An electrical system for a vehicle may include a main power supply and a power supply controller electrically connected to the main power supply and configured to selectively electrically connect the main power supply to, and disconnect the main power supply from, a vehicle subsystem. The electrical system may also include a supervisor power supply controller configured to receive signals indicative of an operational status of the vehicle, and determine, based at least in part on the signals, expected signals associated with operation of a plurality of vehicle subsystems. The supervisor power supply controller may also receive signals associated with operation of a vehicle subsystem, and determine that the signals associated with operation of the vehicle subsystem are indicative of a fault. The supervisor power supply controller may cause the power supply controller associated with the vehicle subsystem to disconnect the vehicle subsystem from the main power supply.

A remotely controlled VTOL aircraft includes an autopilot subsystem outputting helicopter control signals, and an autopilot subsystem outputting fixed wing control signals. A transition control subsystem is configured to receive said helicopter control signals, said fixed wing control signals, and a transition control signal. Control signals to be applied to the VTOL aircraft controls are calculated as a function of the transition percentage and weighting factors applied to the helicopter control signals and said fixed wing control signals.

A system for capturing VIN numbers and vehicles images to track vehicle damage through vehicle supply chains which includes a mobile software application and/or robot(s) which moves autonomously around parking lots. The mobile application can direct the user to capture VIN images and/or vehicle images from certain views and collect GPS positions of the same and the robot includes various cameras and sensors to identify vehicles and take pictures of them. All of the captured images of vehicles are sent to a central server/storage where the vehicle images can be checked for damage as compared to locations so that it can be determined who was in possession of the vehicle when damage occurred.

A system for capturing VIN numbers and vehicles images to track vehicle damage through vehicle supply chains which includes a mobile software application and/or robot(s) which moves autonomously around parking lots. The mobile application can direct the user to capture VIN images and/or vehicle images from certain views and collect GPS positions of the same and the robot includes various cameras and sensors to identify vehicles and take pictures of them. All of the captured images of vehicles are sent to a central server/storage where the vehicle images can be checked for damage as compared to locations so that it can be determined who was in possession of the vehicle when damage occurred.

Methods and systems for localization within an environment include determining a topology estimate of nodes located in a dynamic indoor environment, based on distances measured between the nodes. Rigid k-core sub-graphs of the topology estimate are generated to determine relative localizations of the nodes. Relative localizations are transformed into absolute localizations to generate a map of positions of the nodes within the environment. A feature of the map is deployed to a device in the environment.

Described is an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that includes a lifting propulsion mechanism that is circumferentially-driven and includes a propeller assembly and a propeller rim enclosure. The propeller assembly includes a plurality of propeller blades that extend radially and are coupled to an inner side of a substantially circular propeller rim that encompasses the propeller blades. Permanent magnets are coupled to an outer side of the propeller rim. The propeller rim and the magnets are positioned within a cavity of the propeller rim enclosure such that the propeller rim will rotate within the propeller rim enclosure. Also within the cavity of the propeller rim enclosure are electromagnets that are used to cause the propeller rim to rotate.

A power supply control method and a monitoring system configured to implement the power supply control method are provided. The monitoring system includes a base station, a drone, and a processor. The base station includes a charging device. The charging device includes a power supply connector and a power source coupled to the power supply connector and outputting electric power through the power supply connector. The drone includes a battery configured to provide electric power to the drone and a charging connector configured to connect the battery and the power supply connector. When the charging connector is connected to the power supply connector, the processor determines an abnormal situation on the power supply connector or the drone according to an electrical characteristic during charging the battery by the power source. The abnormal situation is associated with a foreign object formed on the power supply connector or the drone.

Ultrasonic ranging state management for a UAV is described. A transducer transmits an ultrasonic signal and receives an ultrasonic response thereto using a gain value. A noise floor estimation mechanism determines a noise floor estimate. A state mechanism sets an ultrasonic ranging state used by the transducer to a first ultrasonic ranging state. The transducer transmits an ultrasonic signal and responsively receive an ultrasonic response to the ultrasonic signal using a gain value according to the noise floor estimate. The state mechanism processes the ultrasonic response to determine whether to determine a new noise floor estimate, adjust the gain value used by the transducer, or change the ultrasonic ranging state of the UAV to a second ultrasonic ranging state. The configurations of the first and second ultrasonic ranging states differ as to, for example, power and gain levels used by the transducer to receive ultrasonic responses.

The present invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle, including: a fuselage; a battery accommodation cavity, disposed on the fuselage; a battery pack, including at least two battery blocks and mounted inside the battery accommodation cavity; a battery circuit board, electrically connected to the battery blocks in the battery pack; and a functional module, electrically connected to the battery circuit board, the battery blocks in the battery pack supplying power to the functional module via the battery circuit board at the same time. By using the solution of the present invention, endurance of the unmanned aerial vehicle is increased.

An electric unmanned aerial vehicle includes a position sensor, a memory, and a controller in communication with the position sensor and the memory. The position sensor is configured to obtain coordinate information of a present position of the electric unmanned aerial vehicle in real-time. The coordinate information includes a plane coordinate on a horizontal plane and a height coordinate in a vertical direction. The memory stores coordinate information of a preset position of the electric unmanned aerial vehicle. The controller is configured to calculate a safety electricity amount needed by the electric unmanned aerial vehicle to perform a safety protection command based on the plane coordinate and the height coordinate, compare the safety electricity amount with a present remaining electricity amount of a battery of the electric unmanned aerial vehicle, and perform a safety protection command if the present remaining electricity amount is not greater than the safety electricity amount.