Tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (TUAV) includes at least one wing fixed to a fuselage. The wing is comprised of an airfoil shaped body capable of producing lift in response to a flow of air across a major wing surface, and can include at least one flight control surface, such as an aileron. One or more buoyancy cell is disposed within the fuselage for containing a lighter than air gas to provide positive buoyancy for the TUAV when the TUAV is disposed in air. A tether attachment structure facilitates attachment of the TUAV to a tether which is secured to an attachment point for securing the TUAV to the ground when aloft. A wind-powered generator is integrated with the TUAV and configured to generate electric power in response to the flow of air across the least one wing when the TUAV is aloft.

Tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (TUAV) includes at least one wing fixed to a fuselage. The wing is comprised of an airfoil shaped body capable of producing lift in response to a flow of air across a major wing surface, and can include at least one flight control surface, such as an aileron. One or more buoyancy cell is disposed within the fuselage for containing a lighter than air gas to provide positive buoyancy for the TUAV when the TUAV is disposed in air. A tether attachment structure facilitates attachment of the TUAV to a tether which is secured to an attachment point for securing the TUAV to the ground when aloft. A wind-powered generator is integrated with the TUAV and configured to generate electric power in response to the flow of air across the least one wing when the TUAV is aloft.

The present invention provides a flying robot (10) with projector, including a movable end (100) and a fixed end (200). A distributed working mode is used on the movable end (100) and the fixed end (200). The movable end (100) includes a top (110), a main body (120) and a bottom (130). The top (110) includes a lift system (112) and one or more proximity sensors (114); the main body (120) is a sealed hollow spherical body or spheroid body made of a film material capable of being used as a rear projection screen, and is filled with a gas of which the density is less than that of the air. The bottom (130) includes one or more rear projectors (131), a wireless communication module (132), a microcontroller (133), a battery (134), a direction and steering controlling device (135), a camera device (136), a sound capturing and reproduction device (137), a height sensor (138) and other sensors, etc. The fixed end (200) includes a wireless communication module (220), a control apparatus (240), a charging port (260), and other data interfaces, etc. The flying robot (10) with projector according to the present invention facilitates human-machine interaction and is suitable for being used in both indoor and outdoor environments.

The present invention provides a flying robot (10) with projector, including a movable end (100) and a fixed end (200). A distributed working mode is used on the movable end (100) and the fixed end (200). The movable end (100) includes a top (110), a main body (120) and a bottom (130). The top (110) includes a lift system (112) and one or more proximity sensors (114); the main body (120) is a sealed hollow spherical body or spheroid body made of a film material capable of being used as a rear projection screen, and is filled with a gas of which the density is less than that of the air. The bottom (130) includes one or more rear projectors (131), a wireless communication module (132), a microcontroller (133), a battery (134), a direction and steering controlling device (135), a camera device (136), a sound capturing and reproduction device (137), a height sensor (138) and other sensors, etc. The fixed end (200) includes a wireless communication module (220), a control apparatus (240), a charging port (260), and other data interfaces, etc. The flying robot (10) with projector according to the present invention facilitates human-machine interaction and is suitable for being used in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Packages used to deliver items or other payloads via a drone may be customized and 3D printed to house the payload. The package may be customized to minimize the size and/or weight needed to house the payload. The customized packages may include one or more attachment mechanisms adapted to engage with or otherwise be coupled to the drone for delivery. Multiple individual customized packages can be secured together into a composite package for delivery by drone. The customized package may be designed to be aerodynamic given the shape of the payload and the flight characteristics of the drone. The drone itself may be the package, with the payload housed within a portion of the drone. The package and/or a portion of the drone (e.g., fuselage, wing, body, frame, etc.) may be printed at least partially in, on, or around an item or package to be transported by the drone.

Items may be packaged for shipping or storage using additive manufacturing techniques, also known as three dimensional (3-D) printing. Packages made by such processes may be referred to as 3-D printed packages. A packaging system may include a 3-D printer and a computing device communicatively coupled to the 3-D printer. The computing device may obtain a packaging model describing a package for one or more items. A print module of the computing device may include instructions to print the package at least partially about the item(s) according to the packaging model. The configuration of a 3-D printed package may be based at least in part on one or more other packages. A 3-D printed package may include multiple separable compartments. A unit of 3-D printed packages may include multiple separable packages.

The disclosed inventions include and apparatus and method for providing a universal Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system configured with fly-by functionality. Such system may be configured to work in a plurality of modes including a walk-bay, drive-by, fixed network, and fly-by mode without hardware modifications. The system is configured to automatically calibrate so that the water meter transmitter operates at a minimum transmitted signal power level. Additional features include automatic hardware self-healing features where the system continues to function after certain hardware failures occur.

The disclosed inventions include and apparatus and method for providing a universal Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system configured with fly-by functionality. Such system may be configured to work in a plurality of modes including a walk-bay, drive-by, fixed network, and fly-by mode without hardware modifications. The system is configured to automatically calibrate so that the water meter transmitter operates at a minimum transmitted signal power level. Additional features include automatic hardware self-healing features where the system continues to function after certain hardware failures occur.

Disclosed is a high altitude space launcher system for transferring payloads from surface to orbit at a significantly lower cost than conventional rockets. It comprises a aerostat lifted one stage light gas gun operating in stratosphere that shoots rocket assisted projectiles containing payload at near orbital velocities to a low angle trajectory. Alternatively, to launch acceleration sensitive payloads such as astronauts the light gas gun is replaced with a muzzle loaded conventional gun that shoots a single stage rocket at a much lower velocity. The system is mostly static structure, attached to a tether-elevator that moors it to land or a ship and provided it with electricity and lifts the projectiles to the gun.

Disclosed is a high altitude space launcher system for transferring payloads from surface to orbit at a significantly lower cost than conventional rockets. It comprises a aerostat lifted one stage light gas gun operating in stratosphere that shoots rocket assisted projectiles containing payload at near orbital velocities to a low angle trajectory. Alternatively, to launch acceleration sensitive payloads such as astronauts the light gas gun is replaced with a muzzle loaded conventional gun that shoots a single stage rocket at a much lower velocity. The system is mostly static structure, attached to a tether-elevator that moors it to land or a ship and provided it with electricity and lifts the projectiles to the gun.