Various methods enable a processor of a robotic vehicle to determine when the robotic vehicle has been stolen so that a self-recovery operation may be performed. Determining whether the robotic vehicle has been stolen may include evaluating, by a processor of the robotic vehicle, unauthorized use indicia, and determining that the robotic vehicle is stolen in response to determining that unauthorized use indicia exceed a threshold. Evaluating unauthorized use indicia may include determining whether an Integrated Circuit Card Identifier of a Subscriber Identify Module matches a stored value, determining whether a paired controller is different from a usual controller, determining whether the operator's skill has changed, and evaluating one or more trust factors that are observable features of normal operation.

A helicopter includes a propulsion system, gimbal assembly, and a controller. The propulsion system includes a first rotor assembly and a second rotor assembly. The first rotor assembly comprises a first motor coupled to a first rotor and the second rotor assembly comprises a second motor coupled to a second rotor. The second rotor is coaxial to the first rotor and is configured to be counter-rotating to the first rotor. The gimbal assembly couples a fuselage of the helicopter to the propulsion system. The controller is communicably coupled to the gimbal assembly and is configured to provide instructions to the gimbal assembly in order to weight-shift the fuselage of the helicopter, thereby controlling movements of the helicopter.

The present disclosure is directed toward a system for autonomously landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) within an unmanned aerial vehicle ground station (UAVGS) and removing a battery assembly from within the UAV while landed. In particular, systems described herein enable a battery arm to engage a battery assembly and remove the battery assembly from within the UAV. Additionally, the battery arm can include one or more sensors that detect a pattern of sensor contacts arranged on an end of the battery assembly. In particular, the sensors on the battery arm can detect and identify the battery assembly based on the particular pattern of sensor contacts on the end of the battery assembly.

This disclosure is generally directed to an Unmanned Aerial Device (UAV) that uses a removable computing device for command and control. The UAV may include an airframe with rotors and an adjustable cradle to attach a computing device. The computing device, such as a smart phone, tablet, MP3 player, or the like, may provide the necessary avionics and computing equipment to control the UAV autonomously. For example, the adjustable cradle may be extended to fit a tablet or other large computing device, or retracted to fit a smart phone or other small computing device. Thus, the adjustable cradle may provide for the attachment and use of a plurality of different computing devices in conjunction with a single airframe. Additionally the UAV may comprise adjustable arms to assist in balancing the load of the different computing devices and/or additional equipment attached to the airframe.

A landing platform for an unmanned aerial vehicle, including a plurality of substantially funnel-shaped centering housings configured to cooperate with a corresponding plurality of projections of the aerial vehicle for reaching a predetermined landing position. The platform can include a mechanism for recharging the battery of the aerial vehicle and/or with an arrangement for serial data transfer.

A telescoping tail assembly for use on an aircraft that has a fore-aft length. The telescoping tail assembly includes a housing extending in an aftward direction and a tailboom slidable along the housing into various positions including an extended position and a retracted position. A jackscrew is coupled to the tailboom. An actuator is coupled to the jackscrew and is configured to selectively rotate the jackscrew to translate the tailboom between the plurality of positions. The tailboom has one or more control surfaces coupled thereto. The tailboom increases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the extended position and decreases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the retracted position.

An unmanned helicopter platform includes a fuselage, a tail coupled with the fuselage, a payload rail coupled with and extending along the fuselage and a main rotor assembly coupled with the fuselage. The tail includes a tail rotor and a tail rotor motor. The main rotor assembly includes a main rotor having an axis of rotation and a main rotor motor. The payload rail allows mechanical connection of payloads to the fuselage and positioning of the payloads such that a center of gravity of the payloads is alignable with the axis of rotation.

A vertical tail of a composite-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a body, a rudder face section, a rotor section, shock absorbing component and a quick installation assembly of circuit. The body includes a tail body frame and a shell. The rudder face section has a rudder machine and a rudder surface. The rudder surface is connected to one end of the tail for steering the directional deflection of the UAV. The shock absorbing component is connected to the lower end plate and the shock absorbing component absorbs the shock to the body. The quick installation assembly of circuit includes a plug, a positioning sleeve and a bias piece, the positioning sleeve is located on the outer circumference of the plug and slidingly connected to the plug, the bias piece is set between the plug and the positioning sleeve, the bias piece can absorb the impact on the plug.

A flying robot includes a body portion, a propulsion portion including a plurality of propulsion units configured to generate propulsion force by driving rotor blades, the plurality of propulsion units being provided at the body portion, a plurality of leg portions configured to support the body portion, each leg portion of the plurality of leg portions including at least one joint and being configured to be able to change a posture of the leg portion, and a controller configured to control the plurality of leg portions when landing on a landing surface from a flying state, and the controller controls part or all of at least one leg portion among the plurality of leg portions to adjust a tilt of the body portion from when the at least one leg portion comes into contact with the landing surface until when landing on the landing surface is completed.

A flying robot includes a body portion, a propulsion portion including a plurality of propulsion units configured to generate propulsion force by driving rotor blades, the plurality of propulsion units being provided at the body portion, a plurality of leg portions configured to support the body portion, each leg portion of the plurality of leg portions including at least one joint and being configured to be able to change a posture of the leg portion, and a controller configured to control the plurality of leg portions when landing on a landing surface from a flying state, and the controller controls part or all of at least one leg portion among the plurality of leg portions to adjust a tilt of the body portion from when the at least one leg portion comes into contact with the landing surface until when landing on the landing surface is completed.