Presently disclosed subject matter integrates a method of using thousands of semi-autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles, herein called drones, to deliver vastly superior amounts of fire retardant over substantially larger and variably-shaped drop patterns. Each drone is able to swap its own batteries with freshly charged batteries and each drone is able to refill its container with water or fire retardant. Once launched, a swarm of drones can perform repeated trips from the water/retardant source to the fire without human involvement other than the high-level tasking of where to drop the retardant. Once a general drop destination and drop pattern shape is designated, the swarm can transport retardant to that location, form itself into the desired drop shape, and deploy retardant. The drone body is designed to be modular so different components can be attached with ease and no special training or knowledge required.

An aeronautical car includes a ground-travel system including a drivetrain; an air-travel system including a detachable portion configured to house a propulsion device configured to provide thrust and to be driven by the drivetrain when the detachable portion is connected to the aeronautical car, and at least one flight mechanism configured to provide lift once the aeronautical car is in motion; and a weather manipulation device. The weather manipulation device may be configured to manipulate at least one aspect of a weather condition while the aeronautical car is in the air.

An aeronautical car includes a ground-travel system including a drivetrain; an air-travel system including a detachable portion configured to house a propulsion device configured to provide thrust and to be driven by the drivetrain when the detachable portion is connected to the aeronautical car, and at least one flight mechanism configured to provide lift once the aeronautical car is in motion; and a weather manipulation device. The weather manipulation device may be configured to manipulate at least one aspect of a weather condition while the aeronautical car is in the air.

A method of targeting, which involves capturing a first video of a scene about a potential targeting coordinate by a first video sensor on a first aircraft; transmitting the first video and associated potential targeting coordinate by the first aircraft; receiving the first video on a first display in communication with a processor, the processor also receiving the potential targeting coordinate; selecting the potential targeting coordinate to be an actual targeting coordinate for a second aircraft in response to viewing the first video on the first display; and guiding a second aircraft toward the actual targeting coordinate; where positive identification of a target corresponding to the actual targeting coordinate is maintained from selection of the actual targeting coordinate.

A method of targeting, which involves capturing a first video of a scene about a potential targeting coordinate by a first video sensor on a first aircraft; transmitting the first video and associated potential targeting coordinate by the first aircraft; receiving the first video on a first display in communication with a processor, the processor also receiving the potential targeting coordinate; selecting the potential targeting coordinate to be an actual targeting coordinate for a second aircraft in response to viewing the first video on the first display; and guiding a second aircraft toward the actual targeting coordinate; where positive identification of a target corresponding to the actual targeting coordinate is maintained from selection of the actual targeting coordinate.

The present invention relates to the autonomous application of crop protection products by means of a drone. The present invention relates to a process and to an unmanned aerial vehicle for applying crop protection product taking into consideration drift phenomena. The present invention furthermore relates to a computer program product which can be employed for controlling the process according to the invention.

The present invention relates to the autonomous application of crop protection products by means of a drone. The present invention relates to a process and to an unmanned aerial vehicle for applying crop protection product taking into consideration drift phenomena. The present invention furthermore relates to a computer program product which can be employed for controlling the process according to the invention.

A method of fire-fighting is provided based on unmanned aerial vehicles “UAV(s)” launched from transporter aircrafts to deliver water or fire-retardants or any other fire-fighting materials to a location selected by the fire-fighting personnel. A capability of putting-off high intensity forest fires is provided that stems from the precision and the quantity of material that can be delivered per unit surface per unit time. After releasing the fire-fighting material(s), the UAV reaches a safe altitude from which it flies on autopilot to intercept and then proceed on a pre-programmed route to land per pre-programmed instructions on an airfield from which fire-fighting transporter(s) operate, allowing a high efficiency along the line, from loading the transporter airplanes to maximizing the quantity of material that reach the target, to minimizing the remote-pilot time and up to the recovery system that minimizes the recovery cost and it maximizes UAVs' utilization by a quick turnaround.

A method of fire-fighting is provided based on unmanned aerial vehicles “UAV(s)” launched from transporter aircrafts to deliver water or fire-retardants or any other fire-fighting materials to a location selected by the fire-fighting personnel. A capability of putting-off high intensity forest fires is provided that stems from the precision and the quantity of material that can be delivered per unit surface per unit time. After releasing the fire-fighting material(s), the UAV reaches a safe altitude from which it flies on autopilot to intercept and then proceed on a pre-programmed route to land per pre-programmed instructions on an airfield from which fire-fighting transporter(s) operate, allowing a high efficiency along the line, from loading the transporter airplanes to maximizing the quantity of material that reach the target, to minimizing the remote-pilot time and up to the recovery system that minimizes the recovery cost and it maximizes UAVs' utilization by a quick turnaround.

A method for supporting aerial operation over a surface includes obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the surface; converting the 3D representation of the surface to a two-dimensional (2D) representation of the surface; obtaining a 2D flight path of the aircraft based on the 2D representation of the surface; converting the 2D flight path to a 3D flight path including location coordinates; and controlling the aircraft to conduct a flight mission following the 3D flight path.