Disclosed is a Global Positioning System (GPS) independent navigation system (GINS) for a self-guided aerial vehicle (SAV). The SAV has a housing, where the housing has an outer surface, a length, a front-end, and a longitudinal axis along the length of the housing. The GINS includes a first optical sensor, a second optical sensor, a storage unit, and a comparator.

Systems and methods are disclosed for generating a digital flight path within complex mission boundaries. In particular, in one or more embodiments, systems and methods generate flight legs that traverse a target site within mission boundaries. Moreover, one or more embodiments include systems and methods that utilize linking algorithms to connect the generated flight legs into a flight path. Moreover, one or more embodiments include systems and methods that generate a mission plan based on the flight path. In one or more embodiments, the generated mission plan enables a UAV to traverse a flight area within mission boundaries and capture aerial images with regard to the target site.

The present invention is to provide a system of controlling an uninhabited airborne vehicle and method of controlling an uninhabited airborne vehicle, which are capable of storing a flight route through which an airborne vehicle has flown to reproduce a flight of the uninhibited airborne vehicle. The system of controlling an uninhabited airborne vehicle by controlling a flight route of an uninhabited airborne vehicle, includes: a memory unit that stores a flight route through which an uninhabited airborne vehicle has flown; an acquisition unit that acquires the flight route stored in the memory unit; and a control unit that controls the flight route acquired by the acquisition unit to reproduce a flight of the uninhibited airborne vehicle.

One embodiment provides a method comprising receiving a flight plan request for a drone. The flight plan request comprises a drone identity, departure information, and arrival information. The method further comprises constructing a modified flight plan for the drone based on the flight plan request, wherein the modified flight plan represents an approved, congestion reducing, and executable flight plan for the drone, and the modified flight plan comprises a sequence of four-dimensional (4D) cells representing a planned flight path for the drone. For each 4D cell of the modified flight plan, the method further comprises attempting to place an exclusive lock on behalf of the drone on the 4D cell, and in response to a failure to place the exclusive lock on behalf of the drone on the 4D cell, rerouting the modified flight plan around the 4D cell to a random neighboring 4D cell.

Systems and methods of the present invention are provided to generate a plurality of flight trajectories that do not conflict with other aircraft in a local area. Interventions by an air traffic control system help prevent collisions between aircraft, but these interventions can also cause an aircraft to substantially deviate from the pilot's intended flight trajectory, which burns fuels, wastes time, etc. Systems and methods of the present invention can assign a standard avoidance interval to other aircraft in the area such that a pilot's aircraft does not receive an intervention by an air traffic control system. Systems and methods of the present invention also generate a plurality of conflict-free flight trajectories such that a pilot or an automated system may select the most desirable flight trajectory for fuel efficiency, speed, and other operational considerations, etc.

The present invention provides systems, methods, and devices related to target tracking by UAVs. The UAV may be configured to receive target information from a control terminal related to a target to be tracked by an imaging device coupled to the UAV. The target information may be used by the UAV to automatically track the target so as to maintain predetermined position and/or size of the target within one or more images captured by the imaging device. The control terminal may be configured to display images from the imaging device as well as allowing user input related to the target information.

A dynamic image masking system for providing a filtered autonomous remote sensing image through a dynamic image masking process is provided. The dynamic image masking system has a remote sensing platform and an imaging system associated with the remote sensing platform. The imaging system has an optical system and an image sensing system. The dynamic image masking system further has a multi-level security system associated with the imaging system and one or more image alteration locations located in the imaging system and the multi-level security system, wherein alteration of one or more images takes place via the dynamic image masking process. The dynamic image masking system further has a computer system associated with the imaging system. The computer system has a gatekeeper algorithm configured to send gatekeeper commands to one or more controllers that control the one or more image alteration locations through the dynamic image masking process.

A preexisting FMS system may be upgraded to increase its functionality by optimizing the control of autopilot and auto-throttle functions and replacing other preexisting components with different components for enhancing the functionality of the FMS system. The preexisting IRU, CADC, DME receiver and DFGC in the upgraded FMS system are in communication with the legacy AFMC but, instead of employing the legacy EFIS, the EFIS is replaced by a data concentrator unit as well as the display control panel and integrated flat panel display, and a GPS receiver. The upgraded FMS system is capable of iteratively controlling the autopilot and auto-throttle during all phases of flight and of such increased functionality as increased navigation database storage capacity, RNP, VNAV, LPV and RNAV capability utilizing a GPS based navigation solution, and RTA capability, while still enabling the legacy AFMC to exploit its aircraft performance capabilities throughout the flight.

A lens array assembly includes plural lens elements each configured to receive incoming light from one or more light sources. The lens elements include biconic refractive elements on first sides of the lens elements and including diffractive elements on opposite, second sides of the lens elements. The lens elements are configured to change directions of the incoming light received from the one or more light sources such that outgoing light emanating from the lens elements is collimated in a first direction but diverges along a different, second direction.

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for providing flight response to flight-restricted regions. The location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be compared with a location of a flight-restricted region. If needed a flight-response measure may be taken by the UAV to prevent the UAV from flying in a no-fly zone. Different flight-response measures may be taken based on the distance between the UAV and the flight-restricted region and the rules of a jurisdiction within which the UAV falls.