A drone fishing system mountable on a fishing vessel having an aft portion includes a landing pad mounted having a drone station mounted on the aft portion of the fishing vessel, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and tether line and tether reel for maintaining an electrical connection between the drone station and the UAV. The UAV including a computing module for determining optimal positioning of the UAV with respect to the fishing vessel during operation. The UAV tether line spools about the tether reel and has an abrasion resistant cable jacket for enabling a selective engagement of a clip on the tether line. A first altimeter mounted on the fishing vessel. A second altimeter mounted on the UAV. The first and second altimeters communicate with the computing module of the UAV. The electrical connection communicates power and data between the landing pad and the UAV.

An optical-based aerial gaming system comprises: a multirotor unmanned flying device comprising: a main body; a plurality of propulsion units, a wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication; a wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication; one or more light generators configured to project laser or infrared light from the unmanned flying device; and one or more light sensors configured to detect laser or infrared light projected by a separate unmanned flying device; and a remote control unit comprising: a wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication; and a wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication, wherein the unmanned flying device is configured to transmit to the remote control unit, using the wireless transmitter of the unmanned flying device, at least a portion of encoded data of the detected laser or infrared light.

A technique is directed to methods and systems for providing drone-based assistance to a user. Drones may be utilized to aid users in performing tasks, such as assisting a user during an activity. The assistance can include providing a cooling flow of air, spraying a cooling mist of liquid, playing music, providing guidance, providing instructions, communicating with a device(s) to seek medical aid, retrieving sporting equipment, collecting performance metrics, collecting health metrics, or any assistance action. A user can connect to the drone via a device or using a set of built-in algorithms that employ biometric recognition to identify the user. Once activated and linked to the user, the drone can take flight. The drone can fly above, in front, or behind the user at a predetermined or adjustable height and provide airflow or mist from the drone blades to cool the user.

An arena includes a porous surface through which an airflow is output, thereby providing lift for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to push the UAV away from the porous surface. The airflow may also provide thrust to push the UAV in a direction that is parallel to the porous surface. The UAV may include one or more propellers that can provide lift, thrust, or both to the UAV. The airflow may be modified over a duration of time to modify lift or thrust to the UAV. The airflow may be modified based on regions of the arena to modify lift or thrust in different regions of the arena. The arena may include a scoreboard to display a score that may be modified as a result of actions undertaken by the UAV. Two or more UAVs may be used to play a game via the arena.

A system can determine that a simulated (e.g., virtual) weapon has hit a UAV. This can include determining a simulated position of the simulated weapon and the relative position of the UAV. The system can then determine an area of effect for the weapon and determine if the UAV was hit. The system can determine what components of the UAV were hit and to what degree. The system can then determine a simulated condition such as a damaged engine or wing. The system can then receive input for controlling the UAV and combine the input with the simulated condition to generate a control signal for the UAV. The control signal can include decreasing the power to a motor.

A system enabling remote-controlled piloting of multirotors with first-person-video to play games. Each multirotor has a transmission system and a detection system. The transmission system acts as a gun that transmits an electromagnetic radiation signal and the detection system acts as a shot detector by detecting the electromagnetic radiation signal. Game information can be processed and overlaid on the first person video provided to the player piloting the multirotor. Each multirotor may include a lighting system and a LASER to provide visual cues to other players and observers. Some embodiments utilize flag devices in a capture-the-flag game mode.

Systems, methods, and software to acquire light measurements in a targeted space using an autonomous vehicle, such as an aerial drone, are provided. Examples of targeted spaces include, but are not limited to, stadiums, arenas, racetracks, fields, parking lots, etc. Uses of such systems, software, and/or methods include, but are not limited to, verifying that required light intensity, distribution, camera image quality, and/or other performance metrics are met when commissioning, changing, checking, and approving lighting systems, among other things.

A system and method of conducting a drone race or game in a contained area is disclosed herein. The system may also include cameras attached to the drones and the video feed from the camera is transmitted to a computing device used to control the drone and to display the video feed. The system may also use computing devices and monitors to display the video feeds from the cameras attached to the drones. The system may also be configured as a game with information points.

An optical-based aerial gaming system comprises: a multirotor unmanned flying device comprising: a main body; a plurality of propulsion units, a wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication; a wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication; one or more light generators configured to project laser or infrared light from the unmanned flying device; and one or more light sensors configured to detect laser or infrared light projected by a separate unmanned flying device; and a remote control unit comprising: a wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication; and a wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication, wherein the unmanned flying device is configured to transmit to the remote control unit, using the wireless transmitter of the unmanned flying device, at least a portion of encoded data of the detected laser or infrared light.

The present invention discloses a smart unmanned aerial vehicle for home which includes a route reconnaissance module to respond to reconnaissance instructions which instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to patrol a house according to a preset flight route; a feature recognition module to recognize family members and different reactions of the family members toward the unmanned aerial vehicle for generating and recording an instruction set for different family members; a control module to generate reconnaissance instructions according to external reconnaissance control signals, wherein when exception occurs, warning signals are generated; the control module interrupts a patrol according to an external patrol interruption signal or when the feature recognition module recognizes the family members; the control module responds or waits for a response to the control signals for actions of the feature recognition module. The present invention is customized for family members, which is able to monitor and etc.