A method of delivering heavy payload using an autonomous UAV able to deliver supply by way of airdrop with more precision and at a lower cost. The UAV is equipped with two movable wing systems that rotate from a stowed position to a deployed position upon jettison of the UAV from a mothership. The UAV can be controlled remotely or it can operate autonomously and the movable wings can include ailerons to effectuate flight control of the UAV. The UAV can be reusable or can be an expendable UAV.

A glider system capable of sustained long-term flight includes a fixed-wing glider having a dual fuselage system. The top surface of the glider is covered with a plurality of photovoltaic cells capable of powering onboard sensors, propeller systems, and/or onboard processers. The glider includes wing spars with a composite material covering an inner foam core, with the type of foam core or use of reinforcement materials differs along the length or width of the wing spars. The glider is able to downward facing sacrificial winglets to provide a landing system without the need for bulkier landing gear.

A glider system capable of sustained long-term flight includes a fixed-wing glider having a dual fuselage system. The top surface of the glider is covered with a plurality of photovoltaic cells capable of powering onboard sensors, propeller systems, and/or onboard processers. The glider includes wing spars with a composite material covering an inner foam core, with the type of foam core or use of reinforcement materials differs along the length or width of the wing spars. The glider is able to downward facing sacrificial winglets to provide a landing system without the need for bulkier landing gear.

A computer implemented method of acquiring and processing autonomous aerial vehicle data comprising obtaining past flight data from an autonomous aerial vehicle; storing the data in a database; conducting netto-variometer calculations to obtain equations to normalize the data; using a filtering technique to normalize the data; storing the equations obtained from the netto-variometer calculations into the database; and using the stored equations and live flight data to generate an optimized sink polar estimate for the autonomous aerial vehicle, wherein the optimized sink polar estimate is to be used in computing netto-variometer during flight.

A supply glider is disclosed herein. The supply glider includes a body having a first end and a second end, the body being configured to be coupled to a host aircraft, a container disposed between the first end and the second end of the body, wings coupled to the body between the first end and the second end, and stabilators coupled to the body adjacent the second end.

Aerial delivery systems are described including a propulsion unit, a deployable parafoil attached to the propulsion unit, a control/navigation unit operably connected to the parafoil, and a support truss connected to the propulsion unit. The system may be configured to attach to and transport a payload. The propulsion unit may be configured to provide thrust to the aerial delivery system while the parafoil is deployed and the control/navigation unit may be configured to steer the parafoil while deployed.

Aerial delivery systems are described including a propulsion unit, a deployable parafoil attached to the propulsion unit, a control/navigation unit operably connected to the parafoil, and a support truss connected to the propulsion unit. The system may be configured to attach to and transport a payload. The propulsion unit may be configured to provide thrust to the aerial delivery system while the parafoil is deployed and the control/navigation unit may be configured to steer the parafoil while deployed.

A glider system capable of sustained long-term flight includes a fixed-wing glider having a dual fuselage system. The top surface of the glider is covered with a plurality of photovoltaic cells capable of powering onboard sensors, propeller systems, and/or onboard processers. The glider includes wing spars with a composite material covering an inner foam core, with the type of foam core or use of reinforcement materials differs along the length or width of the wing spars. The glider is able to downward facing sacrificial winglets to provide a landing system without the need for bulkier landing gear.

A solar powered plane, such as a plane configured to operate in the stratosphere, that includes a descent control system arranged such that, in the event of loss of control or airframe failure or flight termination, a transferred energy to an impacted object and/or a kinetic energy imparted on impact by any item of the plane that reaches the ground is reduced to less than a predetermined energy or a regulatory or legal safety threshold.