Various techniques are provided to efficiently detect the position and angular velocity of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of a UAV system including a transmitter antenna array and a receiver antenna array. In one example, a method includes establishing a wireless link between a UAV controller and a UAV using at least one transmitter antenna array and/or at least one receiver antenna array, communicating link state data corresponding to the established wireless link over the established wireless link, generating UAV operational data based, at least in part, on the link state data, wherein the UAV operational data is configured to control operation of the UAV, and controlling operation of the UAV using the UAV operational data.

A system and method is provided that displays graphical symbology that enables a pilot to rapidly discern (1) that a neighboring aircraft is a rotorcraft, and (2) whether the rotorcraft is hovering. The provided system and method enables a user to define hovering, by editing a position change (distance) within a predetermined time.

Disclosed is a configuration to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle. The configuration stores a return location in a storage device of the aerial vehicle. The return location may correspond to a location where the aerial vehicle is to return. One or more sensors of the aerial vehicle are monitored during flight for detection of a predefined condition. When a predetermined condition is met a return path program may be loaded for execution to provide a return flight path for the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location.

The invention described herein provides a flight crew with an easier and more intuitive way to control and monitor flight-control surfaces. Specifically, the invention displays all flight-control surfaces on a touch-screen display device located in an aircraft cockpit. The invention includes graphical and numerical position indicators to continuously display actual position information for flight-control surfaces. Additionally, the invention allows a flight crew to make flight-control surface adjustments through the touch-screen device. The invention further includes an engine performance indicator and a mode controller configured to display autopilot modes and to receive autopilot mode selections. A method is presented for controlling an aircraft flight-control surface via a touch screen device. The method includes receiving an indication of a flight-control surface and enabling selection of a position change. Based on the position change selection, the method includes verifying a corresponding movement and displaying an actual position of the flight-control surface.

Methods and apparatus for positioning aircraft based on images of mobile targets are disclosed. An example method includes identifying, by executing first instructions via a processor, a mobile target in an image obtained by a camera mounted on a first aircraft and obtaining, by executing second instructions via the processor, current coordinates of the first aircraft. The example method includes determining, by executing third instructions via the processor, coordinates of the mobile target based on the coordinates of the first aircraft and the image. The coordinates of the mobile target are within an area of uncertainty. The example method includes determining, by executing fourth instructions via the processor, a first position for the first aircraft that reduces the area of uncertainty of the coordinates of the mobile target.

A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, including: receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request having: a first geographic coverage area; and a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area; planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request; uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod; and deploying the UAV pod

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and an information processing system capable of more easily realizing route planning. A route planning unit selects, on the basis of priority information regarding setting of the moving route, a viaport where a moving object stops over from among a plurality of charging ports that charges the moving object, and sets a moving route of a moving object from a departure point to a destination. The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an information processing apparatus that performs automatic piloting of a drone.

Disclosed is a method of detecting spoofing of a traffic alert and collision avoidance system, known as a TCAS, the TCAS having a Mode A, a Mode C and a Mode S for communicating with surrounding aircraft. The method includes: querying a suspected spoofing aircraft via Mode S of the TCAS and receiving a response to this query; deducing from the response at least some data, known as Mode S data, relating to the suspected spoofing aircraft; and validating Mode S data by querying the suspected spoofing aircraft via Mode A or Mode C of the TCAS.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to track and classify objects. An example apparatus for use with an aircraft includes interface circuitry communicatively coupled to an image sensor, the image sensor to capture images, machine readable instructions, and programmable circuitry to at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to pre-process the images to identify potential targets, filter, based on the identified potential targets, at least one of the images to determine a presence of a persistent object therein, characterize a looming characteristic of the persistent object, and classify the persistent object based on the looming characteristic meeting or exceeding a looming characteristic threshold.

Systems and methods of refining trajectories for aircraft include a trajectory prediction module for predicting a set of four-dimensional trajectories for aircraft; and a constraint selector module for determining a set of constraints based on the set of four-dimensional trajectories. The trajectory can be refined by mapping values for a goal associated with the set of four-dimensional trajectories based on the determined set of constraints and estimating additional values for the goal based on the mapped values.