A method comprising receiving aerial images captured by one or more unmanned aerial vehicle; receiving metadata associated with the aerial images captured by the one or more unmanned aerial vehicle; geo-referencing the aerial images based on a geographic location of a surface to determine geographic coordinates of pixels of the aerial images; receiving a geographic location from a user; retrieving one or more of the aerial images associated with the geographic location based on the determined geographic coordinates; and displaying to the user one or more overview image depicting the geographic location and overlaid with one or more icons indicative of and associated with the retrieved aerial images associated with the geographic location.

An aircraft includes an airframe parachute system. The parachute system includes an activation system, an extraction system, a harness system, and a parachute assembly.

An aircraft includes an airframe parachute system. The parachute system includes an activation system, an extraction system, a harness system, and a parachute assembly.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a parachute deployment system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In some examples, the parachute deployment system includes a base attached to the unmanned aerial vehicle, a deployment tray mechanically connected to the base, an acceleration mechanism for propelling the deployment tray away from the base, a parachute cover releasably secured over the deployment tray, a parachute stowed between the deployment tray and the parachute cover, and a triggering mechanism. Upon activation of the triggering mechanism, the parachute cover is released and the deployment tray is propelled away from the base, which rapidly deploys the parachute away from the UAV.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a parachute deployment system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In some examples, the parachute deployment system includes a base attached to the unmanned aerial vehicle, a deployment tray mechanically connected to the base, an acceleration mechanism for propelling the deployment tray away from the base, a parachute cover releasably secured over the deployment tray, a parachute stowed between the deployment tray and the parachute cover, and a triggering mechanism. Upon activation of the triggering mechanism, the parachute cover is released and the deployment tray is propelled away from the base, which rapidly deploys the parachute away from the UAV.

This invention discloses a system to automate a non-destructive test (NDT) for measuring stress or stress change developed within an object during a certain time period by using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and ultrasound technique. The system comprises a ground control station (GCS), UAVs and reference positioning modules as its basis. Given a test plan containing test points over a surface of a test object in 3D point coordinates, UAVs can fly autonomously to the points and perform ultrasound measurements on them with a single or a plurality of ultrasound transducers in an automated manner. Moreover, after receiving trigger signals from the GCS, a UAV can also perform the flight and the measurement synchronously with other UAVs. After a measurement, an acquired ultrasound echo signal is taken with another echo signal acquired at a different time point to compute stress or stress change.

This invention discloses a system to automate a non-destructive test (NDT) for measuring stress or stress change developed within an object during a certain time period by using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and ultrasound technique. The system comprises a ground control station (GCS), UAVs and reference positioning modules as its basis. Given a test plan containing test points over a surface of a test object in 3D point coordinates, UAVs can fly autonomously to the points and perform ultrasound measurements on them with a single or a plurality of ultrasound transducers in an automated manner. Moreover, after receiving trigger signals from the GCS, a UAV can also perform the flight and the measurement synchronously with other UAVs. After a measurement, an acquired ultrasound echo signal is taken with another echo signal acquired at a different time point to compute stress or stress change.

Disclosed is a package delivery mechanism (PDM) of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The PDM includes a gravity activated locking mechanism to lock and unlock a package attached to the UAV based on the weight of the package. When the package is attached to suspension means of the UAV that lowers the package to the ground from the UAV, the locking mechanism automatically engages with the package and keeps the package locked to the suspension means, due to the weight of the package. When the package is lowered and reaches on the ground, the weight of the package is offloaded from the suspension means, which enables the locking mechanism to be disengaged, thereby releasing the package. The PDM includes a severing module to sever the suspension means from the UAV.

Certain aspects of the technology disclosed involve a container for delivery by drone (e.g., an unmanned aerial vehicle). The container can include a coupling mechanism to lock and unlock a package attached to the drone based on a tension applied to the coupling mechanism. The package can include sidewalls affixed to a top wall. The sidewalls can include securing mechanisms to be secured to a bottom wall of the container. A rigid extremity can be a contiguous extension of any of the sidewalls and extend below a lower surface of the sidewalls. The rigid extremity can include a malleable contour proximate to a corner of the container. The malleable contour can extend from a base of the rigid extremity through the sidewall. An aperture in the top wall can be configured for a inserting member of a coupling mechanism.

An aircraft includes a fuselage having a front, a center, and a rear section. A first mounting member is coupled to the front section. A second mounting member is coupled to the rear section. A first and a second wing are coupled to the center section. A plurality of power generator systems are included and coupled to the first or second mounting member. Each power generator system includes a power source, a first and a second propeller. The power source is configured to drive the first and second propeller. The first and second propeller have an axis of rotation, and are pivotable between a first and a second position. An amphibious landing gear system is coupled to an underside of the fuselage and has a flap and a bladder. The bladder is located under the flap, configured to inflate and deflate, and sized to provide buoyancy for the aircraft.