to a deployable fuel hose with a nozzle on the deployable end, a second vehicle carrying a supply of fuel, having a refueling panel with a refueling port adapted to connect to the nozzle on the deployed end of the fuel hose, an end effector joined to the fuel hose proximate the nozzle, the end effector having a plurality of thrusters providing thrust in a plurality of directions; and control circuitry in the first vehicle and in the end effector enabling an operative to vary direction and thrust of the thrusters. The operative controls the thrusters through the control circuitry to direct the nozzle toward and to connect the nozzle to the refueling port on the refueling panel of the second vehicle.

A test flight system includes a test aircraft, and an atmospheric conditions-detecting vehicle that is separate and distinct from the test aircraft. The atmospheric conditions-detecting vehicle is configured to be deployed during a test flight of the test aircraft to detect atmospheric conditions of an environment in which the test aircraft operates during the test flight.

A test flight system includes a test aircraft, and an atmospheric conditions-detecting vehicle that is separate and distinct from the test aircraft. The atmospheric conditions-detecting vehicle is configured to be deployed during a test flight of the test aircraft to detect atmospheric conditions of an environment in which the test aircraft operates during the test flight.

A system for fighting fires has a source of fire-retardant material, a delivery hose connected to the source has a delivery nozzle at an end, and an end effector carrying the delivery hose proximate the nozzle. The end effector has controllable thrusters, an imaging device, and control circuitry including a display monitor, the control circuitry providing commands controlling actuators varying thrust and direction of the thrusters, and a valve in the delivery nozzle. With the delivery hose deployed, images from the end effector are transmitted to the control circuitry and displayed on the display monitor, and an operator viewing the images on the display monitor uses the command inputs to maneuver the end effector, carrying the nozzle at the end of the delivery hose to a position proximate an active fire, and opens the valve on the nozzle, delivering fire retardant material from the nozzle onto the fire.

A system for fighting fires has a source of fire-retardant material, a delivery hose connected to the source has a delivery nozzle at an end, and an end effector carrying the delivery hose proximate the nozzle. The end effector has controllable thrusters, an imaging device, and control circuitry including a display monitor, the control circuitry providing commands controlling actuators varying thrust and direction of the thrusters, and a valve in the delivery nozzle. With the delivery hose deployed, images from the end effector are transmitted to the control circuitry and displayed on the display monitor, and an operator viewing the images on the display monitor uses the command inputs to maneuver the end effector, carrying the nozzle at the end of the delivery hose to a position proximate an active fire, and opens the valve on the nozzle, delivering fire retardant material from the nozzle onto the fire.

A multi-modular aerial firefighting control method and apparatus for use by firefighters to control fire. The multi-modular aerial firefighting control method and apparatus generally includes multi-modular units that are held together to form an aerial firefighting system. The modular units may work together or independently. The multi-modular system comprises more than one modular unit, fluid, fluid conduit, reservoir, air flow generator, multi-modular unit support structure, aerial suspension system and aerial lift system.

A method for transporting a rescue device from an aerial vehicle to a person to be rescued includes launching an unmanned aerial vehicle from the aerial vehicle having an end portion releasable attached to the unmanned aerial vehicle via a first connection and a second connection. The method further includes enabling the person to be rescued to reach the end portion of the rescue device. and determining whether the end portion of the rescue device is released from the first connection. If the rescue device is released determining at the unmanned aerial vehicle whether the person to be rescued is safely attached to the rescue device. If so, the method comprises either releasing the rescue device from the second connection, or deactivating the unmanned aerial vehicle such that the unmanned aerial vehicle remains attached to the rescue device via the second connection.