An unmanned aerial vehicle with deployable components (UAVDC) is disclosed. The UAVDC may comprise a fuselage, at least one wing, and at least one control surface. In some embodiments, the UAVDC may further comprise a propulsion means and/or a modular payload. The UAVDC may be configured in a plurality of arrangements. For example, in a compact arrangement, the UAVDC may comprise the at least one wing stowed against the fuselage and the at least one control surface stowed against the fuselage. In a deployed arrangement, the UAVDC may comprise the at least one wing deployed from the fuselage and the least one control surface deployed from the fuselage. In an expanded arrangement, the UAVDC may comprise the at least one wing telescoped to increase a wingspan of the deployed arrangement.

The battery thermal management system includes a battery pack, a circulation subsystem, and a heat exchanger. The system can optionally include a cooling system, a reservoir, a de-ionization filter, a battery charger, and a controller.

A control system configured to control a deceleration process of an air vehicle which comprises at least one tiltable propulsion unit, each of the at least one tiltable propulsion units is tiltable to provide a thrust whose direction is variable at least between a general vertical thrust vector direction and a general longitudinal thrust vector direction with respect to the air vehicle.

A system and method for conducting electronic warfare on a target site includes the use of a small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) having a fuselage and a Prandtl wing, wherein at least two electric ducted fans are positioned on the fuselage. A power system of the SUAS has a plurality of hydrogen fuel cells positioned within the Prandtl wing. An electronic warfare payload is carried by the fuselage, wherein the electronic warfare payload and the at least two electric ducted fans are powered by at least a portion of the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells. During an operation, the SUAS may launch near an IAD site and initiate an electronic warfare effect on an integrated air defense site with electronic warfare payload carried by the SUAS to interfere with at least one surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, a method, system and apparatus for an aircraft may be shown and described. An exemplary embodiment may be an autonomous aircraft which can vertically takeoff and land (VTOL). The VTOL aircraft may have a modular pod which carries a removable payload. The entire VTOL aircraft may be portable. An exemplary embodiment may fit into a standard sized freight container. A propulsion system may be based on distributed electric propulsion. An exemplary embodiment may implement variable pitch propellers and collective pitch variation.

An aerial vehicle is provided. The aerial vehicle can include a plurality of sensors mounted thereon, an avionics system configured to operate at least a portion of the aerial vehicle, and a machine vision controller in operative communication with the avionics system and the plurality of sensors. The machine vision controller is configured to perform a method. The method includes obtaining sensor data from at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors, determining performance data from the avionic system or an additional sensor of the plurality of sensors, processing the sensor data based on the performance data to compensate for movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle, identifying at least one geographic indicator based on processing the sensor data, and determining a geographic location of the aerial vehicle based on the at least one geographic indicator.

A drone including a front section, a wing structure supported by a rotor located behind the front section, and a propeller at the rear. The wing structure including two wings rotating the rotor, the wing structure being able to move between a flight configuration, in which the rotor is immobile relative to the front section and the propulsion provided by the propeller, and a flight configuration with the wing structure rotating, in which the rotor is rotated relative to the front section, the rotor being connected to the front section with a possibility of orienting its axis of rotation relative thereto in order able to direct the drone in the rotary wing structure configuration by acting on said orientation.

A method of delivering heavy payload using an autonomous UAV able to deliver supply by way of airdrop with more precision and at a lower cost. The UAV is equipped with two movable wing systems that rotate from a stowed position to a deployed position upon jettison of the UAV from a mothership. The UAV can be controlled remotely or it can operate autonomously and the movable wings can include ailerons to effectuate flight control of the UAV. The UAV can be reusable or can be an expendable UAV.

Described herein are methods and systems for picking up, transporting, and lowering a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the winch system may include a motor for winding and unwinding the tether from a spool, and the UAV's control system may operate the motor to lower the tether toward the ground so a payload may be attached to the tether. The control system may monitor an electric current supplied to the motor to determine whether the payload has been attached to the tether. In another example, when lowering a payload, the control system may monitor the motor current to determine that the payload has reached the ground and responsively operate the motor to detach the payload from the tether. The control system may then monitor the motor current to determine whether the payload has detached from the tether.

Described herein are methods and systems for picking up, transporting, and lowering a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the winch system may include a motor for winding and unwinding the tether from a spool, and the UAV's control system may operate the motor to lower the tether toward the ground so a payload may be attached to the tether. The control system may monitor an electric current supplied to the motor to determine whether the payload has been attached to the tether. In another example, when lowering a payload, the control system may monitor the motor current to determine that the payload has reached the ground and responsively operate the motor to detach the payload from the tether. The control system may then monitor the motor current to determine whether the payload has detached from the tether.