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.

A rotor arm assembly has a mechanical alignment and electrical connector for fitting to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV has a corresponding fitting for aligning the rotor arm assembly, making an electrical connection with it and retaining it in position. Such rotor arm assemblies are easily and quickly replaced due to their modular construction. UAVs with this construction are easily transported and stored.

The invention relates to a landing gear (1) of an aircraft (5), comprising: a strut assembly (10) including a first end (10a) designed to be mounted on the aircraft (5) and a second end (10b) opposite the first end (10a); a rod (14) slidably mounted on the second end (10b) of the strut assembly (10), said rod (14) being translationally movable in relation to the strut assembly (10); and at least one obstacle detector (2) secured to the landing gear (1), the landing gear (1) being characterized in that the obstacle detector (2) is secured in a zone adjacent to the second end (10b) of the strut assembly (10).

The invention relates to a landing gear (1) of an aircraft (5), comprising: a strut assembly (10) including a first end (10a) designed to be mounted on the aircraft (5) and a second end (10b) opposite the first end (10a); a rod (14) slidably mounted on the second end (10b) of the strut assembly (10), said rod (14) being translationally movable in relation to the strut assembly (10); and at least one obstacle detector (2) secured to the landing gear (1), the landing gear (1) being characterized in that the obstacle detector (2) is secured in a zone adjacent to the second end (10b) of the strut assembly (10).

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes: a vehicle body, where the vehicle body includes a first positioning device; and a landing gear, where the landing gear can be detached from the vehicle body, and when the landing gear is detached from the vehicle body, the vehicle body determines a position of the landing gear by using the first positioning device. Because the landing gear can be detached from the vehicle body and the vehicle body can determine the position of the landing gear by using the first positioning device, the unmanned aerial vehicle, when performing a flight mission, is not affected by the weight of the landing gear, avoiding that the landing gear blocks an image capture device and implementing convenient takeoff and landing.

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes: a vehicle body, where the vehicle body includes a first positioning device; and a landing gear, where the landing gear can be detached from the vehicle body, and when the landing gear is detached from the vehicle body, the vehicle body determines a position of the landing gear by using the first positioning device. Because the landing gear can be detached from the vehicle body and the vehicle body can determine the position of the landing gear by using the first positioning device, the unmanned aerial vehicle, when performing a flight mission, is not affected by the weight of the landing gear, avoiding that the landing gear blocks an image capture device and implementing convenient takeoff and landing.

An aircraft landing gear assembly having a main strut and an axle on which wheel and brake assemblies are mounted. An adaptor member is mounted on a mounting pin and arranged to define a brake rod anchor point. The adaptor member is coupled to a part of the landing gear assembly so as to react brake torque and can be formed from a different material than a portion of the main strut.

An aircraft landing gear assembly having a main strut and an axle on which wheel and brake assemblies are mounted. An adaptor member is mounted on a mounting pin and arranged to define a brake rod anchor point. The adaptor member is coupled to a part of the landing gear assembly so as to react brake torque and can be formed from a different material than a portion of the main strut.

A ground movement plug-in (GMP) apparatus for providing ground propulsion to an unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV). In an embodiment, the GMP apparatus includes a frame configured to mechanically couple with the UAV, a plurality of wheels, at least one of which is actuatable by a motor, and a controller operably coupled to the motor to control propulsion of the GMP apparatus.

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.