A landing gear controller (120) to control extension and retraction of a landing gear for an aircraft, the landing gear controller (120) configured to cause, during an aircraft take-off or landing procedure, a landing gear extension and retraction system (110) to perform only a first portion of a landing gear extension or retraction process, on the basis of a status of the aircraft and prior to receiving a command for the landing gear to be extended or retracted.

A solar plant and single axis solar tracker management method maximize power output production. The object of the invention embraces a solar plant and a method accounting for readings being made by field sensors whilst weather forecast data are provided by third parties such as weather forecast companies collecting and broadcasting weather forecast data related to sun irradiance levels and climate conditions affecting sun irradiance levels, like clouds, pollution or fog. Some of the solar trackers of the plant are furnished with irradiance sensors, whilst the solar plant has a plurality of solar sensors arranged along; these solar sensors being configured to measure irradiance on a horizontal plane. The object of the invention envisages an outpost solar tracker configured to take radiation measurements in an inclined plane and, when it is necessary to verify the measurements of the horizontal sensors, they will go to 0° positions.

A photovoltaic apparatus includes: a concentrator photovoltaic panel; a driving device configured to change an attitude of the photovoltaic panel; a current detection unit configured to detect an output current of the photovoltaic panel; and a control unit configured to cause the driving device to perform a sun-tracking shift operation when it is determined based on a detection result of the current detection unit that the photovoltaic panel is generating no power during tracking of the sun.

Provided is a method for relocating a solar power unit in response to a redeployment event. A first location of a deployed solar power unit may be determined. A processor may detect a redeployment event for the solar power unit at the first location. In response to the redeployment event, the processor may determine a new location for the solar power unit. The method may further comprise relocating the solar power unit to the new location.

A device for holding an audio microphone is disclosed. The microphone holding device includes a base section having a base plate connected to a riser block that engages with a tube of a microphone holding section to enable rotation of the microphone holding section from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. The device also includes an expander shaft section including an expander shaft coupled at one end with the tube and at another end with base plate. The expander shaft expands from a compressed shaft to an expanded shaft when the microphone holding section rotates from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation to assist in holding the microphone holding section in the vertical orientation.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to providing a pulse control to a ball valve to reduce the amount of torque required to adjust the position of the ball valve. In an aspect, the technology relates to a method for reducing resistance of a ball valve. The method includes generating a pulse having a duration and a polarity; providing the pulse to an actuator configured to rotate a ball of the ball valve; and rotating, by the actuator, the ball of the ball valve by an amount based on the duration of the pulse and a direction based on the polarity of the pulse, wherein the ball valve does not change state after rotation of the ball.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to providing a pulse control to a ball valve to reduce the amount of torque required to adjust the position of the ball valve. In an aspect, the technology relates to a method for reducing resistance of a ball valve. The method includes generating a pulse having a duration and a polarity; providing the pulse to an actuator configured to rotate a ball of the ball valve; and rotating, by the actuator, the ball of the ball valve by an amount based on the duration of the pulse and a direction based on the polarity of the pulse, wherein the ball valve does not change state after rotation of the ball.

Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.

Solar array (1) comprising solar modules (3) distributed in rows (10), each solar module comprising solar collector (5) carried by a single-axis solar tracker (4), a reference solar power plant (2) comprising a central reference solar module and at least one secondary reference solar module, and a piloting unit (7) adapted for: piloting the angular orientation of the central reference module according to a central reference orientation setpoint corresponding to an initial orientation setpoint, piloting the orientation of each secondary reference module according to a secondary reference orientation setpoint corresponding to the initial orientation setpoint shifted by a predefined offset angle; receiving an energy production value from each reference module; piloting the orientation of the modules, except for the reference modules, by applying the reference orientation setpoint associated to the reference module having the highest production value.

A method for controlling the orientation of a single-axis solar tracker (1) orientable about an axis of rotation (A), said method repetitively completing successive control phases, where each control phase implements the following successive steps: a) observing the cloud coverage above the solar tracker (1); b) comparing the observed cloud coverage with cloud coverage models stored in a database, each cloud coverage model being associated to an orientation setpoint value of the solar tracker; c) matching the observed cloud coverage with a cloud coverage model; d) servo-controlling the orientation of the solar tracker by applying the orientation setpoint value associated to said cloud coverage model retained during step c). The present invention finds application in the field of solar trackers.