Battery modules for unmanned and human piloted electric aircraft comprise two planar substrates with electrochemical cells secured between to form load-bearing structural components from which aircraft with greater endurance can be constructed. The cells can be oriented perpendicular or parallel to the substrates, and in the latter case the substrates can include slots that the cells fit into. The cells can be secured to the substrates by adhesives, welding, soldering and the like, as well as by mechanical tensioners. Battery modules can be formed to the shapes of aircraft parts such as wings. Multirotor aircraft are disclosed in which the arms and other parts of the aircraft are constructed from such battery modules.

A tethered unmanned aerial vehicle firefighting system includes a firefighting drone, a lifting drone and a tether line coupling the firefighting drone to a control station through the lifting drone. The control station includes a control unit for controlling the firefighting drone and the lifting drone, a fire retardant supply, a pump coupled to the fire retardant supply, and a power supply. The tether line includes a power line coupling the power source to and powering the firefighting drone and a fire retardant hose coupled between the pump and a nozzle carried by the firefighting drone. A lifting tower hold the tether from the control station at a height above ground level, and the lifting drone maintains the tether above obstruction for the firefighter drone. The firefighter drone disperses fire retardant from the nozzle for firefighting purposes and with a substantially unlimited supply of retardant and power.

Embodiments of unmanned aerial systems are disclosed, which may comprise: a frame; a landing member attached to the frame; a propulsion system support member attached to the frame; a propulsion system attached to the propulsion system support member; a shroud having a paraboloid surface attached to the frame; a external equipment carrier attached to the frame; a sensor system; a sealed equipment container attached to the frame and located beneath the shroud; an electronic control system within the sealed equipment container and configured to control the propulsion system and the sensor system; and a power source within the sealed equipment container and configured to power the electronic control system.

Systems, methods, and devices are provided herein for removing a byproduct of a fuel cell from a vehicle. The vehicle comprises a fuel cell and a venting system. The fuel cell is in communication with a fuel storage container. The fuel is configured to generate electricity and a byproduct, by reacting a first fuel from the fuel storage container with a second fuel through an electrochemical reaction. The venting system is configured to expose the byproduct to forced convection.

A heat dissipation device includes an air guiding cover and a heat conduction plate. The air guiding cover includes an air duct configured to guide an airflow and including a mounting window formed on a sidewall of the air duct, an air inlet formed at a first end of the air duct, and an air outlet formed at a second end of the air duct. The heat conduction plate is disposed at the mounting window and covers the mounting window.

The present disclosure is directed to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a convertible body operably coupled to at least one sensor, and further configured to rotate at least about a longitudinal axis, thereby providing a full field of regard for the at least one sensor, and a plurality of arms extending laterally from the convertible body, each arm of the plurality of arms having a rotor assembly coupled thereto.

A solar relay aircraft system includes a solar relay aircraft having an upper surface, and a lower surface, and equipped with a solar radiation receiver on said lower surface and capable of converting solar energy to electrical energy. An electric motor in electrical connection with said solar radiation receiver to receive the electrical energy and drives a propeller to propel the solar relay aircraft. A number of ground-based reflector arrays include a plurality of reflecting mirrors for receiving solar radiation from the sun and direct the solar radiation from the sun towards the solar relay aircraft.

Embodiments of unmanned aerial rescue systems are disclosed, which may comprise: a frame or chassis, a landing member, a control system, a propulsion system, a propulsion system support member, a propulsion system orientation mechanism, a rotor shield or protector, a sealed equipment container, a cover or shroud, an equipment carrier, an equipment release mechanism, a navigation system, a sensor system, a sound system, a light system, a data communication system, an emergency equipment system, and a power management system. In some embodiments, a parabolic shroud increases the performance of sensor systems of the unmanned aerial rescue system, such as sound and light systems.

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a controlled temperature in a control volume. Such systems include a main chamber (defining the control volume), a mixing chamber and a gasflow source. The mixing chamber is in selective fluid communication with the main chamber, and has at least one mixing chamber inlet, and a ram air inlet for allowing ram airflow at a first temperature to be channeled into the mixing chamber. The gasflow source provides a source gasflow at a greater, second temperature to the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber provides the mixing chamber outflow at a third temperature by selectively allowing the ram airflow and the source gasflow in the mixing chamber to mix therein, or, by selectively allowing the ram airflow in the mixing chamber to flow to the main chamber (in absence of source gasflow). A controller is operative to provide a desired level for the third temperature.

In one or more aspects of the present disclosure, an aerospace vehicle includes a frame, an actuable multifunctional cellular structure connected to the frame, the actuable multifunctional cellular structure including a first face member and a second face member, and a shape memory alloy core coupled to the first face member and the second face member, and wherein, at least one of the first face member and the second face member is a graded thermal structure configured so that heat transferred through the graded thermal structure in a predetermined thermal pattern to the shape memory alloy core effects a predetermined change in a shape of the shape memory alloy core and effects a change in shape of the actuable multifunctional cellular structure.