A housing for a ground vehicle-mountable aerial vehicle is provided. The housing includes a base portion defining a cavity and an opening leading into the cavity. The cavity is structured to receive an unmanned aerial vehicle therein. The cavity is configured so as to open upwardly when the housing is mounted on the vehicle. The housing also includes a drafting wall structured to extend from the base portion at a location forward of at least a portion of the cavity when the housing is mounted on the ground vehicle.

A housing for a ground vehicle-mountable aerial vehicle is provided. The housing includes a base portion defining a cavity and an opening leading into the cavity. The cavity is structured to receive an unmanned aerial vehicle therein. The cavity is configured so as to open upwardly when the housing is mounted on the vehicle. The housing also includes a drafting wall structured to extend from the base portion at a location forward of at least a portion of the cavity when the housing is mounted on the ground vehicle.

A hybrid aircraft system uses a combination of direct propeller driven gas engine and electric motor power to provide vertical thrust and control for hover of the aircraft. Furthermore, a portable launch/recovery system is configured for use with an aircraft such as a Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV). The system is configured to enable ships with limited available deck space to become UAV-compatible.

A modular aerial vehicle for inspection of enclosed and open space environments. The aerial vehicle is employed for inspection of various environments in remotely controlled and autonomous fashions. The aerial vehicle is capable of carrying different sensory modules depending on the specific application including surface inspection. Aerial vehicle may be connected to a tether cable for electrical power delivery and transmission of control commands. The aerial vehicle may utilize a landing structure which allows landing on any angled metallic or non-metallic surface.

A system and a method are provided for achieving long range, over the horizon (OTH), persistent surveillance, alerting, tracking and situational awareness against small, low radar cross section moving targets. The system and method use one or more tethered unmanned arial systems, or unmanned arial vehicles, to lift components including a radar antenna to a height above nearby obstacles or much higher. The system and method can also be used for subsurface radar detection and tracking applications, as well as communications with submarines.

A tether management system is disclosed. The tether management system includes a spool, a tension sensor, a controller and a moveable pulley. The spool is rotatable to reel in and reel out a tether. The tension sensor measures a tension of the tether. The controller receives a desired tension of the tether and controls the rotation of the spool to reel in and reel out the tether based on a difference between a measured tension from the tension sensor and the desired tension of the tether. The moveable pulley is disposed to engage tether between the spool and the tension sensor. The moveable pulley being able to be biased and moveable along a linear path to adjust a tension of the tether when the tension of the tether deviates from the desired tension. A method for managing tether is also disclosed.

A high-place observation device for stably performing a fixed-point observation of a target object from a high place is provided. The high-place observation device provides a long pole which is formed to extend and contract freely and which stands on the installation surface, a rotorcraft for positioning the pole to a desirable height position by extending and contracting the pole by a floating force in a connected state, a winding mechanism which fixes and maintains the height position of the pole to the height position set by the rotorcraft, and a camera attached to the rotorcraft.

A high-place observation device for stably performing a fixed-point observation of a target object from a high place is provided. The high-place observation device provides a long pole which is formed to extend and contract freely and which stands on the installation surface, a rotorcraft for positioning the pole to a desirable height position by extending and contracting the pole by a floating force in a connected state, a winding mechanism which fixes and maintains the height position of the pole to the height position set by the rotorcraft, and a camera attached to the rotorcraft.

A method and a system for detecting and positioning an intruder within a specified volume are provided herein. The method may include the following steps: periodically scanning using a laser detection and ranging (LADAR) device directing a laser beam, within the specified volume; collecting reflections of the laser beam arriving from objects within the volume; converting the reflections to LADAR signal indicative of spatiotemporal presence of objects within the volume; applying signal processing algorithms to the LADAR signals, to determine a presence of an intruder and respective orientation parameters, based on predefined criteria; directing a camera based on the orientation parameters associated with the intruder for continuously capturing images of the intruder; and analyzing the images by a computer processor and instructing the camera to track the intruder based on the analysis, to yield real-time tracking parameters of the intruder.

A method and a system for detecting and positioning an intruder within a specified volume are provided herein. The method may include the following steps: periodically scanning using a laser detection and ranging (LADAR) device directing a laser beam, within the specified volume; collecting reflections of the laser beam arriving from objects within the volume; converting the reflections to LADAR signal indicative of spatiotemporal presence of objects within the volume; applying signal processing algorithms to the LADAR signals, to determine a presence of an intruder and respective orientation parameters, based on predefined criteria; directing a camera based on the orientation parameters associated with the intruder for continuously capturing images of the intruder; and analyzing the images by a computer processor and instructing the camera to track the intruder based on the analysis, to yield real-time tracking parameters of the intruder.