A ground movement plug-in (GMP) apparatus for providing ground propulsion to an unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV). 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.

A ground movement plug-in (GMP) apparatus for providing ground propulsion to an unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV). 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 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.

An aircraft having a fuselage extending in a longitudinal direction from a nose to a tail, a nose wheel located at the nose, a tail support located at the tail, and a main wheel assembly located between the nose wheel and the tail support in the longitudinal direction. The main wheel assembly is positioned such that the aircraft is operable to selectively land in a first operating mode in which the main wheel assembly and the nose wheel support both the aircraft during the landing process, and the tail support does not support the aircraft during the landing process, and a second operating mode in which the main wheel assembly and the tail support both support the aircraft during the landing process. A method for operating the aircraft, an aircraft with a movable wheel assembly, and a movable wheel assembly are also provided.

An aircraft having a fuselage extending in a longitudinal direction from a nose to a tail, and a main wheel assembly having a first main wheel spaced in a transverse direction from a second main wheel, the transverse direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. One or more pivots connect the main wheel assembly to the fuselage. The one or more pivots have a rotation axis extending in the transverse direction such that the main wheel assembly is pivotable relative to the fuselage between a first fixed position with the first main wheel and the second main wheel in a first longitudinal position behind a center of gravity of the aircraft, and a second fixed position with the first main wheel and the second main wheel in a second longitudinal position behind the center of gravity of the aircraft. One or more extendable struts are operatively connected between the main wheel assembly and fuselage, and operable to move the main wheel assembly between the first fixed position and the second fixed position.

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 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.