An aircraft includes an airframe having an aircraft longitudinal axis and a main rotor system supported by the airframe. The main rotor system is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The airframe is tiltable relative to a ground surface to form a non-zero tilt angle between the aircraft longitudinal axis and the ground surface.

One variation of a tram system includes: a chassis; a latch configured to selectively engage a latch receiver mounted to an aircraft; an alignment feature adjacent the latch and configured to engage an alignment receiver mounted to the aircraft and to communicate acceleration and braking forces from the chassis into the aircraft; an optical sensor facing upwardly from the chassis; a drivetrain configured to accelerate and decelerate the chassis along a runway; and a controller configured to detect an optical fiducial arranged on the aircraft in optical images recorded by the optical sensor adjust a speed of the drivetrain to longitudinally align the alignment feature with the alignment receiver based on positions of the optical fiducial detected in the optical images, trigger the latch to engage the latch receiver once the aircraft has descended onto the chassis, and trigger the drivetrain to actively decelerate the chassis during a landing routine.

One variation of a tram system includes: a chassis; a latch configured to selectively engage a latch receiver mounted to an aircraft; an alignment feature adjacent the latch and configured to engage an alignment receiver mounted to the aircraft and to communicate acceleration and braking forces from the chassis into the aircraft; an optical sensor facing upwardly from the chassis; a drivetrain configured to accelerate and decelerate the chassis along a runway; and a controller configured to detect an optical fiducial arranged on the aircraft in optical images recorded by the optical sensor adjust a speed of the drivetrain to longitudinally align the alignment feature with the alignment receiver based on positions of the optical fiducial detected in the optical images, trigger the latch to engage the latch receiver once the aircraft has descended onto the chassis, and trigger the drivetrain to actively decelerate the chassis during a landing routine.

The present invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle including a main body, a plurality of arms, a propulsion assembly and a battery assembly, where each arm is coupled to the main body and the propulsion assembly is disposed on the each arm. The battery assembly is accommodated in a battery compartment of the main body. The battery assembly includes a shell, a battery body substantially disposed in the shell, a clamp button, and a restorable elastic piece. An end of the clamp button is mounted or connects to the shell, and the other end of the clamp button is detachably coupled to the main body. An end of the restorable elastic piece is disposed on the shell or connect to the shell, and the other end of the restorable elastic piece contacts the clamp button.

The present invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle including a main body, a plurality of arms, a propulsion assembly and a battery assembly, where each arm is coupled to the main body and the propulsion assembly is disposed on the each arm. The battery assembly is accommodated in a battery compartment of the main body. The battery assembly includes a shell, a battery body substantially disposed in the shell, a clamp button, and a restorable elastic piece. An end of the clamp button is mounted or connects to the shell, and the other end of the clamp button is detachably coupled to the main body. An end of the restorable elastic piece is disposed on the shell or connect to the shell, and the other end of the restorable elastic piece contacts the clamp button.

Example methods and systems for controlling operation of equipment are described. An example method for pausing operation of one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of an equipment includes receiving, at a computing device having one or more processors, biometric data from a wearable biometric interface of a wearer, and based on the biometric data being outside of a range of baseline data, the computing device controlling operation of a power unit coupled to the equipment to pause movement of one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment.

Example methods and systems for controlling operation of equipment are described. An example method for pausing operation of one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of an equipment includes receiving, at a computing device having one or more processors, biometric data from a wearable biometric interface of a wearer, and based on the biometric data being outside of a range of baseline data, the computing device controlling operation of a power unit coupled to the equipment to pause movement of one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment.

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of a multicopter-assisted launch and retrieval system generally including: (1) a multi-rotor modular multicopter attachable to (and detachable from) a fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; (2) a storage and launch system usable to store the modular multicopter and to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; and (3) an anchor system usable (along with the multicopter and a flexible capture member) to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of a multicopter-assisted launch and retrieval system generally including: (1) a multi-rotor modular multicopter attachable to (and detachable from) a fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; (2) a storage and launch system usable to store the modular multicopter and to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; and (3) an anchor system usable (along with the multicopter and a flexible capture member) to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.

One variation of a tram system includes: a chassis; a latch configured to selectively engage a latch receiver mounted to an aircraft; an alignment feature adjacent the latch and configured to engage an alignment receiver mounted to the aircraft and to communicate acceleration and braking forces from the chassis into the aircraft; an optical sensor facing upwardly from the chassis; a drivetrain configured to accelerate and decelerate the chassis along a runway; and a controller configured to detect an optical fiducial arranged on the aircraft in optical images recorded by the optical sensor adjust a speed of the drivetrain to longitudinally align the alignment feature with the alignment receiver based on positions of the optical fiducial detected in the optical images, trigger the latch to engage the latch receiver once the aircraft has descended onto the chassis, and trigger the drivetrain to actively decelerate the chassis during a landing routine.