A tiltrotor aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe having a wing with oppositely disposed wing tips. Tip booms respectively extend longitudinally from the wing tips. Forward rotors are coupled to the forward ends of the tip booms and aft rotors are coupled to the aft ends of the tip booms. The forward rotors are reversibly tiltable between a vertical lift orientation, wherein the forward rotors are above the tip booms, and a forward thrust orientation, wherein the forward rotors are forward of the tip booms. The aft rotors are reversibly tiltable between a vertical lift orientation, wherein the aft rotors are below the tip booms, and a forward thrust orientation, wherein the aft rotors are aft of the tip booms.

A tiltrotor aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe having a wing with oppositely disposed wing tips. Tip booms respectively extend longitudinally from the wing tips. Forward rotors are coupled to the forward ends of the tip booms and aft rotors are coupled to the aft ends of the tip booms. The forward rotors are reversibly tiltable between a vertical lift orientation, wherein the forward rotors are above the tip booms, and a forward thrust orientation, wherein the forward rotors are forward of the tip booms. The aft rotors are reversibly tiltable between a vertical lift orientation, wherein the aft rotors are below the tip booms, and a forward thrust orientation, wherein the aft rotors are aft of the tip booms.

Baggage is connected to an aerial vehicle in a state in which the baggage is suspended by a connector such as rope. A learning unit of a server device performs machine learning on the relationship between the piloting of an aerial vehicle and the behavior of baggage on the basis of an aerial vehicle behavior history and a piloting history acquired by a first acquisition unit and a baggage behavior history acquired by a second acquisition unit. With this arrangement, the automatic piloting of the aerial vehicle at the time of lowering baggage is achieved.

Baggage is connected to an aerial vehicle in a state in which the baggage is suspended by a connector such as rope. A learning unit of a server device performs machine learning on the relationship between the piloting of an aerial vehicle and the behavior of baggage on the basis of an aerial vehicle behavior history and a piloting history acquired by a first acquisition unit and a baggage behavior history acquired by a second acquisition unit. With this arrangement, the automatic piloting of the aerial vehicle at the time of lowering baggage is achieved.

A device includes hauling means for the movement of a payload while suspended from one or more lines. The or each line is suspended or suspendable from one end, the hauling means being provided at or in the region of the other end of the line/s and at which end the payload is situated in use.

A pylon for mounting to a bottom surface of an aircraft and for carrying an external payload is provided. The pylon comprises a body spanning along a vertical axis between an upper face and a lower face, the upper face comprising one or more mounting arrangements configured to facilitate mounting the pylon to the bottom surface of the aircraft, the lower face comprising at least one suspension mechanism configured to facilitate selective attachment of the payload to the pylon. The pylon further comprises a covering arrangement configured for selective shifting between a closed position in which it covers the suspension mechanism and an open position in which the suspension mechanism is uncovered. The width of the body varies smoothly along the vertical axis between, inclusively, the upper and lower faces.

A pylon for mounting to a bottom surface of an aircraft and for carrying an external payload is provided. The pylon comprises a body spanning along a vertical axis between an upper face and a lower face, the upper face comprising one or more mounting arrangements configured to facilitate mounting the pylon to the bottom surface of the aircraft, the lower face comprising at least one suspension mechanism configured to facilitate selective attachment of the payload to the pylon. The pylon further comprises a covering arrangement configured for selective shifting between a closed position in which it covers the suspension mechanism and an open position in which the suspension mechanism is uncovered. The width of the body varies smoothly along the vertical axis between, inclusively, the upper and lower faces.

A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, including: uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a first UAV pod; deploying the UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions; providing first survey data from the UAV to the UAV pod; autonomously migrating the UAV from the first UAV pod to a second UAV pod; receiving a second plurality of flight missions in a second UAV pod; providing the UAV with one of the second plurality of flight missions from the second UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the second UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and providing a second survey data from the UAV to the second UAV pod; where the autonomous migrating of the UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, including: uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a first UAV pod; deploying the UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions; providing first survey data from the UAV to the UAV pod; autonomously migrating the UAV from the first UAV pod to a second UAV pod; receiving a second plurality of flight missions in a second UAV pod; providing the UAV with one of the second plurality of flight missions from the second UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the second UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and providing a second survey data from the UAV to the second UAV pod; where the autonomous migrating of the UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

An ejection assembly for ejecting an ejection body comprises an ejection channel and an anti-recoil channel; a barrier structure having a first interface boundary and a second interface boundary, including a barrier portion between the first interface boundary and the second interface boundaries; an attachment mechanism for fastening the barrier structure between the ejection channel and the anti-recoil channel; an ejection activation mechanism housed within the barrier structure adjacent the first interface boundary, to initiate ignition of ejection propulsion material contained in an ejection capsule placed adjacent the first interface boundary; and an anti-recoil activation mechanism housed within the barrier structure adjacent the second interface boundary, to initiate the ignition of anti-recoil propulsion material contained in an ejection capsule placed adjacent the second interface boundary.