A process and machine configured to predict and preempt an undesired load and/or bending moment on a part of a vehicle resulting from an exogenous or a control input. The machine may include a predictor with an algorithm for converting parameters from a state sensed upwind from the part into an estimated normal load on the part and a prediction, for a future time, of a normal load scaled for a weight of the aerospace vehicle. The machine may: produce, using a state upwind from the part on the aerospace vehicle and/or a maneuver input, a predicted state, load and bending moment on the part at a time in the future; derive a command preempting the part from experiencing the predicted load and bending moment; and actuate the command just prior to the part experiencing the predicted state, thereby alleviating the part from experiencing the predicted load and bending moment.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for remote monitoring and piloting of a ship. Examples include a method of delivering remote monitoring equipment to the ship and establishing a data and communication exchange for shore-based pilotage of the ship from a remote location. The equipment usable for remote monitoring and communication between the ship and pilot (at the remote location) is stored in a package and delivered to the ship by unmanned aircraft. The package is distributed and installed by ship's crew to specified locations. The remote pilot while located ashore has access to all the information that is needed to assist in safe navigation of the ship by exchanging data and/or streaming real time video from the ship to shore. Additionally, the system may extract navigational data from the ship and transmit it to shore in real-time.

A method 300 for deploying an aircraft landing gear including: receiving an aircraft landing gear deployment signal 310, receiving an aircraft position signal indicative of a distance of the aircraft from an aircraft landing site 320, receiving one or more flight signals indicating one or more dynamic conditions or parameters relating to the flight of the aircraft 330, determining, based at least on the one or more flight signals, a first aircraft position, relative to the aircraft landing site, at which the landing gear deployment should commence 340, and deploying the landing gear (a) when the aircraft reaches the first aircraft position, in the event that the deployment signal is received before the aircraft reaches the first aircraft position, or (b) immediately, in the event that the deployment signal is received when the aircraft has passed the first aircraft position 350.

The preferred embodiments relate to a method for controlling a flight movement of an aerial vehicle for landing the aerial vehicle, including: recording of first image data by means of a first camera device, which is provided on an aerial vehicle, and is configured to record an area of ground, wherein the first image data is indicative of a first sequence of first camera images. The method also includes recording of second image data by means of a second camera device, which is provided on the aerial vehicle, and is configured to record the area of ground, wherein the second image data is indicative of a second sequence of second camera images.

Methods and devices for optimizing the climb of an aircraft or drone are provided. After an optimal continuous climb strategy has been determined, a lateral path is determined, in particular in terms of speeds and turn radii, based on vertical predictions computed in the previous step. Subsequently, computation results are displayed on one or more human-machine interfaces and the climb strategy is actually flown. Embodiments describe the use of altitude and speed constraints and/or settings in respect of speed and/or thrust and/or level-flight avoidance and/or gradient-variation minimization, and iteratively fitting parameters in order to make the profile of the current path coincide with the constrained profile in real time depending on the selected flight dynamics (e.g. energy sharing, constraint on climb gradient, constraint on the vertical climb rate). System (e.g. FMS) and software aspects are described.

A system for aircraft navigation is disclosed. The system comprises an aircraft traffic control (ATC) computing device configured to generate a navigation procedure including at least: a starting waypoint, an assigned vector, and four-dimensional (4D) trajectory information. A computing device on-board an aircraft is configured to: receive the navigation procedure via controller-pilot datalink communications (CPDLC), display the navigation procedure to a user of the aircraft, and responsive to the user of the aircraft selecting the navigation procedure, automatically control the aircraft based on the navigation procedure.

Methods and systems for attaching and detaching an item satchel from an autonomous delivery unit. An attachment system includes an attachment system frame, and a satchel comprising a plurality of external pins. The attachment system also includes a plurality of hooks, mechanically attached to the frame, each hook including a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface, one or more electric actuators, mechanically attached to the frame, and mechanically connected to the plurality of hooks. Each of the first engagement surfaces engage a corresponding pin of the plurality of external pins at a first position between the horizontal and vertical positions, and each of the second engagement surfaces engage the corresponding pin of the plurality of external pins at the vertical position to secure an item satchel to an autonomous delivery unit.

Disclosed herein is a mobile device including a communication section that performs communication with a controller which selectively transmits control signals to a plurality of mobile devices, and a data processing section that performs movement control of the own device. The data processing section confirms whether or not an own-device selection signal which indicates that the own device is selected as a control target device has been received from the controller and, upon confirming reception of the own-device selection signal, performs movement control to cause the own device to move in accordance with a selected-device identification track which indicates that the own device is selected as the control target device.

A system for localizing an autonomous vehicle to a target area can include a position indicator adapted for association with the vehicle in a three dimensional configuration, a detection device configured to detect the position indicator, a computation device configured to compute a position of the vehicle based on the detected position indicator and the relationship of the configuration to the vehicle orientation, a transmitter configured to receive information from the computation device and produce a signal carrying the information, a receiver configured to receive the signal from the transmitter and filter the information therefrom, and a control system configured for association with and control of one or more directional control components of the vehicle, the control being based on the information received from the receiver relating to localizing the vehicle to the target area. A method of for localizing a vehicle to a target area is also disclosed.

Systems and methods for lag optimization of pilot intervention is provided. A critical event may be identified while an electric aircraft is in an autopilot mode and operating primarily under autonomous functions; as a result, a flight controller of the system may switch from an autopilot mode to a manual mode, allowing pilot intervention. System made determine a lag duration as a function of the critical event and a phase of operation of the electric aircraft to determine a lag duration before pilot intervention occurs.