A method for measuring a windspeed vector is described. A true airspeed vector of a flying machine is measured while the machine is in flight using one or more nanowires on the flying machine. Each nanowire is configured to measure a value of local air velocity relative to the flying machine. A velocity of the flying machine relative to the ground is measured while the machine is in flight, and then (a) the true airspeed vector is subtracted from (b) the velocity of the flying machine relative to the ground. Other applications are also described.

A method of optimizing a cruise climb of an aircraft. The method includes using vertical navigation and lateral navigation to track the cruise climb; and using tracking of the cruise climb to adjust a climb rate of the aircraft to match an optimal climb rate.

According to one implementation, a flight restriction setup system includes a damage detection unit and a flight restriction calculation unit. The damage detection unit detects a damage which arose in a structure composing an aircraft. The flight restriction calculation unit sets at least one flight restriction of the aircraft according to a degree of the damage detected by the damage detection unit. Further, according to one implementation, a flight restriction setup method includes: detecting a damage, which arose in a structure composing an aircraft, by a damage detection unit; and setting a flight restriction of the aircraft according to a degree of the damage detected by the damage detection unit.

The present invention relates to a system and a method for measuring and determining the depth, offset and translation in relation to one or several features in the field of view of an image sensor equipped UAV. The UAV comprises at least an autopilot system capable of estimating rotation and translation, processing means, height measuring means and one or more imaging sensor means. Given the estimated translation provided by the autopilot system, the objective of the present invention is achieved by the following method; capturing an image, initiating a change in altitude, capturing a second image, comparing the images and the change in height provided by the sensor to produce a scale factor or depth. If depth is estimated, then calculating the scale factor from the depth, and calculating the actual translation with the resulting scale factor.

A flying device includes a propulsion unit, a distance sensor, a controller, a determiner and a control modifier. The propulsion unit enables the flying device to fly in air. The distance sensor determines a distance from the flying device to a reference plane. The controller controls an altitude of the flying device based on a value output from the distance sensor. The determiner determines occurrence of an environmental change due to a shift of the reference plane. The control modifier modifies control of the controller in a case in which the determiner determines the occurrence of the environmental change.

An aerial vehicle control system includes an aerial vehicle and a computing device. The aerial vehicle includes an altitude controller and a lateral propulsion controller The computing device includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to obtain location data corresponding to a location of the aerial vehicle; obtain wind data; determine an altitude command, a latitude command, and a longitude command based on at least one of the location data or the wind data; cause the altitude controller to implement at least one of the altitude command, the latitude command, or the longitude command; and cause the lateral propulsion controller to implement at least one of the altitude command, the latitude command, or the longitude command.

Disclosed is an automatic climbing and gliding method of a high altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The disclosed method includes setting a cylindrical virtual flight region so that the high altitude UAV climbs and glides, setting a first target point on an end of a first flight radius which is vertically arranged to form the virtual flight region, setting second to Nth target points at arbitrary second to Nth flight radii sequentially arranged above or below the first flight radius, having the target points have a predetermined plane slope angle, and allowing the UAV to climb along a straight path line sequentially connecting each of the target points.

During a vertical landing state, it is decided whether to switch from the vertical landing state to a self adjusting state. The VTOL vehicle includes the flight controller, the rotor, and a fuselage where the rotor is coupled to the fuselage via a vertical connector. If it is so decided, there is a switch from the vertical landing state to the self adjusting state. During the self adjusting state, a control signal for a rotor is generated where the control signal causes: (1) the rotor to rotate during the self adjusting state and (2) the VTOL vehicle to remain in a fixed position during the self adjusting state, in response to the control signal, and independent of docking infrastructure. During a rotors off state, a rotor off control signal is generated for the rotor that causes the rotor to turn off.

A method of optimizing a cruise climb of an aircraft. The method includes using vertical navigation and lateral navigation to track the cruise climb; and using tracking of the cruise climb to adjust a climb rate of the aircraft to match an optimal climb rate.

The present invention relates to a system and a method for measuring and determining the depth, offset and translation in relation to one or several features in the field of view of an image sensor equipped UAV. The UAV comprises at least an autopilot system capable of estimating rotation and translation, processing means, height measuring means and one or more imaging sensor means. Given the estimated translation provided by the autopilot system, the objective of the present invention is achieved by the following method; capturing an image, initiating a change in altitude, capturing a second image, comparing the images and the change in height provided by the sensor to produce a scale factor or depth. If depth is estimated, then calculating the scale factor from the depth, and calculating the actual translation with the resulting scale factor.