Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.

A control device (200) includes a ground vehicle controller (230) that causes a ground vehicle to travel at a target area, an acquirer (210) that acquires state information expressing a state of a surface of the target area while the ground vehicle travels the target area, and a determiner (240) that determines, based on the acquired state information, whether or not an aircraft is landable at the target area.

An aircraft controller configured to determine a period and/or distance over which deployment of a landing gear can be initiated for landing including a determined first portion during which landing gear deployment can be safely initiated and a determined second portion, closer to aircraft landing than the first portion, during which the landing gear deployment can be safely initiated in an efficient landing mode; issue a first pilot feedback when the first portion is entered by the aircraft; issue a second pilot feedback when the second portion of the determined; and initiate landing gear deployment when the aircraft is in the determined period and/or distance in response to receiving a deployment signal from the pilot.

An aircraft controller configured to determine a period and/or distance over which deployment of a landing gear can be initiated for landing including a determined first portion during which landing gear deployment can be safely initiated and a determined second portion, closer to aircraft landing than the first portion, during which the landing gear deployment can be safely initiated in an efficient landing mode; issue a first pilot feedback when the first portion is entered by the aircraft; issue a second pilot feedback when the second portion of the determined; and initiate landing gear deployment when the aircraft is in the determined period and/or distance in response to receiving a deployment signal from the pilot.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an unmanned aerial vehicle protection method and apparatus and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method includes: switching the unmanned aerial vehicle to an attitude mode after a positioning system of the unmanned aerial vehicle fails; controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle in the attitude mode and reducing a height of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to land safely when obtained ground environment information meets a preset landing condition. By adopting the foregoing method, the unmanned aerial vehicle can safely and smoothly land on the ground after a positioning sensor of the unmanned aerial vehicle fails, thereby reducing the probability of explosion of the unmanned aerial vehicle and improving the flight safety of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an unmanned aerial vehicle protection method and apparatus and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method includes: switching the unmanned aerial vehicle to an attitude mode after a positioning system of the unmanned aerial vehicle fails; controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle in the attitude mode and reducing a height of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to land safely when obtained ground environment information meets a preset landing condition. By adopting the foregoing method, the unmanned aerial vehicle can safely and smoothly land on the ground after a positioning sensor of the unmanned aerial vehicle fails, thereby reducing the probability of explosion of the unmanned aerial vehicle and improving the flight safety of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Systems and methods for depicting aircraft traffic. One example system includes an electronic controller coupled to a transceiver and a display for displaying a traffic interface. The electronic controller is configured to provide, on the traffic interface, a map representing a travel area. The electronic controller is configured to provide, on the map, a first graphical representation of a first aircraft within the travel area. The electronic controller is configured to provide, on the map, a second graphical representation of a second aircraft within the travel area. The electronic controller is configured to receive, from the transceiver, a first location of the first aircraft. The electronic controller is configured to receive, from the transceiver, a second location of the second aircraft. The electronic controller is configured to, in response to determining that the second location is within a predetermined radius of the first location, transform the traffic interface to highlight a geometric area of the map based on the first location.

Guide systems for installing aircraft structures are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first guide system structured to removably couple to a first aircraft structure having a first hinge component. A second guide system is structured to removably couple to a second aircraft structure having a second hinge component. The first guide system is to engage the second guide system to enable alignment between the first hinge component and the second hinge component during assembly of the first aircraft structure and the second aircraft structure.

Guide systems for installing aircraft structures are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first guide system structured to removably couple to a first aircraft structure having a first hinge component. A second guide system is structured to removably couple to a second aircraft structure having a second hinge component. The first guide system is to engage the second guide system to enable alignment between the first hinge component and the second hinge component during assembly of the first aircraft structure and the second aircraft structure.

A ground state determination system for an aircraft includes sensors configured to detect parameters of the aircraft and a flight control system implementing a ground state module. The ground state module includes a ground state monitoring module configured to monitor the parameters and a ground state determination module configured to compare each of the parameters monitored by the ground state monitoring module to a respective parameter threshold to determine whether the aircraft is on a surface.