An aerial vehicle, preferably including: a rotary wing and a protection housing enclosing the rotary wing. An aerial vehicle, preferably including: a first rotary wing module including a first rotary wing and a second rotary wing module including a second rotary wing, wherein the first rotary wing module and the second rotary wing module are preferably operable between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration. A method of aerial vehicle operation.

A repair device and method for repairing damage around the leading edge of a wind turbine blade (20) are provided. The repair device includes a robotic maintenance device (40) and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (62) that can move the maintenance device (40) between a storage position and an operation position, the former being mounted on a blade (20) of the wind turbine (10). The UAV (62) hovers and remains connected to the maintenance device (40) during operations at the blade (20) to minimize a total operational downtime needed to conduct the repair actions. The UAV (62) is secured to the maintenance device (40) by at least one support line (68) that carries the weight load of the maintenance device (40) and at least two control lines (72) that prevent undesired rotations of the maintenance device (40), thereby improving precision and accuracy of UAV-driven movements of the maintenance device (40). A transport container (24) may also be provided to define the storage position, the transport container (24) including an elongated slot (70) for guiding movement of the lines (68, 72) and the maintenance device (40) during movements into and out of a storage space within the container (24).

Systems, devices, and methods for a ground support system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including: at least one handling fixture, where each handling fixture is configured to support at least one wing panel of the UAV; and at least one dolly, where each dolly is configured to receive at least one landing pod of the UAV, and where each landing pod supports at least one wing panel of the UAV; where the at least one handling fixture and the at least one dolly are configured to move and rotate two or more wing panels to align the two or more wing panels with each other for assembly of the UAV; and where the at least one dolly further allows for transportation of the UAV over uneven terrain.

Stowing systems and methods to disassemble, store, and/or protect an aircraft, and in particular a VTOL aircraft, for transportation along standard public roadways. A stowing system attaches to the aircraft in a flight-ready state, and guides, supports, and/or stabilizes sub-assemblies of the aircraft as they are removed and moved into their stowed positions in preparation for transportation. In some embodiments, the stowing system is implemented as a trailer. The trailer, in some embodiments, is towable by car, such that the aircraft can be carried on and transported with the car and trailer by road. In some embodiments, the stowing system defines landing platform for the aircraft. It may provide facilities to help direct the aircraft to a precise location allowing support elements of the stowing system to be moved to engage with sub-assemblies of the aircraft along predefined degrees of freedom.

A UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) arm mechanism includes an arm fixed device, a control device, a limiting device, and an arm connecting device, wherein the control device is adapted for controlling an assembly and disassembly of the arm fixed device and the arm connecting device, the limiting device is adapted for relatively fixing the arm fixed device and the arm connecting device; the control device is adapted for driving the limiting device to be detached from the arm connecting device, so as to achieve that the arm fixed device and the arm connecting device switch among at least three different states through a relative rotation. The UAV and the UAV arm mechanism can be locked up through the positioning pins, and also can be folded and disassembled after pressing the controlling device.

A rotor arm assembly has a mechanical alignment and electrical connector for fitting to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV has a corresponding fitting for aligning the rotor arm assembly, making an electrical connection with it and retaining it in position. Such rotor arm assemblies are easily and quickly replaced due to their modular construction. UAVs with this construction are easily transported and stored.

Systems, apparatuses and methods for landing an unmanned aircraft on a mobile structure are presented. Sensors on the aircraft identify a predetermined landing area on a mobile structure. The aircraft monitors the sensor data to maintain its position hovering over the landing area. The aircraft estimates a future attitude of the surface of the landing area and determines a landing time that corresponds to a desired attitude of the surface of the landing area. The unmanned aircraft executes a landing maneuver to bring the aircraft into contact with the surface of the landing area at the determined landing time.

An aircraft for the autonomous aerial delivery of a load to a target location, the aircraft comprising an airframe having at least one adjustable control structure for controlling the flight of the aircraft and a main body adapted to receive a load a self-contained control module releaseably connected to the airframe, the control module containing an actuator for adjusting the control structure and a controller for producing an electrical drive signal for controlling the actuator; and at least one linkage extending from the control module to the at least one adjustable control structure so as to operably connect the control module to the at least one adjustable control structure, wherein the actuator of the control module is adapted to adjust the at least one adjustable control structure using the at least one linkage so as to control the flight of the aircraft and to steer the aircraft to the target location.

An aerial delivery assembly for autonomously delivering a load to a target location, the assembly comprising an airframe which comprises a main body, at least one deployable lift providing structure, the lift providing structure being moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position; and at least one deployable and adjustable control structure for controlling the flight of the assembly and moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The main body comprises a compartment for receiving a load to be delivered. The assembly further comprises a control unit comprising an actuation module for use in adjusting the control structure, wherein the control unit is releaseably connected to the airframe such that it is reusable in an aerial delivery assembly having a different airframe.

Multi-rotor aerial vehicle (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1) comprising, at least a first, second and third rotor 10, 20, 30, each rotatable by a dedicated first second and third hydraulic motor 11, 21, 31, a power unit 2, at least a first, second and third hydraulic pump 12, 22, 32 dedicated to the respective first, second and third hydraulic motor 11, 21, 31, wherein each hydraulic pump 12, 22, 32 is arranged to provide pressurized fluid to each hydraulic motor 11, 21, 31 for powering the hydraulic motor 11, 21, 31 and thereby rotating the respective rotor 10, 20, 30, a control unit 6 for controlling the operation of the multi-rotor aerial vehicle (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1), wherein the control of the multi-rotor aerial vehicle (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1) is arranged to be performed by altering the flow of pressurized fluid distributed to each respective hydraulic motor 11, 21, 31, wherein, wherein the flow of pressurized fluid provided to each hydraulic motor 11, 21, 31 is individually controllable by means of at least one control valve 13, 23, 33 configured to control the flow of pressurized fluid from each hydraulic pump 12, 22, 32 to its dedicated hydraulic motor 11, 21, 31.