An aircraft weight and balance data management system includes a central server storing weight and balance data thereon which communicates over a communications network with computer devices belonging to both pilot and maintenance persons respectively. The system i) receives up to date data from maintenance persons, ii) calculates weight and balance specifications for aircraft according to data from maintenance persons, iii) communicates the specifications to a pilot, and iv) calculates variations to the specifications for a loaded aircraft for all fuel burn scenarios. The system communicates up to date weight and balance information relating to large numbers of aircraft configurations to a central location such that all maintenance personnel and pilots have access to the same up to date information.

The present invention relates to an aircraft (10), comprising a fuselage (12), at least one pair of wings (14) and a battery assembly for providing power to electrical systems of the aircraft (10), wherein the battery assembly comprises a number of individual battery modules (18) which are directly or indirectly coupled to one another, the fuselage (12) is provided with a mounting assembly (16) with a number of mounting positions (16a, 16b, 16c) for each holding one of the battery modules (18), and the number of mounting positions (16a, 16b, 16c) is larger than the number of battery modules (18) such that in a mounted state of all battery modules (18), at least one of the mounting positions (16a, 16b, 16c) remains vacant (20) thus defining a placement configuration of the battery modules (18) and the vacant mounting positions (20), and/or the mounting assembly is provided with at least one displacement assembly which allows to displace at least one of the battery modules with respect to the fuselage.

A system for weight measurement for an aircraft having a weight on wheels threshold between a flight mode and a ground mode includes a weight on wheels sensor arrangeable on a landing gear assembly of the aircraft, and a computing device receiving first detected data from the sensor related to strain on the landing gear assembly. The computing device calculates a rate of change of the strain over time to determine when the landing gear assembly reaches the weight on wheels threshold. The system also measures aircraft gross weight in a static condition.

A calibrating device for measuring and calibrating a center of gravity of a remote control aircraft or an airfoil thereof is provided. The calibrating device includes a crossbar, a first support, a second support and a control unit. The crossbar is arranged along a longitudinal axis, and includes a longitudinal rail and a slider. The slider is movably engaged with the longitudinal rail. The crossbar includes a drive member coupled with the longitudinal rail or the slider. The slider includes a pointer. The first support includes a seat and two receiving portions which are arranged on the seat and are movable along a transverse axis. The receiving portions are aligned with each other. Each receiving portion includes a load cell. The second support includes a base and a supporting portion, and the supporting portion includes a load cell. The control unit is coupled with the drive member and the three load cells.

Methods of determining a final space reservation for a new aircraft are disclosed. The methods include using parametric definitions of potential payloads to generate a population of representative payloads for use in creating an initial space reservation. The methods include accounting for and applying a variety of margins on each potential payload and taking the union of potential payloads. Alternatively, the union can be taken first and then the margins applied. A homogenous space reservation can be determined based upon a variety of differently shaped or sized payloads, including a margin build-up to mitigate risk of unknowns associated with future changes in specific payload shapes and sizes, build tolerances, environmental conditions, and/or loading and unloading motions and clearances. Once this space reservation is known, it is possible to design an external shape of a carrying vehicle by staying outside of this space reservation.

A system for calculating weight and distribution on an aircraft. The system includes an aircraft, at least one cabin camera configured to view the cabin of the aircraft, an image collector configured to collect images from the at least one cabin camera and a processor. The processor is configured to perform the following steps: a) detecting passengers and/or hand baggage from the images collected from the image collector, b) estimating positions of the passengers and/or hand baggage from the images collected from the image collector, and c) estimating weight of the passengers and/or hand baggage from the images collected from the image collector. The processor also calculates a real-time weight distribution of the aircraft based on the estimates provided in steps a)-c).

A flight path determination method includes obtaining first information of a predetermined region, obtaining second information of multiple aerial vehicles, dividing the predetermined region into a plurality of sub-regions where the multiple aerial vehicles respectively work based on the second information, and determining a flight path for each of the plurality of sub-regions.

A system and various methods for determining a center of mass of an aircraft with a plurality of shock strut assemblies is illustrated. Multiple sensors, including a gas pressure sensor, and/or a position sensor, may be used to gather data and determine the center of mass of the aircraft. Various methods illustrated herein may evaluate the center of mass relative to a wheelbase axis and a wheel tread axis based on the gathered data.

A method for loading one of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a container for the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle with one or more items is disclosed. The method includes determining a Center of Gravity (COG) of the one or more items. The method also includes loading the one of the UAV and the container for the UAV with the one or more items based on the COG of the one or more items. The method further includes positioning one or more weights relative to the one or more items and relative to the one of the UAV and the container for the UAV such that a combined COG of the one or more items, the one of the UAV and the container for the UAV, and the one or more weights is positioned within a predetermined region relative to the one of the UAV and the container for the UAV.

A system and various methods for determining a center of mass of an aircraft with a plurality of shock strut assemblies is illustrated. Multiple sensors, including a gas pressure sensor, and/or a position sensor, may be used to gather data and determine the center of mass of the aircraft. Various methods illustrated herein may evaluate the center of mass relative to a wheelbase axis and a wheel tread axis based on the gathered data.