An aircraft wing inspection system includes a housing, a light source, a camera, and a display device. The housing is adapted to be mounted on an aircraft fuselage. The light source is disposed within the housing and is operable, upon being electrically energized, to emit a light beam. The camera is disposed within the housing and is configured to capture images of the aircraft wing, convert the captured images to digital image data, and transmit the digital image data. The display device is disposed remote from, and is in operable communication with, the camera. The display device is configured to receive the digital image data transmitted from the camera and to render the captured images.

Stations for a drone are described as well as a monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property using one or more drones. The drone is launched from a docking station and configured to navigate the property to perform operations to monitor the property. The docking station is located at an area of the property. The docking station includes a landing surface that is parallel to a particular area of the property that supports the docking station. A positioning surface of the docking station slopes toward the landing surface. The positioning surface, including its slope, is configured to receive the drone and guide the drone toward the landing surface.

A method for controlling a movable object is provided. A user input that includes a first parameter corresponding to a first coordinate system is received and an operation mode is determined. In response to determining the operation mode being a first operation mode, a second parameter corresponding to a second coordinate system is generated and the movable object is controlled to move based on the second parameter. In response to determining the operation mode being a second operation mode, the first parameter is translated to a third parameter corresponding to the second coordinate system and the movable object is controlled to move based on the third parameter.

A method for controlling a movable object is provided. A user input that includes a first parameter corresponding to a first coordinate system is received and an operation mode is determined. In response to determining the operation mode being a first operation mode, a second parameter corresponding to a second coordinate system is generated and the movable object is controlled to move based on the second parameter. In response to determining the operation mode being a second operation mode, the first parameter is translated to a third parameter corresponding to the second coordinate system and the movable object is controlled to move based on the third parameter.

Many different types of systems are utilized and tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of castable devices that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more castable devices can be integrated with a transducer assembly, such as a phased array, that emits sonar beams and receives sonar returns from the underwater environment. Processing circuitry may receive the sonar returns, process the sonar returns, generate an image, and transmit the image to a display.

Many different types of systems are utilized and tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of castable devices that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more castable devices can be integrated with a transducer assembly, such as a phased array, that emits sonar beams and receives sonar returns from the underwater environment. Processing circuitry may receive the sonar returns, process the sonar returns, generate an image, and transmit the image to a display.

In some examples, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) employs one or more image sensors to capture images of a scan target and may use distance information from the images for determining respective locations in three-dimensional (3D) space of a plurality of points of a 3D model representative of a surface of the scan target. The UAV may compare a first image with a second image to determine a difference between a current frame of reference position for the UAV and an estimate of an actual frame of reference position for the UAV. Further, based at least on the difference, the UAV may determine, while the UAV is in flight, an update to the 3D model including at least one of an updated location of at least one point in the 3D model, or a location of a new point in the 3D model.

In some examples, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) employs one or more image sensors to capture images of a scan target and may use distance information from the images for determining respective locations in three-dimensional (3D) space of a plurality of points of a 3D model representative of a surface of the scan target. The UAV may compare a first image with a second image to determine a difference between a current frame of reference position for the UAV and an estimate of an actual frame of reference position for the UAV. Further, based at least on the difference, the UAV may determine, while the UAV is in flight, an update to the 3D model including at least one of an updated location of at least one point in the 3D model, or a location of a new point in the 3D model.

A method is provided. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is operated. A position of the UAV is determined while in flight, and a nonce is generated. A Merkel root is generated based at least in part on a timestamp and the position of the UAV. A current block is calculated based at least in part on a previous block, the Merkel root, and the nonce, and the current block, the timestamp, the nonce, the prior block, and the position of the UAV are transmitted.

A method is provided. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is operated. A position of the UAV is determined while in flight, and a nonce is generated. A Merkel root is generated based at least in part on a timestamp and the position of the UAV. A current block is calculated based at least in part on a previous block, the Merkel root, and the nonce, and the current block, the timestamp, the nonce, the prior block, and the position of the UAV are transmitted.