An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a central body and a plurality of arms extendable from the central body. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to support one or more propulsion units. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to transform between (1) a flight configuration in which the arm is extending away from the central body and (2) a compact configuration in which the arm is folded against the central body. At least one of the plurality of arms is configured to rotate about a first rotational axis and at least a portion of the at least one of the plurality of arms is configured to rotate about a second rotational axis not parallel to the first rotational axis.

Stowable and deployable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A UAV in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a main body, frames carried by the main body, and motors carried by the frames. At least two frames are positioned to move relative to each other between a stowed configuration in which the frames are generally aligned proximate to each other and a deployed configuration different from the stowed configuration. The main body can include a first body portion pivotably connected to a second body portion. In a stowed configuration, the body portions can generally overlap each other. A UAV in accordance with particular embodiments includes a modular electronics unit carried by the UAV and including a camera, a battery, and a vehicle controller. Modular electronics units can be configured to be removably connected to and disconnected from the UAV and other vehicles.

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a fuselage having a first side and a second side, a first arm disposed on a first side of the fuselage, wherein the first arm is coupled to one or more first propellers, wherein the first arm is adapted to move between a first folded position in which the first arm is in a folded state inside the fuselage and a first extended position in which a first section of the first arm and the one or more first propellers are outside the fuselage, and a second arm disposed on the second side of the fuselage, wherein the second arm is coupled to one or more second propellers, wherein the second arm is adapted to move between a second folded position in which the second arm is in a folded state inside the fuselage and a second extended position in which a second section of the second arm and the one or more second propellers are outside the fuselage.

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a fuselage having a first side and a second side, a first arm disposed on a first side of the fuselage, wherein the first arm is coupled to one or more first propellers, wherein the first arm is adapted to move between a first folded position in which the first arm is in a folded state inside the fuselage and a first extended position in which a first section of the first arm and the one or more first propellers are outside the fuselage, and a second arm disposed on the second side of the fuselage, wherein the second arm is coupled to one or more second propellers, wherein the second arm is adapted to move between a second folded position in which the second arm is in a folded state inside the fuselage and a second extended position in which a second section of the second arm and the one or more second propellers are outside the fuselage.

A system for video imaging and photographing using an autonomous aerial platform. The system may be a quad rotor system using electrically powered propellers. The aerial platform may be commanded by the user to follow an object of interest. The aerial platform may have multiple configurations for its thrust units such that they are clear of the field of view of the imaging device in a first configuration, such that they protect the imaging device during landing in a second configuration, and that allows for efficient storage in a stowed configuration.

The present invention relates to an unmanned vehicle including:—a vehicle chassis (2) that has at least one actuator (3) involved in the driveability of the vehicle (1);—a set of on-board electronic components, namely at least one on-board electronic/computer control system;—a telecommunication unit; and—a geolocation unit. According to the invention, the on-board electronic components are arranged within a carrier so as to form, together, a removable technical unit (5) that is removably mounted on the vehicle chassis (2). The technical unit (5) and the vehicle chassis (2) include a mechanical/electrical interface unit (7) that are suitable, on one hand, for the releasable mechanical attachment of the removable technical unit (5) to the vehicle chassis (2) and, on the other hand, for the releasable electrical connection of the technical unit (5) to the at least one driveability actuator (3).

The present invention relates to an unmanned vehicle including:—a vehicle chassis (2) that has at least one actuator (3) involved in the driveability of the vehicle (1);—a set of on-board electronic components, namely at least one on-board electronic/computer control system;—a telecommunication unit; and—a geolocation unit. According to the invention, the on-board electronic components are arranged within a carrier so as to form, together, a removable technical unit (5) that is removably mounted on the vehicle chassis (2). The technical unit (5) and the vehicle chassis (2) include a mechanical/electrical interface unit (7) that are suitable, on one hand, for the releasable mechanical attachment of the removable technical unit (5) to the vehicle chassis (2) and, on the other hand, for the releasable electrical connection of the technical unit (5) to the at least one driveability actuator (3).

A multi-rotor aircraft with multi-shaft dislocation layout including a frame, a plurality of upper-layer power sources, a plurality of lower-layer power sources, a plurality of upper-layer propeller blades and a plurality of lower-layer propeller blades. The plurality of upper-layer propeller blades are disposed at intervals, and are connected to the upper side of the frame through the plurality of upper-layer power sources. The plurality of lower-layer propeller blades are disposed at intervals, and are connected to the lower side of the frame through the plurality of lower-layer power sources. The plurality of upper-layer propeller blades and the plurality of lower-layer propeller blades are staggered along a projection direction of the frame. The centers of the plurality of upper-layer propeller blades and the centers of the plurality of lower-layer propeller blades are located on the same flat geometric figure along the projection direction of the frame.

A multi-rotor aircraft with multi-shaft dislocation layout including a frame, a plurality of upper-layer power sources, a plurality of lower-layer power sources, a plurality of upper-layer propeller blades and a plurality of lower-layer propeller blades. The plurality of upper-layer propeller blades are disposed at intervals, and are connected to the upper side of the frame through the plurality of upper-layer power sources. The plurality of lower-layer propeller blades are disposed at intervals, and are connected to the lower side of the frame through the plurality of lower-layer power sources. The plurality of upper-layer propeller blades and the plurality of lower-layer propeller blades are staggered along a projection direction of the frame. The centers of the plurality of upper-layer propeller blades and the centers of the plurality of lower-layer propeller blades are located on the same flat geometric figure along the projection direction of the frame.

The present invention relates to an unmanned helicopter. The unmanned helicopter comprises a fuselage. Two arms are respectively disposed on each of two sides of the fuselage. One end of each arm is connected to the fuselage, and the other end of each arm is provided with a rotor having a motor. The unmanned helicopter is characterized in that: the four arms are grouped into a front group and a rear group, two arms in each group are disposed symmetrically along the axis of the fuselage, the fuselage is movably connected to each arm, an angle between a length direction of any one of the two arms in each group and a corresponding rotation axis is an angle r, an angle between the rotation axis and a horizontal surface of the fuselage is an angle a, and an angle between a projection line of the rotation axis on the horizontal surface of the fuselage and the axis direction that extends outward the fuselage is an angle b. By ingeniously selecting values of the angle a, the angle r and the angle b, the structure of the unmanned helicopter in a folded state is very compact, thereby effectively saving space.