An autonomous base station for unmanned aerial vehicles (‘UAVs’) is disclosed, which includes a landing surface for a UAV, configured with at least one power transfer bus for supplying power to a power source of a UAV thereon. The base station further includes a networking module and data processing means operably connected to, and configured to control, the power transfer bus and the networking module. The data processing means is operably connected to the UAV through the networking module, and further configured to receive, store and process data from the UAV or another. The base station further includes a power supply operably connected to the or each power transfer bus, the or each networking module and the data processing means. A network of at least two such base stations is also disclosed, for sensing, modelling and monitoring an environment with UAVs.

A user terminal generates a virtual drone camera image, as an estimated captured image where it is assumed that a virtual drone camera mounted on a drone has captured an image of a planned landing position on the basis of a captured image obtained by capturing the planned landing position of the drone with the user terminal, and transmits the generated virtual drone camera image to the drone. The drone collates the virtual drone camera image with the image captured by the drone camera and lands at the planned landing position in the image captured by the drone camera. The user terminal generates a corresponding pixel positional relationship formula indicating a correspondence relationship between a pixel position on the captured image of the user terminal and a pixel position on the captured image of the virtual drone camera, and generates the virtual drone camera image using the generated relationship formula.

Methods and systems for automatically deploying an autonomous drone from a vehicle in response to a triggering event or accident so that data associated with the triggering event or accident may be automatically obtained are described. In one embodiment, a method for deploying an autonomous drone in response to a triggering event is described. The method includes providing an autonomous drone in a vehicle. The method also includes detecting a triggering event associated with the vehicle. Upon detection of the triggering event, the method includes automatically deploying the autonomous drone from the vehicle. The method further includes implementing, by the autonomous drone, a plurality of automatic actions, including recording data associated with the vehicle in which the autonomous drone is provided.

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.

Flight equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an aerial vehicle having a body and at least one rotor held on the body; a plurality of supporters mounted to the aerial vehicle and supporting a protective member stretched therebetween so as to surround an outside of the body; a support information detection unit configured to detect support information indicating a support state of the protective member; and a mounting state determiner configured to determine whether the support state of the protective member is suitable or unsuitable, based on a value detected by the support information detection unit.

Disclosed is a docking station for use with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The docking station has a retractable guide apparatus having a retracted state in which the retractable guide apparatus is retracted within the docking station and an expanded state in which the retractable guide is expanded outward from the docking station for physically guiding the UAV into the docking station. Given that the guide apparatus is retractable, the retractable guide apparatus is provided with some protection from environmental factors such as exposure to ice, snow and high winds. This can help to increase durability and reliability, such that the UAV can reliably land in the docking station without any personnel being present. Deployment is also possible without any personnel being present. Therefore, it is possible to avoid or mitigate the costs associated with personnel.

In some examples, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) employs one or more image sensors to capture images of a scan target and may use distance information from the images for determining respective locations in three-dimensional (3D) space of a plurality of points of a 3D model representative of a surface of the scan target. The UAV may compare a first image with a second image to determine a difference between a current frame of reference position for the UAV and an estimate of an actual frame of reference position for the UAV. Further, based at least on the difference, the UAV may determine, while the UAV is in flight, an update to the 3D model including at least one of an updated location of at least one point in the 3D model, or a location of a new point in the 3D model.

An unmanned aircraft system includes a testing and calibration system that enables automated testing of movable parts of an unmanned aircraft. The testing and calibration system uses a camera-based technique to determine the position and angle of movable parts, in order to establish whether or not those parts are moving in a manner consistent with correct function.

A drone including a front section, a wing structure supported by a rotor located behind the front section, and a propeller at the rear. The wing structure including two wings rotating the rotor, the wing structure being able to move between a flight configuration, in which the rotor is immobile relative to the front section and the propulsion provided by the propeller, and a flight configuration with the wing structure rotating, in which the rotor is rotated relative to the front section, the rotor being connected to the front section with a possibility of orienting its axis of rotation relative thereto in order able to direct the drone in the rotary wing structure configuration by acting on said orientation.

A drone docking structure of an autonomous vehicle can include: a coil housing having a space for docking a drone to the vehicle; a docking cover configured to open or close a top portion of the coil housing according to whether the drone is docked; and a motor housing installed on a side surface of the coil housing and including a motor configured to actuate the docking cover.