Embodiments disclosed herein enable routine autonomous execution of at least some major phases of aerostat operation in response to commands from human or automated external operators, a built-in decision-making capacity, or both. Various embodiments combine one or more actively controlled tethers, aerodynamic aerostat control surfaces, mechanical assistive devices (e.g., jointed arms attached to a ground station), and/or active propulsors attached to the aerostat to govern aerostat behavior during launch, flight, and landing phases of operation. Some embodiments enable automatic autonomous performance of all phases of routine post-commissioning aerostat operation, including launch, flight, and landing, without any routine need for availability of a human crew.

A high-place observation device for stably performing a fixed-point observation of a target object from a high place is provided. The high-place observation device provides [Solution] Provides a long pole which is formed to extend and contract freely and which stands on the installation surface, a rotorcraft for positioning the pole to a desirable height position by extending and contracting the pole by a floating force in a connected state, a winding mechanism which fixes and maintains the height position of the pole to the height position set by the rotorcraft, and a camera attached to the rotorcraft.

Landing apparatuses for unmanned aerial vehicles are provided herein. An example UAV includes a frame; a propeller rotatably coupled to the frame; and a landing guard armature extending from the frame. A terminal end of the landing guard armature extends beyond a propeller radius of the propeller. The landing guard armature has a surface area that is sized to promote airflow around the landing guard armature.

A suspended aerial vehicle system includes an aerial vehicle with a thruster assembly and a supporting line attached to the aerial vehicle that is capable of supporting at least some of the weight of the aerial vehicle. The supporting line may have an adjustable length which when varied, and in coordination with variations in a thrust characteristic of the aerial vehicle, may change the position of the aerial vehicle. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

A system includes a higher unmanned multicopter, a lower unmanned multicopter, and a flexible connector. The flexible connector connects the higher unmanned multicopter and the lower unmanned multicopter. The VTM system is configured to carry a payload, including by having the higher unmanned multicopter fly above the lower unmanned multicopter with the flexible connector taut such that both the higher unmanned multicopter and the lower unmanned multicopter contribute to carrying the payload.

The present specification discloses a mobile scanning device (30) for scanning wear conditions of treatment panel modules (13) of a treatment deck (14) in vibratory treatment apparatus (10), the mobile scanning device (30) including a support structure (11), steerable transport means (12) carrying the support structure (11) along a predefined course or a selectable steered course on or over the treatment deck (14), the support structure (11) carrying power means (16), drive means (17) powered by the power means (16) to drive the steerable transport means (12) scanning means (18) to scan a lower zone (42) below the support structure (11) to establish scanned information, the scanned information being reflective of at least wear levels occurring on the upper surfaces (31) of the treatment panel modules (13), and transmission means (23) arranged to transmit the scanned information to remote control means (20, 21) external of the treatment deck (14).

A stability control method and device based on particle active disturbance rejection are provided. The method includes: establishing an active disturbance rejection controller model based on a dynamic model and a speed loop control model of a tethered balloon system, where the speed loop control model is established through theoretical modeling of executive components of a control system of the tethered balloon system; and optimizing to-be-optimized parameters of the active disturbance rejection controller model using a particle swarm optimization algorithm, determining an optimal active disturbance rejection controller model, and using the optimal active disturbance rejection controller model to implement stability control of a photoelectric pod. An active disturbance rejection controller is optimized by using a particle swarm optimization algorithm, which can effectively isolate the internal and external disturbances of the photoelectric pod and improve the imaging stability of the photoelectric pod.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system for maintaining railway situational awareness, includes a ground station configured to be mounted to a train, a UAV including a sensor, a processor, and a memory. The sensor is configured to provide a signal indicative of condition and/or an event. The memory contains instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: selectively deploy the UAV, from the ground station mounted to the train, receive the signal from the sensor; and determine a condition and/or an event, relative to the train, based on the sensed signal.

A constant tension tether management system for tethered aircraft includes a ground station for operatively coupling to an unmanned aerial vehicle. The ground station includes a spool rotatably disposed within the ground station and adapted to support a tether thereon. A first pulley is rotatably mounted within the ground station along a tether travel path. A second pulley is rotatably disposed within the ground station and moves in translation along the tether travel path. The first pulley is disposed along the tether travel path between the spool and the second pulley.

An unmanned aerial signal relay includes an unmanned aerial vehicle, including a communication relay unit and at least one antenna, communicatively connected to the communication relay unit; a tether comprising at least two wires and at least one fiber optic cable, the wires and cable communicatively connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle; and a surface support system comprising a spool physically connected to the tether and a ground-based receiver communicatively connected to the at least one fiber optic cable, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is powered by electrical energy provided by the at least two wires, and wherein the communication relay unit is configured to relay signals received from the at least one antenna via the fiber optic cable to the ground-based receiver. Various systems and methods related to an unmanned aerial signal relay are also described.