A weight distribution associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be determined prior to dispatch of the UAV and/or after the UAV returns from operation (e.g., a flight). In some embodiments, one or more UAVs may be placed on or proximate to a physical metrics acquisition (PMA) device. The PMA device may include a configurable scale and may be used to determine a distribution of weight of the UAV at three or more points associated with the UAV. The distribution of weight may be used generate analytics, which may include a total weight of a vehicle, a center of mass of the vehicle (in two or more dimensions), power requirements of the UAV for a given flight task (e.g., how much battery power the UAV requires, etc.), and/or other analytics. In various embodiments, the PMA device may perform moment of inertia tests for the UAV.

An aircraft configurator for calculating locations of consumers and routes along which consumers are to be connected to corresponding suppliers of the aircraft. A computing unit can calculate different connection routes and select the connection route where a key performance indicator is optimal and takes into account additional installations that influence the route. Through this it possible to increase the efficiency in the production of the aircraft and the efficiency in the operation of the aircraft.

An aircraft (10) is described as including a reference axis extending along at least a portion of the aircraft, and a propulsion system having a thrust vector feature (43) defining generally a direction of thrust of the turbofan engine (18), the thrust vector feature (43) extending relative to a thrust vector axis, where the turbofan engine (18) is disposed on the aircraft with the thrust vector feature (43) oriented with respect to the reference axis of the aircraft.

A method for determining a center-of-gravity of an aircraft in three dimensions includes determining a first center-of-gravity location for an aircraft in a first plane defined by a first axis and a second axis. The method includes positioning the aircraft in a tilted position by rotating the aircraft and determining a second center-of-gravity location for the aircraft in the first plane in the tilted position. The method includes comparing the first center-of-gravity location to the second center-of-gravity location to determine a component of the first center-of-gravity location along a third axis defined out-of-plane from the first plane to determine a three-dimensional center-of-gravity of the aircraft.

The weight and center of gravity measurement equipment for aerial vehicles, comprising: a base frame, an equipment frame positioned above the base frame, first and second supporting components opposite each other at both equipment frame ends so that the line (A-A) connecting the centers of first and second clamp rings of these two supporting components is parallel to a horizontal plane; the first clamp ring is driven to rotate at predetermined angles around the line (A-A) by a servo motor through a gearbox; three load sensors arranged in a triangular pattern between the base and equipment frame; a processor receives signals from these load sensors, calculate the vehicle weight and center of gravity based on load values of the vehicle determined by the load sensors at the initial and at each positions where the vehicle rotated at the predetermined angle , and outputs the results to a display screen.

A cargo loading system for loading freight into or out of the cargo hold, the system comprising: a tilt control means which can be actuated by control signals in such a way that variances in tilt of a palletized load can be immediately righted; a control panel for actuation by personnel; a power source to the control panel; and a trailer base connected to the tilt control means for accepting freight.

A device for adjusting a center of gravity is provided. The device can measure a change and/or distribution of a load in a vehicle. The device can adjust a center of gravity to ensure control stability and maintain balance in an aircraft. The device may include: a movable plate configured to support cargo in a cargo hold; a plurality of air bearings disposed between the movable plate and a bottom of the cargo hold and configured to support and/or float the movable plate; and a first driving unit installed in the cargo hold and connected to the movable plate. The first driving unit may be configured to move the movable plate, if the movable plate is floated.

The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for loading and unloading a cargo that can measure a change and distribution of load, learn an optimal center of gravity, and ensure control stability by easily adjusting the center of gravity and maintaining balance in an aircraft. The system for loading and unloading a cargo may include: a sensing unit configured to measure a total weight of the aircraft and a load of a loaded cargo; a controller configured to calculate a center of gravity of the aircraft using information obtained by the sensing unit; and a device for adjusting a center of gravity operated under control of the controller and configured to move a position of the cargo in the cargo hold.

A method which determines aircraft Center of Gravity independent of measuring the aircraft weight. The method is used in monitoring, measuring and computing the Center of Gravity of an aircraft utilizing pressurized, telescopic landing gear struts with axles. Pressure sensors are mounted in relation to each of the landing gear struts to monitor, measure and record aircraft landing gear strut loads by way of pressure. Axle deflection sensors are mounted in relation to each of the landing gear axles to monitor, measure and record aircraft landing gear axle loads by way of deflection. Nose landing gear strut pressure and corresponding values from axle deflection sensors may be adjusted in correlation to the reduced size of the nose landing gear, as compared to the size of the main landing gear, allowing aircraft Center of Gravity to be determined from the combined measured main landing gear pressures in relation to a nose landing gear strut pressure measurements, or combined main landing gear axle deflection sensor in relation to a nose landing gear axle deflection sensor; without any determination of the aircraft weight.

An application program interface may be used to collect and disseminate physical metrics of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A weight distribution associated with a UAV may be determined prior to dispatch of the UAV and/or after the UAV returns from operation (e.g., a flight). In some embodiments, one or more UAVs may be placed on or proximate to a physical metrics acquisition (PMA) device to determine a distribution of weight of the UAV at three or more points associated with the UAV. The distribution of weight may be used generate analytics, which may include a total weight of a vehicle, a center of mass of the vehicle (in two or more dimensions), power requirements of the UAV for a given flight task (e.g., how much battery power the UAV requires, etc.), and/or other analytics. In various embodiments, the PMA device may perform moment of inertia tests for the UAV.