A UAV in which electric power is generated for an electric load from differentials in electric field strengths within a vicinity of powerlines includes: a plurality of electrodes separated and electrically insulated from one another for enabling differentials in voltage resulting from differentials in electric field strength experienced thereat; and electrical components electrically connected therewith and configurable to establish one or more electric circuits whereby voltage differentials causes a current to flow through the established electric circuit for powering an electric load. Preferably, the UAV includes a control assembly having one or more voltage-detector components configured to detect relative voltages of the electrodes; and a processor enabled to configure—based on the detected voltages and based on voltage and electric current specifications for powering the electric load—one or more of the electrical components to establish an electric circuit for powering the electric load.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a charging station for charging of a UAV within a vicinity of powerlines includes an interface for electric coupling with the UAV for charging of a rechargeable battery of the UAV; a power supply having first and second electrodes separated and electrically insulated from each other for enabling a differential in voltage at the first and second electrodes resulting from a differential in electric field strength experienced at the first and second electrodes when within the vicinity of the powerlines; and electrical components electrically connected with the first and second electrodes and configured to establish a circuit with the rechargeable battery of the UAV when electronically coupled with the interface. The differential in voltage between the first and second electrodes causes electric current to flow through the electric circuit for charging the battery of the UAV.

A linear thruster aircraft includes: an airframe, including an elongated mounting nacelle and a main body; an aircraft control unit with a processor, a non-transitory memory, and an input/output component; and at least one linear thruster arrangement with at least four thrusters mounted along at least one elongated axis of the elongated mounting nacelle, such that the thrusters are configured to provide lift, pitch, roll, and yaw movement. Optionally, the linear thruster arrangement can include alternating lateral and vertical offsets of the thrusters from the elongated axis, and pairs of thrusters can be vertically overlapping.

The present invention relates to a method for validating sensor units in a UAV. The UAV comprising: a first sensor unit and a second sensor unit, each sensor unit being configured to create an image of the surroundings. The method comprising the steps of: taking a first image by the first sensor unit, taking a second image by the second sensor unit, wherein the second image and the first image at least partly overlap, and comparing the overlapping portions between the first image and the second image. Based on a result in which the overlapping portions of the first image and the second image do not correlate to each other, it is determined that at least one of the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit is dysfunctional.

A battery-powered aerial vehicle has a central controller, one or more propelling modules, and one or more battery assemblies for powering at least the one or more propelling modules. The battery assemblies are at a distance away from the central controller for reducing electromagnetic interference to the central controller. In some embodiments, the aerial vehicle is a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a central controller, a plurality of rotor units, and one or more battery assemblies. The central controller is in a center unit and the propelling modules are in respective rotor units. Each battery assembly is in a rotor unit in proximity with the propelling module thereof. In some embodiments, the central controller also has a battery-power balancing circuit for balancing the power consumption rates of the one or more battery assemblies.

An unmanned aerial vehicle, having a main body comprising at least an elongate backbone with a forward end piece and a rearward end piece. The end pieces are wider than the backbone and comprise coupling facilities for respective rotor arms, each said rotor arm configured for supporting motor and propeller assemblies. The unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises a pair of elongated batteries. The end pieces and at least a portion of the backbone form receptacles on both sides of the backbone for releasably receiving respective electric batteries, wherein the batteries, backbone and end pieces form an elongate and substantially rectangular body assembly.

An aircraft has an airframe with a two-dimensional distributed thrust array attached thereto having a plurality of propulsion assemblies that are independently controlled by a flight control system. Each propulsion assembly includes a housing with a gimbal coupled thereto that is operable to tilt about first and second axes responsive to first and second actuators. A propulsion system is coupled to and operable to tilt with the gimbal. The propulsion system includes an electric motor having an output drive and a rotor assembly having a plurality of rotor blades that rotate in a rotational plane to generate thrust having a thrust vector. Responsive to a thrust vector error of a first propulsion assembly, the flight control system commands at least a second propulsion assembly, that is symmetrically disposed relative to the first propulsion assembly, to counteract the thrust vector error, thereby providing redundant directional control for the aircraft.

Provided is a controller for an unmanned aerial vehicle, including a control ball including a 3-axis acceleration sensor, a support unit for supporting the control ball so that the control ball is moved in position or rotated within a given range in a three-dimensional space, a processor for generating a control signal for controlling a motion of the unmanned aerial vehicle so that the unmanned aerial vehicle corresponds to a change in the 3-axis acceleration of the control ball, and a communication module for transmitting the control signal to the unmanned aerial vehicle. The present disclosure can be associated with an artificial intelligence module, a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, and devices related to 5G service.

Provided is a station for an unmanned aerial robot includes a control box having a landing surface formed with a guide mark which guides a landing point of the unmanned aerial robot, an elevator disposed in the control box and movable vertically, and a landing stand coupled to the elevator and have a height of a highest point located at least above the landing surface during vertical movement. The present disclosure can be linked with an artificial intelligence module, a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, devices related to 5G services and the like.

A hybrid wing autonomous aircraft having, an airframe, at least one hybrid wing member having an airframe end and an extended end, and having leading and trailing edges and a plurality of control structures, the airframe end coupled to the airframe, and the extended end further configured with a wing extension device, the wing extension device configured to extend a supplemental lifting surface from the extended end, an airframe actuator configured to cause the extension end of the hybrid wing member to move from a first position relative to the airframe to a second position relative to the airframe, wherein the second position is greater in distance from the airframe than the first position.