Accessory port systems and methods are provided. In one example, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes an accessory port configured to interchangeably attach a plurality of accessory devices to the UAV. The accessory port may have a mechanical interface configured to engage with one of the accessory devices. The mechanical interface may include a locking member configured to physically secure the accessory device to the accessory port. The accessory port may further include an electrical interface configured to electrically connect the accessory device to the UAV. The mechanical interface may be configured to align the accessory device relative to the electrical interface. Related devices, systems, and methods are also provided.

A lightweight, pocket-sized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be held in an outstretched hand by a user for take-off and landing of the UAV. The UAV comprises a semi-toroidal or a substantially toroidal hollow body that defines a duct. The UAV further comprises a motor for rotating a fan that directs air into and out of the duct enabling UAV to take flight. The UAV comprises a flight-control system that comprises at least two flight control surfaces that can alter the directed air as it flows through the duct for controlling the roll and pitch and optionally the yaw of the UAV during flight. The flight control system may be controlled by a microprocessor controller. The UAV further comprises a payload, with at least a wireless transmitter and receiver unit.

An antenna system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes one or more antennas, a reflector, and a control system. The control system is configured to determine a density of antenna towers near the UAV, determine a position for an active antenna of the one or more antennas based on the density, and adjust the active antenna to the determined position. In some embodiments, the antenna system further includes one or more switches, each of the one or more antennas is a different distance from the reflector, and the switches are used to adjust the active antenna to the determined position by selecting a one of the one or more antennas closest to the determined position as the active antenna. In some embodiments, the antenna system further includes an actuator and the active antenna is moved to the determined position using the actuator.

In one embodiment, a remote controller for a vehicle includes at least one control element for controlling operation of at least one aspect of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a remote-control mode; an actuator connected the at least one control element for controlling a position of the at least one control element when the vehicle is in an autonomous operations mode; and a processing system for receiving a first control signal from the vehicle indicative of a state of operation of the vehicle. In operation, the processing system generates a second control signal to the actuator to cause the actuator to control a position of the control element such that it corresponds to and indicates the state of operation of the vehicle.

The present disclosure realizes a configuration capable of accurately displaying a flight path of a drone on an actually captured image of the drone. The configuration includes a data processing unit that displays a moving path of a moving device such as a drone on a display unit that displays a camera-capturing image of the moving device. The data processing unit generates a coordinate conversion matrix for performing coordinate conversion processing of converting position information according to a first coordinate system, for example, the NED coordinate system indicating the moving path of the moving device into a second coordinate system, for example, the camera coordinate system capable of specifying a pixel position of a display image on the display unit and outputs, to the display unit, the moving path having position information according to the camera coordinate system generated by coordinate conversion processing to which the generated coordinate conversion matrix is applied.

A system and method for distributing control over a drone and an active-payload carried by the drone to loosely coupled drone controller and payload controller, are disclosed. The active-payload includes a self-embedded payload controller and at least one controllable thrust source or moving weight. The drone controller identifies a current active-payload type that is coupled to the drone for performing one or more tasks and selects a control-type, which defines degrees of freedom (DOFs) to be controlled by the drone controller and released DOFs to be controlled by the payload controller, accordingly. The drone and active-payload perform the one or more task, wherein the drone controller controls maneuver instructions in drone controller controlled DOFs and simultaneously and asynchronously the payload controller controls maneuver instructions in the released DOFs by exerting controllable force or torque in the released DOFs by the at least one thrust source and/or moving weight.

A method for optimizing image data for generating orthorectified image(s) related to an area of interest in an environment. The method includes receiving a first image dataset of the area of interest captured therein, identifying each of multiple objects in the area of interest, receiving attribute information related to each of the multiple identified objects, determining if one or more of the multiple identified objects satisfy at least one of a risk criteria based on the attribute information therefor, identifying a maximum relevant second area including at least the area of interest and each of the one or more of the multiple identified objects satisfying the at least one of risk criteria, and processing the first image dataset to either discard or down-sample areas other than the maximum relevant second area captured therein.

Systems and methods for a weapon mountable tactical heads-up display (HUD) are provided. The HUD may include a 9 degrees of freedom (9DOF) sensor, a target library, and a target finder visualization. The target library may store respective ballistic information for each target of a plurality of targets. The respective ballistic information may include a target vector for each target of the plurality of targets. The target vector may be calculated based on data received from the 9DOF sensor. The target finder visualization may allow a shooter to locate a selected target of the plurality of targets. The target finder visualization may be based on the target vector.

In an aspect, a system for a guidance interface for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprises a plurality of flight components that are mechanically coupled to the VTOL aircraft. The VTOL aircraft also comprises an output device that is configured to present a display of the outside environment. The output device may overlay the display with a datum, a focal point, and a guidance symbol. The datum may be associated with the flight components of the VTOL aircraft. The focal point may be indicative of a desired landing location for the VTOL aircraft. The focal point may be determined by at least a predetermined flight plan. The guidance symbol may be a symbol that includes an optimal flight path to the focal point.

Described herein are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and systems and methods for dynamically selecting directional antennas onboard the UAV for wireless transmissions. For example, an embodiment pertains to a UAV that comprises a flight control system in remote communication with a remote receiver via directional antennas onboard the UAV. The flight control system is operatively coupled with a propulsion system to control the flight of the UAV. While in-flight, the flight control system is configured to determine an orientation and position of the UAV. It is further configured to select a subset of directional antennas to transmit from based on the determined orientation and position, among other factors. The flight control system then directs a transmitter to send wireless communications using the selected directional antennas.