Presented is a small, unmanned aircraft systems (aka drone) configured for amphibious use in water environments. Also presented is a capture device for the capture and recovery of a small, unmanned aircraft system.

A flying machine frame structural body including: a frame that surrounds a flying machine body including a rotating blade, and to which the flying machine body is fixed; and plural wheels that are rotatably supported by the frame.

Various embodiments provide methods for controlling landings of a UAV in a landing zone including a plurality of landing bays. Various embodiments include a method implemented on a computing device for receiving continuous real-time sensor data from a transceiver and from sensors onboard the UAV, and detecting a target landing bay within the plurality of landing bays within the landing zone that is available for landing based on the continuous real-time sensor data. Orientation and position coordinates for landing in the target landing bay may be calculated based on the continuous real-time sensor data. Information regarding positions and flight vectors of a plurality of autonomous UAVs may be obtained, and a flight plan for landing in the target landing bay may be generated based on the orientation and the position coordinates, positions and flight vectors of the plurality of autonomous UAVs and a current orientation and position of the UAV.

An unmanned vehicle includes a vehicle body and at least one arm assembly. The arm assembly is coupled to the vehicle body. The arm assembly includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, and a propeller. The second rotating member is coupled to the first rotating member. The propeller includes a propeller rim encircling an outer edge of the propeller and a rotatable axle coupled to the second rotating member. The the rotatable axle extends along a rotating axis. The second rotating member is configured to turn the propeller by rotating the rotatable axle about the rotating axis. The first rotating member is configured to rotate and effect a movement of the second rotating member so as to selectively adjust the rotatable axle to align the rotating axis at least with a first axial direction and a second axial direction.

An unmanned vehicle includes a vehicle body having an accommodating space, an arm assembly coupled to the vehicle body, and a floating member connected to a bottom surface of the vehicle body. The arm assembly includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member coupled to the first rotating member, and a propeller. The propeller includes a rotatable axle coupled to the second rotating member and extending along a rotating axis. The second rotating member can turn the propeller by rotating the rotatable axle about the rotating axis. The first rotating member can rotate and effect a movement of the second rotating member so as to selectively adjust the rotatable axle to align the rotating axis with a first axial direction and a second axial direction. The arm assembly can rotate relative to the vehicle body to selectively rotate into or out of the accommodating space.

Disclosed is a system and method for reducing the total latency for transferring a frame from the low latency camera system mounted on an aerial vehicle to the display of the remote controller. The method includes reducing the latency through each of the modules of the system, i.e. through a camera module, an encoder module, a wireless interface transmission, wireless interface receiver module, a decoder module and a display module. To reduce the latency across the modules, methods such as overclocking the image processor, pipelining the frame, squashing the processed frame, using a fast hardware encoder that can perform slice based encoding, tuning the wireless medium using queue sizing, queue flushing, bitrate feedback, physical medium rate feedback, dynamic encoder parameter tuning and wireless radio parameter adjustment, using a fast hardware decoder that can perform slice based decoding and overclocking the display module are used.

Various embodiments of a vision-guided unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system to identify and collect foreign objects from the surface of a body of water are disclosed herein. A vision system and methodology has been developed to reduce reflections and glare from a water surface to better identify an object for removal. A linearized polarization filter and a specularity-removal algorithm is used to eliminate excessive reflection and glare. A contour-based detection algorithm is implemented for detecting the targeted objects on water surface. Further, the system includes a boundary layer sliding mode control (BLSMC) methodology to reduce and minimize position and velocity errors between the UAV and object in the presence of modeling and parameter uncertainties due to variation in a moving water surface.

Various embodiments of a vision-guided unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system to identify and collect foreign objects from the surface of a body of water are disclosed herein. A vision system and methodology has been developed to reduce reflections and glare from a water surface to better identify an object for removal. A linearized polarization filter and a specularity-removal algorithm is used to eliminate excessive reflection and glare. A contour-based detection algorithm is implemented for detecting the targeted objects on water surface. Further, the system includes a boundary layer sliding mode control (BLSMC) methodology to reduce and minimize position and velocity errors between the UAV and object in the presence of modeling and parameter uncertainties due to variation in a moving water surface.

A convertible multi-mode vehicle capable of motorized travel in the air, on land, on water, and under water. The multi-mode vehicle is capable of controlled aerial flight, movement on the ground in terrestrial environments, on an aquatic surface, as well as underwater by changing between the different modes. Pivoting propulsion motors enable a convertible configuration from one vehicle locomotion mode to another.

A convertible multi-mode vehicle capable of motorized travel in the air, on land, on water, and under water. The multi-mode vehicle is capable of controlled aerial flight, movement on the ground in terrestrial environments, on an aquatic surface, as well as underwater by changing between the different modes. Pivoting propulsion motors enable a convertible configuration from one vehicle locomotion mode to another.