The invention relates to a hybrid drone for transporting or delivering objects 124, comprising at least one first wing 102 having an airfoil, at least one first and one second longitudinal drive unit 104, wherein the first longitudinal drive unit 104 and the second longitudinal drive unit 104 are arranged on the at least one wing 102, an object-holding device 110 formed on an upper side or on an underside between the first and second longitudinal drive units 104 and for holding an object 124, and a regulating unit formed for regulating the hybrid drone, in particular the drive units, based on control signals. The hybrid drone further comprises at least one first high drive unit 105, wherein the first high drive unit 105 is aligned or is pivotally alignable such that a thrust force that can be generated by means of the high drive unit 105 acts substantially orthogonally to the longitudinal direction 106 and substantially parallel to a vertical axis 116 of the hybrid drone, and the first high drive unit 105 is arranged with a defined lever distance relative to the center of gravity of the hybrid drone, and wherein a pitch angle of the hybrid drone in the flight state is adjustable by means of the first high drive unit 105. In addition, at least one holding element is provided, which is associated with the underside in a front region of the hybrid drone, wherein the holding element is configured for releasably arranging, in particular for hooking, the hybrid drone on a top-ending vertical receiving structure.

A drone can be used to carry a payload. The drone can include at least two wings extending from a fuselage and propellers that allow the drone to fly in a horizontal orientation. The drone can takeoff and land from a vertical orientation via landing rods at the rear of the fuselage. The drone also includes an adjustable center of gravity and/or an adjustable center of lift. The center of gravity can be adjusted by changing the weight of payload located fore and aft of the center of gravity or moving at least a portion of the payload fore or aft along the fuselage. The center of lift can be adjusted by swinging the wings away from or towards the fuselage or sliding the wings fore or aft along the fuselage such that the center of lift is adjacent to the center of gravity.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system energized by power lines includes a UAV, a charging mechanism and an electric circuit. The charging mechanism is operatively coupled to a body of the UAV. The charging mechanism can connect to power transmission lines deployed near an air space in which the UAV is airborne and operating. The charging mechanism can draw power from the power transmission lines to power a flight of the UAV. The electric circuit is onboard the UAV. The electric circuit can generate charging currents based on the power drawn from the power transmission lines to power the flight of the UAV while the UAV is airborne.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for an unmanned aerial system inspection system. One of the methods is performed by a UAV and includes obtaining, from a user device, flight operation information describing an inspection of a vertical structure to be performed, the flight operation information including locations of one or more safe locations for vertical inspection. A location of the UAV is determined to correspond to a first safe location for vertical inspection. A first inspection of the structure is performed is performed at the first safe location, the first inspection including activating cameras. A second safe location is traveled to, and a second inspection of the structure is performed. Information associated with the inspection is provided to the user device.

An aerial vehicle is programmed or configured to respond to reports of events or conditions within spaces of a facility. The aerial vehicle travels to a location of a reported event or condition and captures data using onboard sensors. The aerial vehicle independently determines whether the reported event or condition is occurring, or is otherwise properly addressed by resources that are available at the location, using images or other data captured by the onboard sensors. Alternatively, the aerial vehicle transmits a request for additional resources to be provided at the location, where necessary. A map of the location generated based on images or other data captured by the onboard sensors may be utilized for any purpose, such as to make one or more recommendations of products that are appropriate for use at the facility.

An aerodynamic braking device for a payload casing intended to be ejected from a projectile on its trajectory including at least one parachute connected to the casing by hangers, the parachute and the parachute hangers being housed in a sleeve. The sleeve is wound around an axis of winding perpendicular to its longitudinal direction and attached to a cylindrical housing the axis of which is parallel to the axis of winding, which housing is itself secured to a shell base that closes off the projectile, the hangers being connected to the casing by an extension cable which is wound around the axis of the housing and attached thereto by at least three peripheral break lines which are uniformly angularly distributed.

Embodiments are directed to a selectable drive system that allows a rotor gearbox to send torque to a proprotor assembly and/or through a multiplier planetary gear set to a pylon-mounted ducted fan thrust unit. The rotor drive system may be a stop-fold system in which rotor blades can be folded when not rotating. This allows a normally idle lift engine to provide additional aircraft thrust during cruise where an aircraft is typically using only a dedicated thrust engine for high speed flight. An inline engage/disengage actuator or “shift fork” on the rotor gearbox is used to select the torque-output direction. The multiplier planetary gear set increases the output RPM that is received from the rotor gearbox and that is applied to the thrust fan unit.

An aircraft includes an airframe having a fixed-wing section and a plurality of articulated electric rotors, at least some of which are variable-position rotors having different operating configurations based on rotor position. A first operating configuration is a vertical-flight configuration in which the rotors generate primarily vertical thrust for vertical flight, and a second operating configuration is a horizontal-flight configuration in which the rotors generate primarily horizontal thrust for horizontal fixed-wing flight. Control circuitry independently controls rotor thrust and rotor orientation of the variable-position rotors to provide thrust-vectoring maneuvering. The fixed-wing section may employ removable wing panels so the aircraft can be deployed both in fixed-wing and rotorcraft configurations for different missions.

An apparatus and method for automated launch, retrieval, and servicing of a hovering aircraft is provided. The apparatus includes a line which is elevatable while maintaining a principally horizontal axis. For retrieval, the aircraft translates principally spanwise over the line, following a path which is principally horizontal and normal to the line. At an appropriate moment, the line is elevated and contacts the aircraft's wing. As the aircraft continues translating, the line slides along the wing until captured in a cleat. The aircraft is then stably tethered in hover, and its position can be manipulated by articulating the line, such as to guide the aircraft into a docking station. For launch the aircraft lifts itself into hover while tethered to the line. Articulation of the line guides the aircraft into a launch position, at which point the line is disconnected from the cleat, thereby releasing the aircraft.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for gas transport is disclosed. The UAV includes a fuselage enclosing a volume, and a gas reservoir enclosed within the fuselage, filling at least a majority of the volume. The gas reservoir is configured to receive and store a gas at a pressure no greater than 100 bar. The UAV also includes a propulsion system having at least one engine, each of the at least one engine coupled to a prop that is driven by the at least one engine using energy derived from the gas stored in the gas reservoir. The UAV also includes a control system communicatively coupled to the propulsion system and configured to operate the unmanned aerial vehicle to autonomously transport the gas. The UAV may have a footprint while on the ground, and the footprint of the UAV may be no larger than three standard parking spaces.