Modular add-on structures may be connected to a structure, such as a multi-rotor flight vehicle, using connection and release apparatuses. Replacement modules may be interchanged in one or more locations on the platform structure, and may provide an operating component that enables a capability once added, such as a medical bed for medical evacuation, a seat for manned flight control, a seat for passive riders, a cargo hold for the transportation of cargo, a cargo hold for transportation of an aid package, a liquid dispersing mechanism for dispersion of a liquid, other projectile disbursement mechanisms for disbursement of other non-liquid or projectile disbursement, flight through propulsion enabling attachment. A flight vehicle, such as a multi-rotorcraft flight vehicle, may support different capabilities and functionalities, where the design of the multi-rotorcraft, modular add-on structures, and multi-rotorcraft functionality, configuration, control, and shape, enable different uses, capabilities, and functionality.

A modular aerial vehicle for inspection of enclosed and open space environments. The aerial vehicle is employed for inspection of various environments in remotely controlled and autonomous fashions. The aerial vehicle is capable of carrying different sensory modules depending on the specific application including surface inspection. Aerial vehicle may be connected to a tether cable for electrical power delivery and transmission of control commands. The aerial vehicle may utilize a landing structure which allows landing on any angled metallic or non-metallic surface.

The present disclosure pertains to non-planar frame structure of a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Aspects of the present disclosure provide frame structure of a UAV that includes at least two rods 102-1 and 102-2, and one or more center supporting plates 106 holding the at least two rods 102-1 and 102-2 to form a rigid structure, wherein the at least two rods 102-1 and 102-2 are overlapped to form a crossed structure wherein ends of the at least two rods 102-1 and 102-2 construe a polygon, and wherein a plurality of propellers 204 are operatively coupled at the ends of the at least two rods to enable flight of the UAV. The frame structure includes at least four overlapping arms 104-1, 104-2, 104-3 and 104-2, at least two of which are present in different planes and thus, the present disclosure provides a non-planar frame structure of a multi-rotor UAV.

The present disclosure presents various embodiments of a system for retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft from free flight using a flexible capture member. The system includes a GPS reference sensor and a communication link to guide the fixed-wing aircraft to intercept the flexible capture member.

A vehicle can be configured to include a body having a body bottom conjoined with a body sidewall and a body top forming a body cavity. The body top includes a body top opening and the body sidewall includes a body sidewall opening. The vehicle can include a payload housing having a payload bottom conjoined with a payload housing sidewall and a payload housing top forming a payload housing cavity, wherein the payload housing cavity is configured to hold at least one operating module for the vehicle. The vehicle can include at least one arm. The vehicle can include at least one interlocking arrangement of the body top opening or body side wall configured to removably secure the payload housing and the at least one arm to the body. Each of the body, the payload housing, and the at least one arm can be structured with additive manufactured material.

The subject matter described herein includes a modular and extensible approach to integrate noisy measurements from multiple heterogeneous sensors that yield either absolute or relative observations at different and varying time intervals, and to provide smooth and globally consistent estimates of position in real time for autonomous flight. We describe the development of the algorithms and software architecture for a new 1.9 kg MAV platform equipped with an IMU, laser scanner, stereo cameras, pressure altimeter, magnetometer, and a GPS receiver, in which the state estimation and control are performed onboard on an Intel NUC 3.sup.rd generation i3 processor. We illustrate the robustness of our framework in large-scale, indoor-outdoor autonomous aerial navigation experiments involving traversals of over 440 meters at average speeds of 1.5 m/s with winds around 10 mph while entering and exiting buildings.

Systems and methods for powering and controlling flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle are provided. The unmanned aerial vehicles can be used in a networked communication system. A tether management system can be used to facilitate both mobile and static tethered operation to provide power and/or voice and data communication.

A method of operating an aircraft includes, prior to an in-flight refueling operation, operating the aircraft using fuel from a first fuel tank connected to a fuel delivery system. Subsequently, the in-flight refueling operation is performed over a refueling area while operating the aircraft from another fuel tank, including (1) disconnecting the first fuel tank from the fuel delivery system, (2) jettisoning the first fuel tank, and (3) taking on a replacement fuel tank by (a) capturing the replacement fuel tank from the refueling area and (b) bringing the captured replacement fuel tank onboard the aircraft. The replacement fuel tank is then connected to the fuel delivery system and the aircraft is operated using fuel from the replacement fuel tank.

A rail-based modular aircraft system may include a rail extending from a first end to a second end. The rail-based modular aircraft system may include a constant cross-sectional shape from the first end to the second end. The rail may also include a wing module configured to interface with the rail such that the wing module is individually movable along at least a portion of the rail and configured to be fixable at a fixed point along the rail. The rail-based modular aircraft system may also include a propulsion module configured to interface with the rail such that the propulsion module is individually movable along at least a portion of the rail and configured to be fixable at a fixed point along the rail. The propulsion module may be configured to provide forward motion to the modular aircraft system.

Embodiments relate to reconfigurable unmanned vehicles (100). Such vehicles (100) comprise a fuselage (102) presenting a bay (118) for receiving a plurality of components (120-128), each of the plurality of components (120-128) relating to a respective entity for at least one of flight control or operation of the unmanned vehicle (100). The bay (118) comprising a bus to support communications between at least two of the plurality of components (120-128), the plurality of components (120-128) comprising a controller to determine a configuration or presence of one or more than one component of the plurality of components (120-128) when coupled to the bus.