A method comprises computing position information from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS); computing an altitude measurement based on retrieved information from a vertical position sensor; determining a vertical protection level (VPL) associated with the position information; splitting the VPL into an upward VPL component and a downward VPL component; determining a vertical alert limit (VAL) associated with the altitude measurement; and splitting the VAL into an upward VAL component and a downward VAL component. The method optimizes an integrity budget allocation between the upward and downward VPL components. The method then recomputes the upward and downward VPL components given the optimized integrity budget allocation.

Disclosed are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for managing energy use in a vehicle. For instance, the method may include receiving forecasted data from a first external source, receiving real-time data corresponding to at least one weather parameter at a first location at a first time, and continuously determining whether to perform an adjustment to a control parameter of the vehicle by using a machine learning model that is based on the forecasted data for the at least one weather parameter, the real-time data for the at least one weather parameter, a battery condition of the vehicle, and/or an estimated amount of energy consumed by traveling along a first navigation path.

A method of assisted takeoff of a movable object includes increasing output to an actuator that drives a propulsion unit of the movable object under a first feedback control scheme, determining whether the movable object has met a takeoff threshold, and controlling the output to the actuator using a second feedback control scheme different from the first feedback control scheme in response to the movable object having met the takeoff threshold.

Methods and systems are provided for guiding or otherwise assisting operation of an aircraft en route to an airport. One method involves identifying a reference point in advance of a runway, dynamically determining a gliding vertical trajectory for the aircraft en route to the reference point based at least in part on a current altitude of the aircraft at a current aircraft location and gliding characteristics of the aircraft, and providing a graphical indication of a difference between a predicted altitude of the aircraft at a location corresponding to the reference point resulting from the gliding vertical trajectory and an altitude criterion associated with the reference point. The graphical indication of the difference dynamically updates as the aircraft travels.

A computer-implemented method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes detecting a target marker based on a plurality of images captured by an imaging device carried by the UAV, determining a spatial relationship between the UAV and the target marker based at least in part on the plurality of images, and controlling the UAV to approach the target marker based at least in part on the spatial relationship while controlling the imaging device to track the target marker such that the target marker remains within a field of view of the imaging device.

Aerial vehicles that are equipped with one or more imaging devices may detect obstacles that are small in size, or obstacles that feature colors or textures that are consistent with colors or textures of a landing area, using pairs of images captured by the imaging devices. Disparities between pixels corresponding to points of the landing area that appear within each of a pair of the images may be determined and used to generate a reconstruction of the landing area and a difference image. If either the reconstruction or the difference image indicates the presence of one or more obstacles, a landing operation at the landing area may be aborted or an alternate landing area for the aerial vehicle may be identified accordingly.

The technology relates to health and lifetime estimation for a lighter-than-air vehicle. A method for vehicle health and lifetime estimation may include receiving flight data inputs associated with a vehicle, determining a gas temperature based on the flight data inputs, estimating a gas amount remaining in a balloon envelope of the vehicle, estimating a gas leak rate based on the gas amount, estimating a component lifetime representing an estimated lifetime of a component of the vehicle, and determining a remaining lifetime output based on one or both of the gas leak rate or the component lifetime, the remaining lifetime output indicating a remaining lifetime estimate for the vehicle. The method also may include simulating a terminal event and causing the vehicle to take an action based on the remaining lifetime estimate.

A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to switch between different flight modes during operation. The system includes one or more processors configured to determine, based on sensor data received from one or more sensors carried by the UAV, a change in environment of the UAV from a first environment type to a second environment type. In response to determining the change in environment, the one or more processors configured to switch a flight mode of the UAV from a first flight mode to a second flight mode, and effect operation of the UAV in accordance with a second set of operating rules for operating in the second environment type.

A system for altitude control of an autogyro includes an unpowered rotor for generating lift and a forward propulsion system for generating a horizontal thrust component of a thrust vector for propelling the autogyro forward during flight. The system for altitude control also includes at least one thrust steering control devices configured to steer thrust generated by the forward propulsion system such that the forward propulsion system generates a vertical thrust component of the thrust vector.

Systems, devices, and methods for a fleet of three or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), where each UAV of the fleet of UAVs comprise a respective flight control computer (FCC); at least one computing device at a ground control station, where each computing device is in communication with each FCC, and where each computing device is associated with at least one operator; where the fleet of UAVs above the threshold altitude are in communication with the first computing device monitored by at least one operator such that a ratio of operators to UAVs above the threshold altitude exceeds a 1:1 ratio; and where the first UAV below the threshold altitude is in communication with the second computing device monitored by at least one operator such that a ratio of operators to UAVs below the threshold altitude does not exceed the 1:1 ratio.