Systems and methods for control of vehicles are provided. A computer-implemented method in example embodiments may include receiving, at a computing system comprising one or more processors positioned in a vehicle, voice data from one or more audio sensors positioned in the vehicle. The system can determine whether configuration of a reference voiceprint for a speech processing system of the vehicle is authorized based at least in part on performance data associated with the vehicle. In response to determining that configuration of the reference voiceprint is authorized, a first reference voiceprint based on the reference voice data can be stored and the speech processing system configured to authenticate input voice data for a first set of voice commands based on the reference voiceprint.

A stolen aircraft shutdown system comprising a processor, a communications unit configured to receive information relating to a status indicator of an aircraft, corresponding to either a safe or a stolen value, and to provide a status input to the processor unit, a ground determination unit configured to receive aircraft operational data from an aircraft, corresponding to either a grounded or an airborne value, and to provide a location input to the processor. The processor unit is configured to determine the value of the status indicator and the value of the location indicator, and to provide immobilisation instructions to a control system of an aircraft to disable an aircraft function when the value of the status indicator is determined to be stolen, and the value of the location indicator is determined to be grounded.

Various methods enable a robotic vehicle to determine that it has been stolen, determine an appropriate opportunity to perform a recovery operation, and perform the recovery operation at the appropriate opportunity. Examples of recovery operations include traveling to a predetermined location, identifying and traveling to a safe location to await recovery, and crashing to self-destruct when the predetermined location cannot be reached and a safe location cannot be identified.

Various methods enable a processor of a robotic vehicle to determine when the robotic vehicle has been stolen so that a self-recovery operation may be performed. Determining whether the robotic vehicle has been stolen may include evaluating, by a processor of the robotic vehicle, unauthorized use indicia, and determining that the robotic vehicle is stolen in response to determining that unauthorized use indicia exceed a threshold. Evaluating unauthorized use indicia may include determining whether an Integrated Circuit Card Identifier of a Subscriber Identify Module matches a stored value, determining whether a paired controller is different from a usual controller, determining whether the operator's skill has changed, and evaluating one or more trust factors that are observable features of normal operation.

A system for managing the data of an aircraft includes a device of avionics type installed in the aircraft, the installed device being: connectable to an electrical power source of avionics type; connectable to the avionics data bus; comprising a docking support; a removable device of non-avionics type being able to be fixed onto the docking support, the removable device comprising computation and storage resources for the processing of avionics data and, optionally, wireless communication. Developments of the invention describe electrical isolation mechanisms, the facility to cut any wireless communication, in particular cellular, of the removable device, the control and/or the updating of the removable device by ground teams. Method and software aspects are described.

An aircraft overhead bin monitoring system includes an overhead bin having an interior compartment; a first sensor having a unique identifier correlating to the overhead bin, attached to the overhead bin, and to detect capacity data as determined via sensing the presence of items within the interior compartment; a computing device in data communication with the first sensor; the computing device is to determine an estimation of open space within the interior compartment based on the capacity data; and the computing device is to provide a user with the estimate of open space.

Method, system and apparatus are provided for smart window activation to prevent laser disturbance. The apparatus may include a window formed of smart glass capable of being activated in discrete sections to be impenetrable to laser light and having a smart glass activation system. A sensor arrangement may detect laser light impacting on the window and may provide data as to the position of the impact on the window. A computer-implemented window protection system may receive input regarding detecting a laser beam impacting a window from the sensor arrangement, determine the position of the laser beam impact on the window and determine a section of the window in which the smart glass is to be activated, and control activation of the smart glass in the section of the window to make the section impenetrable to laser light by instructing the smart glass activation system.

An aircraft wall assembly comprises a panel comprising a ballistic protection layer configured to deform to absorb energy during a projectile impact; and a barrier, wherein the ballistic protection layer comprises a constrained portion, wherein deformation of the ballistic protection layer is constrained at the constrained portion such that the energy absorbed by the constrained portion during the projectile impact is reduced; wherein the barrier is configured to deflect projectile material that passes through the constrained portion of the panel during the projectile impact.

An unmanned vehicle capable of operating in harsh environments is disclosed. The unmanned vehicle includes an aerial platform, a piloting system supported by the aerial platform, a medium source supported by the aerial platform, and a control system having a processor running computer executable code that actuates the medium source to emit a medium away from the aerial vehicle with an intensity sufficient to disorient a subject when the medium interacts with an exteroceptive sense of a subject.

A troubleshooting method includes receiving a locking instruction instructing to lock a target aircraft and locking the target aircraft according to the locking instruction.