In one embodiment, a remote controller for a vehicle includes at least one control element for controlling operation of at least one aspect of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a remote-control mode; an actuator connected the at least one control element for controlling a position of the at least one control element when the vehicle is in an autonomous operations mode; and a processing system for receiving a first control signal from the vehicle indicative of a state of operation of the vehicle. In operation, the processing system generates a second control signal to the actuator to cause the actuator to control a position of the control element such that it corresponds to and indicates the state of operation of the vehicle.

An aircraft includes first units each including a first sensor, a rotary wing, a driver, and a first drive controller. The first drive controller is configured to generate a drive signal of the rotary wing on the basis of a flying route of the aircraft and a control law based on a flying state detected by the first sensor, and output the drive signal to the driver configured to drive the rotary wing. The control laws of the respective first drive controllers are equal to each other between the first units. The first drive controllers are each configured to generate the drive signals that correspond to all of the first units. The drivers are each configured to drive the corresponding rotary wing on the basis of corresponding one of the drive signals that correspond to all of the first units and that are generated by the first drive controllers.

A UAV delivery control system is disclosed. Sensors detect operation parameters associated with the UAV as the UAV maneuvers along an airborne delivery route. A UAV operation controller monitors UAV route parameters as the UAV maneuvers along the airborne delivery route. The UAV route parameters are indicative as to a current environment of the airborne delivery route that the UAV is encountering. The UAV operation controller automatically adjusts the operation of the UAV to maintain the operation of the UAV within an operation threshold based on the operation parameters and the UAV route parameters. The operation threshold is the operation of the UAV that is maintained within an overall airborne operation radius of the UAV from a return destination thereby enabling the UAV to execute the delivery of the package along the airborne delivery route and to return to the return destination.

In order to continuously acquire positional information of a moving body without losing sight of a target provided to the moving body, a moving body control system 1 a includes a moving body 100a with a target 100a, a positional information transmission apparatus 200 transmitting positional information of the target 100a on the basis of tracking the target 100a, a collimation possibility determining unit 109 determining, on the basis of an inclination of the moving body 100 predicted depending on a movement control instruction for moving the moving body 100, whether or not an incident angle at which a straight line connecting the positional information transmission apparatus 200 and the target 100a enters the target 100a falls within a prescribed range, and a control instruction changing unit 111 changing the movement control instruction based on the result of the determination.

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.

The present disclosure provides a flying body for detecting a living body. The flying body includes a sensor unit, that detects living body information related to the living body; a support component, that supports the sensor unit and is retractable; a gimbal, that rotatably supports the support component; a processing unit, that performs processing related to detection of the living body information; and a camera unit, that captures images. The processing unit makes the camera unit capture an image of an investigation area, controls the flight of the flying body such that the flying body approaches the investigation area, makes the support component extend to an investigation target located in the investigation area, and makes the sensor unit, which is supported by the gimbal supported by the extended support component, detect the living body information.

A method for controlling movement of a drone is disclosed. A spatial vector between a flight-capable drone and a reference object is computed. The spatial vector defines a direction and a distance by which the drone is spaced from the reference object. Flightpath attributes based on the computed vector are determined. The flightpath attributes include one or more of a flight direction, a flight distance, and a flight speed. The flight direction is variable as a function of the direction of the spatial vector. The flight distance is variable as a function of the distance of the spatial vector. The flight speed is variable as a function of the distance of the spatial vector. In an automated operation, movement of the drone is controlled according to the determined flightpath attributes.

Systems and methods for service drone landing zone operations are disclosed herein. An example method includes determining location-specific information for a location, the location-specific information including at least images of the location from at least one of a vehicle or a mobile device at the location, determining a landing area for a drone at the location using the location-specific information. receiving localizing signals from at least one of the vehicle or the mobile device as the drone approaches the location, and causing the drone to land in the landing area using the localizing signals.

Systems and methods are disclosed to transport a common load attached by slings by two or more Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft using synchronized maneuvering and load feedback control. In one embodiment, a system includes: a unit configured to direct the load operation with macro level commands input by a system operator; a unit, on each aircraft, configured to estimate its state; a unit configured to measure the sling load forces on each aircraft; a unit configured to release the load from the aircraft; a unit configured to allow all aircraft to share their load data and aircraft state data; a computing system on each aircraft with access to the shared data and the ability to control the aircraft control effectors and sling release mechanism; and a computing unit configured to execute a Guidance & Navigation system (or equivalent) and a Multi-Lift Autonomous Flight Control System (MLAFCS) with Multi-Lift Synchronized Maneuvering, Load Distribution Regulation, and Load Swing Feedback (or equivalent) on the aforementioned computing unit.

Systems and methods related to operating a mobile platform are disclosed. In one embodiment, a logic circuit of a mobile platform may control a first gimbal system of the mobile platform to selectively direct a first variable navigation imaging system of the mobile platform to a first fixation point in an environment. The logic circuit may control a second gimbal system of the mobile platform to selectively direct a second variable navigation imaging system of the mobile platform to a second fixation point in the environment. The logic circuit may navigate the mobile platform about the environment, via a propulsion system of the mobile platform, based on image data associated with the first and second fixation points received from the first and second variable navigation imaging systems, respectively.