A modular housing structure for housing a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) includes a plurality of housing segments and a plurality of landing pads. The plurality of housing segments are shaped to mechanically join together to define an interior of the modular housing structure. The individual housing segments have a common structural shape that repeats when assembled to form the modular housing structure. The plurality of landing pads are positioned within the individual housing segments, each of the landing pads sized to physically support and charge a corresponding one of the UAVs.

A transport system for an unmanned aerial vehicle includes a control device that controls an unmanned aerial vehicle and a transport vehicle. The control device outputs a move command designating a destination of the unmanned aerial vehicle to both the transport vehicle and the unmanned aerial vehicle held by the transport vehicle. In response to receiving the move command, the transport vehicle travels to a corresponding stop position set on a travel route R in correspondence to the destination and stops at the corresponding stop position, and the unmanned aerial vehicle takes off from an aerial vehicle holding section and moves to the destination while the transport vehicle is stopped at the corresponding stop position.

A transport system for an unmanned aerial vehicle includes a control device that controls an unmanned aerial vehicle and a transport vehicle. The control device outputs a move command designating a destination of the unmanned aerial vehicle to both the transport vehicle and the unmanned aerial vehicle held by the transport vehicle. In response to receiving the move command, the transport vehicle travels to a corresponding stop position set on a travel route R in correspondence to the destination and stops at the corresponding stop position, and the unmanned aerial vehicle takes off from an aerial vehicle holding section and moves to the destination while the transport vehicle is stopped at the corresponding stop position.

In various embodiments, specialized vehicle launch systems and methods are provided to enable personnel to launch and operate one or more UAVs from the safety of a vehicle or other mobile location. In various embodiments, a launch system comprises a launch device and an operator terminal. The launch device is adapted to be mounted on an exterior surface of a vehicle and is communicably coupled to the operator terminal, which is operable from the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle launch system allows an operator to control one or more UAVs from inside the vehicle, without requiring the operator to step outside of the vehicle to interact with the UAV or launch device.

A modular housing structure for housing a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) includes a plurality of housing segments and a plurality of landing pads. The plurality of housing segments are shaped to mechanically join together to define an interior of the modular housing structure. The individual housing segments have a common structural shape that repeats when assembled to form the modular housing structure. The plurality of landing pads are positioned within the individual housing segments, each of the landing pads sized to physically support and charge a corresponding one of the UAVs.

A modular housing structure for housing a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) includes a plurality of housing segments and a plurality of landing pads. The plurality of housing segments are shaped to mechanically join together to define an interior of the modular housing structure. The individual housing segments have a common structural shape that repeats when assembled to form the modular housing structure. The plurality of landing pads are positioned within the individual housing segments, each of the landing pads sized to physically support and charge a corresponding one of the UAVs.

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.

A balloon-launching apparatus includes a plurality of housing sections each formed in a box shape having an opening that opens in an upper part thereof and configured to house a balloon. The housing section launches the balloon from the opening, and the plurality of housing sections is arranged in a matrix shape.

Described herein are systems for roof scan using an unmanned aerial vehicle. For example, some methods include capturing, using an unmanned aerial vehicle, an overview image of a roof of a building from above the roof; presenting a suggested bounding polygon overlaid on the overview image to a user; determining a bounding polygon based on the suggested bounding polygon and user edits; based on the bounding polygon, determining a flight path including a sequence of poses of the unmanned aerial vehicle with respective fields of view at a fixed height that collectively cover the bounding polygon; fly the unmanned aerial vehicle to a sequence of scan poses with horizontal positions matching respective poses of the flight path and vertical positions determined to maintain a consistent distance above the roof; and scanning the roof from the sequence of scan poses to generate a three-dimensional map of the roof.

A storage station for unmanned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircrafts includes a storage case (110) for accommodating an unmanned VTOL aircraft therein, a first coupling member (120) having one end pivotably coupled to an inner upper surface of the storage case and the other end protruding out of the storage case by a pivoting operation, and a second coupling member (130) provided at the other end of the first coupling member, in which one end of a main body of the unmanned VTOL aircraft is coupled to the second coupling member, and the second coupling member is rotatable about a rotation axis in a longitudinal direction of the first coupling member, whereby it is possible to provide an advantageous effect of simultaneously storing and charging multiple drones on sides, and it is particularly possible to provide an advantageous effect of charging and storing a large number of drones used in swarm flight technology, which has recently become increasingly useful.