A micro detecting device includes a flying main body, at least one fluid actuation system, an image capture system and a controller. The fluid actuation system is disposed within the flying main body and includes a driving module, a flow guiding channel, a convergence chamber, plural valves and a fluid discharging zone. The driving module is consisting of plural flow guiding units for transporting fluid. The flow guiding channel includes plural diverge channels which are in fluid communication with plural connection channels. The convergence chamber is in fluid communication between the corresponding diverge channels. The valves are respectively disposed in the corresponding connection channels and controlled in open/closed state for the corresponding connection channels. The fluid discharging zone is in communication with the connection channels. The image capture system is used to capture external image. The controller is connected to the valves to control the valves in the open/closed state.

The present disclosure describes a signal relay node that is physically displaceable by a delivery system to move the signal relay node to a different location, to enable the signal relay node to overcome physical obstructions to signal propagation. A delivery system, such as a launching system, can launch the signal relay node encased within a housing unit, such as a projectile cap. Upon launch into the air, an additional aloft package may provide an aerostat, parachute, and/or a propeller and motor system to keep the signal relay node aloft in the air for a longer period of time.

A vehicle, such as a micro-aerial vehicle or underwater vehicle, includes at least one lift structure, such as a low-aspect-ratio wing or a fin, respectively. The at least one lift structure comprises one or more alulas. A leading surface of each alula is (a) flush with a leading surface of the lift structure or (b) offset from the leading edge of the lift surface by up to approximately 10% of the chord length of the lift structure. The length of each alula is no more than approximately 20% of a lift structure length corresponding to the lift structure. In various embodiments, the alula is deflected or canted with respect to a plane defined by the lift structure. In an example embodiment, the alulas may be slid or translated along at least a portion of the span of the lift structure.

The subject matter described herein includes a modular and extensible approach to integrate noisy measurements from multiple heterogeneous sensors that yield either absolute or relative observations at different and varying time intervals, and to provide smooth and globally consistent estimates of position in real time for autonomous flight. We describe the development of the algorithms and software architecture for a new 1.9 kg MAV platform equipped with an IMU, laser scanner, stereo cameras, pressure altimeter, magnetometer, and a GPS receiver, in which the state estimation and control are performed onboard on an Intel NUC 3.sup.rd generation i3 processor. We illustrate the robustness of our framework in large-scale, indoor-outdoor autonomous aerial navigation experiments involving traversals of over 440 meters at average speeds of 1.5 m/s with winds around 10 mph while entering and exiting buildings.

A flapping wing aerial vehicle comprises at least a first and second wing, a support structure, to which the wings are connected, at least one flapping mechanism, comprising at least a first spar and a flapping actuator, the at least first spar being attached to the wing membrane of the first wing and/or the second wing, the flapping actuator being configured to pivot said at least one spar with respect to a flapping pivot axis substantially parallel to a Z-axis for inducing a flapping motion of said first wing and/or second wing; a first attitude control mechanism, configured to induce a pitch moment; a second attitude control mechanism, configured to induce a yaw moment; a third attitude control mechanism, configured to induce a roll moment; and an attitude controller, wherein the first attitude control mechanism, the second attitude control mechanism, and the third attitude control mechanism are separate mechanisms.

A method for calibrating aircraft tri-axial balance include steps of: receiving a first indicator signal; tumbling an aircraft by 360 degrees by specified times according to the first indicator signal; collecting and recording first geomagnetic data; receiving a second indicator signal; rotating the aircraft laterally by 360 degrees by the specified times according to the second indicator signal; collecting and recording second geomagnetic data; receiving a third indicator signal; rotating the aircraft horizontally by 360 degrees by the specified times according to the third indicator signal; collecting and recording third geomagnetic data; and obtaining a calibrated geomagnetic curve according to the first geomagnetic data, the second geomagnetic data and the third geomagnetic data. The method and the device for calibrating the aircraft tri-axial balance according to an embodiment of the present invention are able to fully calibrate geomagnetic sensors of the aircraft and better eliminate interference of the geomagnetic sensors.

Improvements in secure communication using drones. The communication uses aircraft to provide a secure communication link that prevents undesirable reception. The secure link can be between two people, groups or more specific people. Optical transmission can be from laser, infrared, ultraviolet, white light or a particular wavelength of light. One or multiple of aircraft to relay information between senders and receivers. The aircraft can be drones that operate within buildings or with overhead aircraft. The aircraft can intelligently follow or lead a person to maintain a line-of-sight. Each user can have their own tracking aircraft and the aircraft can communicate between each other using light and/or wireless communication to optimize line-of-sight between the aircraft over geographic medium. The geographic medium may include one or more of terrain, air, water, and space. The object may be a soldier, vehicle, drone, or ballistic.

A ferromagnetic actuator is disposed between first and second semiconductor devices that include first and second inductors. Each inductor is disposed on top of a multilevel wiring structure. Current flows through the first inductor to generate a first magnetic field that attracts the ferromagnetic actuator towards the first inductor causing the ferromagnetic actuator to transition from a first state to a second state. In the second state, a portion of the ferromagnetic actuator is disposed closer to the first inductor than it is in the first state. Current flows through the second inductor to generate a second magnetic field that attracts the ferromagnetic actuator towards the second inductor causing the ferromagnetic actuator to transition from the first or second state to a third state. In the third state, a portion of the ferromagnetic actuator is disposed closer to the first inductor than it is in the first state.

A controller monitors for an activation condition through a monitoring interface of a wearable aerial device. In response to detecting the activation condition through the monitoring interface, the controller triggers the wearable aerial device to release from an aesthetic attachment proximate to a user and hover a distance above the user of a height above a selected height threshold. The controller analyzes a recording of content by the wearable aerial device to assess a particular threat level associated with the content from among multiple threat levels. The controller, in response to the particular threat level exceeding a threat threshold, automatically sends a communication to one or more emergency contacts.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (1), and methods of flying such, comprising at least four rotors (2) arranged such that the plane of rotation of each rotor (2) is co-planar with a face of a notional polyhedron, and wherein each face of the notional polyhedron is co-planar with the plane of rotation of at least one rotor (2). Such methods comprise: a first step of flying the vehicle (1) using a first rotor set (2a-c) to provide lift; and, a second step using a second rotor set (2d-f) to provide lift; wherein, the second rotor set (2d-f) includes at least one rotor (2) that is not used to provide lift in the first step or that operates so that airflow through the rotor (2) is in the opposite direction to that through the rotor (2) during the first step; and, wherein at least one of the first and second sets (2a-c, 2d-f) comprises a plurality of rotors (2).