A replenishment planning device calculates a first route replenishment point on a travel route at which replenishment of a chemical becomes necessary, a second route replenishment point on the travel route which is closer to a replenishment area than the first route replenishment point is, and first and second times necessary for an unmanned helicopter to travel from a travel start point, via the first and the second route replenishment points, to a replenishment area to have the chemical replenished, and to move back to the travel route. Thereafter, a process takes the first and the second route replenishment points as next travel start points, and calculates, for each, next first and second route replenishment points, and first and second times, and is repeated for each replenishment plan pattern until the first route replenishment point reaches a travel end point, such that position information and time information for each replenishment plan pattern are generated.

A replenishment planning device calculates a first route replenishment point on a travel route at which replenishment of a chemical becomes necessary, a second route replenishment point on the travel route which is closer to a replenishment area than the first route replenishment point is, and first and second times necessary for an unmanned helicopter to travel from a travel start point, via the first and the second route replenishment points, to a replenishment area to have the chemical replenished, and to move back to the travel route. Thereafter, a process takes the first and the second route replenishment points as next travel start points, and calculates, for each, next first and second route replenishment points, and first and second times, and is repeated for each replenishment plan pattern until the first route replenishment point reaches a travel end point, such that position information and time information for each replenishment plan pattern are generated.

An aircraft, such as a rotorcraft, may have (an) area(s) designated to house (a) fuel cell(s) and (an) aircraft structure(s) that may translate, during a drop impact of the aircraft, into the area(s) designated to house the fuel cell(s). (A) shaped fuel cell(s) may be provided and deployed therein, in accordance with the present systems and methods. Each respective shaped fuel cell may define (a) respective through-void(s) defined through the respective shaped fuel cell, and/or (an) respective edge cavit(y)(ies) defined along an edge of the shaped fuel cell, wherein the respective through-void(s) and/or the respective edge cavit(y)(ies) correspond to the respective aircraft structure(s) that may translate, during the drop impact of the aircraft, into the area(s) of the aircraft designated to house the respective fuel cell(s) to receive and accommodate the respective structure(s) during the drop impact.

An aircraft, such as a rotorcraft, may have (an) area(s) designated to house (a) fuel cell(s) and (an) aircraft structure(s) that may translate, during a drop impact of the aircraft, into the area(s) designated to house the fuel cell(s). (A) shaped fuel cell(s) may be provided and deployed therein, in accordance with the present systems and methods. Each respective shaped fuel cell may define (a) respective through-void(s) defined through the respective shaped fuel cell, and/or (an) respective edge cavit(y)(ies) defined along an edge of the shaped fuel cell, wherein the respective through-void(s) and/or the respective edge cavit(y)(ies) correspond to the respective aircraft structure(s) that may translate, during the drop impact of the aircraft, into the area(s) of the aircraft designated to house the respective fuel cell(s) to receive and accommodate the respective structure(s) during the drop impact.

The invention is directed to an aerial vehicle with a hybrid drive unit (10) and with a rotor unit (1, 1′) wherein the hybrid drive unit (10) comprises at least a combustion engine (11), a generator (12) and a first electric motor (7) and the rotor unit (1, 1′) comprises a first rotor (1), wherein the combustion engine (11) is configured to drive the generator (12) to produce electricity, the generator (12) is coupled to the first electric motor (7) in such a way that the first electric motor (7) is feedable with electricity from the generator (12). The rotor unit (1, 1′) comprises a second rotor (1) and the hybrid drive unit (10) comprises a second electric motor (7′), wherein the generator (12) is coupled to the second electric motor (7′) in such a way that the second electric motor (7′) is feedable with electricity from the generator (12), and wherein the first rotor (1) is driven by the first electric motor (7) and the second rotor (1′) is driven by the second electric motor (7′).

There is provided an anti-ballistic aerospace structure, said structure comprising a strike layer defining an outwardly facing surface and an opposing capture layer defining an inwardly facing surface and an intermediate structural layer arranged between the strike layer and capture layer, wherein the intermediate structural layer is spaced relative to the strike layer to define a space between the intermediate structural layer and the strike layer, said space comprising one or more reinforcement elements, and wherein the strike layer is formed of a fiber reinforced plastic laminate comprising at least one metallic layer.

There is provided an anti-ballistic aerospace structure, said structure comprising a strike layer defining an outwardly facing surface and an opposing capture layer defining an inwardly facing surface and an intermediate structural layer arranged between the strike layer and capture layer, wherein the intermediate structural layer is spaced relative to the strike layer to define a space between the intermediate structural layer and the strike layer, said space comprising one or more reinforcement elements, and wherein the strike layer is formed of a fiber reinforced plastic laminate comprising at least one metallic layer.

A communication system includes a vehicle communication assembly connected to a vehicle, including a transmitter and a receiver, and configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote entity, and a processing device and a memory coupled to the processing device. The memory includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to receive a wireless signal including a speech communication from the remote entity at the receiver, analyze the wireless signal by a speech recognition module to identify the speech communication, and recognize a known directive within the speech communication based on stored contextual information. The instructions also cause the processing device to, based on recognizing the known directive, present a textual representation of the known directive to a user of the vehicle, and determine that the processing device correctly recognized the known directive based on detecting an input from the user verifying the known directive.

An implementation of an external airbag system may include a plurality of inflatable air bags, a duct coupled to the plurality of inflatable air bags, and an exhaust vent coupled to each of the plurality of inflatable air bags via the duct.

An aerial vehicle and a method of taking a measurement using a sensor mounted on an aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle has one or more propellers and one car more motors which are selectively operable to drive the one or more propellers to rotate to cause the vehicle to fly. A sensor is mounted on the aerial vehicle. The method includes operating the one or more motors to drive the one or more propellers to cause the vehicle to fly. At a first time instant, the one or more motors are slowed down or turned off. When the one or more motors are slowed down or turned off, a measurement is taken using the sensor; at a second time instant, which is after the measurement has been taken using sensor, operating the one or more motors again to drive the one or more propellers to cause the vehicle to fly.