An apparatus for controlling a still position in the air, allowing a miniature unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a plurality of rotors to move swiftly to a given position in the air and make its airframe hover stably in that position, the apparatus including a miniature unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a plurality of rotors, a stationary plane from which and on which the miniature unmanned aerial vehicle takes off and lands, and a plurality of string-like members which link the miniature unmanned aerial vehicle with the stationary plane, wherein the plurality of string-like members are stretched to a length for all the members to become tense when the miniature unmanned aerial vehicle has come to a specified position which is a given position in the air. Also, it is preferable that the plurality of string-like members include at least three string-like members.

Systems and methods are disclosed for managing energy of a UAV during flight. In particular, the disclosed systems and methods assist in safely returning a UAV to ground while reducing diversionary time for providing energy to the UAV. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods calculate a measure of remaining energy with regard to a UAV flying a mission plan and a measure of landing energy needed to travel to a landing station. The disclosed systems and methods can select a transition point from a mission plan and route leading from the mission plan to the landing station by comparing the calculated measure of remaining energy and the calculated measure of landing energy. Moreover, the disclosed system and methods can modify a mission plan to include the selected transition point and route.

The invention relates to a surface identification device for the movement of a vehicle at a distance from that surface, the device comprising a detection head, the head including at least one sensor of a property depending on the distance of the center of the head from the surface, each sensor covering a detection zone centered on a line of sight, an orientation system for the detection zone of each sensor, and a controller processing the signals from each sensor and controlling the system based on said signals. The controller estimates the direction of the perpendicular to the surface, and uses said system to rotate the line of sight of each sensor in a separate direction by a reorientation angle of the direction of said perpendicular.

An improved unmanned aerial vehicular system having a rotor head assembly with any balanced number of rotary wings or blades, a generally tubular body assembly, a gimballed neck connecting the head to the body, and a navigation, communications and control unit such as for military and humanitarian operations, including payload delivery and pickup. The vehicle is generally guided using a global positioning satellite signal, and by pre-programmed or real time targeting. The vehicle is generally electrically powered and may be launched by one of (a) hand-launch, (b) air-drop, (c) catapult, (d) tube-launch, or (e) sea launch, and is capable of landing on both static and dynamic targets. Once launched, unmanned aerial vehicles may be formed into arrays on a target area and find use in surveillance, warfare, and in search-and-rescue operations.

Systems, devices, and methods for impacting, by a small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV), a net having at least three sides; and converting the kinetic energy of the SUAV into at least one of: elastic potential energy of one or more tensioned elastic cords connected to at least one corner of the net, gravitational potential energy of a frame member connected to at least one corner of the net, rotational kinetic energy of the frame member connected to at least one corner of the net, and elastic potential energy of the frame member connected to at least one corner of the net.

A mobile, powered monitoring system includes an array of solar panels, a battery bank of at least one battery electrically connected to the array of solar panels, a landing and connection platform electrically connected to the battery bank, a cable electrically connected to the landing and connection platform, a drone electrically and mechanically connected to the cable, the drone having at least one camera, and a transmitter to allow images captured by the camera to be sent to a base station.

An aspect of the embodiments includes a system comprising a mobile base station having a power supply, a fluid medium source; and processors operable to generate control signals to control a first unmanned self-propelled (FUSP) vehicle, having a tool with a dispended tool output, and to affect the dispensed tool output; and an umbilical cabling and tethering (UCAT) apparatus to interconnect the USP vehicle and the mobile base station. Cords connect to the FUSP vehicle, one or more of the power supply, the control signals and fluid medium source. The system includes a UCAT assist device comprising a second unmanned self-propelled (SUSP) vehicle having a fastener member, removably coupled to a fastener member of the UCAT apparatus. The UCAT assist device when attached to the UCAT apparatus assists a portion of the cords of the UCAT apparatus. Embodiments include a UCAT assist system.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided. The UAV includes a first guard grill, a second guard grill configured to be removably combined with the first guard grill and form an external structure and an inner space of the UAV with the first guard grill, a housing configured to include a central portion located in the center of the inner space and embed a processor and a navigation system, one or more propelling elements configured to be located the inner space and be disposed around the central portion, and a plurality of motor assemblies configured to be located in the inner space and drive the propelling elements while being electrically connected with the processor. When viewed from the outside of the external structure, the propelling elements are partially covered by at least one of the first guard grill or the second guard grill.

An apparatus and method for refueling an aircraft comprising a hose guide. The hose guide includes a framework having wings and remotely-adjustable control surfaces interacting with air through which the hose guide moves. An attachment interface, attaching the hose guide to a fuel hose extended from a tanker aircraft, at a distal end away from the tanker aircraft, and a control system adjusting the adjustable control surfaces. Wherein the hose guide is towed as a glider by the tanker aircraft, and adjustment of the control surfaces adjusts three-dimensional position of the end of the fuel hose at the hose guide relative to position of the tanker aircraft.

Some embodiments relate to a motorized device capable of moving in a fluid and including one or more locomotor systems, each having at least one drive assembly linked to at least one locomotion member and a motor controlled by a voltage. The frequency of a reciprocating motion of the drive assembly matches the resonant frequency of the locomotion member linked to a non-movable portion by at least one prestrained elastic member. The instantaneous amplitude of the reciprocating motion of the drive assembly is adjusted to control the average position and the maximum amplitude of the reciprocating motion of the locomotion member. The Drive assembly includes at least one speed reducer for reducing the speed of rotation of the motor. When the motor is operating at is maximum mechanical power, the speed of rotation transmitted to the at least one locomotion member is reduced to match the resonance frequency.