A system for guiding a drone to an intended destination using a remote guidance system, independent of a global positioning system installed on the drone and independent of radio guidance. The system uses a two-way optical communication channel between the guidance system and the drone. The drone and the guidance system each have a light source emitting a beam of encoded light, such as a modulated laser beam, and having an extended field of illumination, and a detector receiving the impinging light beam. The guidance system can detect the angular location of the drone emission, and can transmit instructions optically to the drone, while the drone can receive flight path instructions from the guidance system. The drone can be launched from a position that is not in the line of sight of its intended destination and guided optically from the launch position to its intended target destination.

Methods and systems are provided for slewing a light beam axis directly between points on the ground. One method involves determining a first position associated with a beam axis of a lighting arrangement in a Cartesian reference frame based on an initial orientation of the lighting arrangement in a spherical reference frame, determining an adjustment for the lighting arrangement in the Cartesian reference frame in response to a user input, determining an updated position for the beam axis in the Cartesian reference frame based on the first position and the adjustment in the Cartesian reference frame, transforming the updated position for the beam axis in the Cartesian reference frame to an updated orientation of the lighting arrangement in the spherical reference frame, and concurrently commanding actuators associated with the lighting arrangement to slew the lighting arrangement from the initial orientation to the updated orientation in the spherical reference frame.

Methods and systems are provided for slewing a light beam axis directly between points on the ground. One method involves determining a first position associated with a beam axis of a lighting arrangement in a Cartesian reference frame based on an initial orientation of the lighting arrangement in a spherical reference frame, determining an adjustment for the lighting arrangement in the Cartesian reference frame in response to a user input, determining an updated position for the beam axis in the Cartesian reference frame based on the first position and the adjustment in the Cartesian reference frame, transforming the updated position for the beam axis in the Cartesian reference frame to an updated orientation of the lighting arrangement in the spherical reference frame, and concurrently commanding actuators associated with the lighting arrangement to slew the lighting arrangement from the initial orientation to the updated orientation in the spherical reference frame.

Automated control of one or more exterior aircraft lights is presented, for instance exterior aircraft lights that enhance visibility by a pilot and including landing lights, taxi lights, and runway turnoff lights. One aspect of this automated control is that one or more of such exterior aircraft lights may be automatically activated, for instance when the aircraft has at least initiated movement and has not yet reached a certain altitude (e.g., while the aircraft is taxiing on the ground and including during takeoff). Another aspect of this automated control is that a trained image classification model may determine a visibility classification for an image acquired by an exterior aircraft camera, and this visibility classification may be used to automatically control the operation of one of more of such exterior aircraft lights (e.g., an intensity of the light output from such an exterior aircraft light(s)).

Automated control of one or more exterior aircraft lights is presented, for instance exterior aircraft lights that enhance visibility by a pilot and including landing lights, taxi lights, and runway turnoff lights. One aspect of this automated control is that one or more of such exterior aircraft lights may be automatically activated, for instance when the aircraft has at least initiated movement and has not yet reached a certain altitude (e.g., while the aircraft is taxiing on the ground and including during takeoff). Another aspect of this automated control is that a trained image classification model may determine a visibility classification for an image acquired by an exterior aircraft camera, and this visibility classification may be used to automatically control the operation of one of more of such exterior aircraft lights (e.g., an intensity of the light output from such an exterior aircraft light(s)).

An apparatus, including a database which stores a travel itinerary or schedule of an individual; a processor; a global positioning system device; and a transmitter. The processor monitors a movement of the individual, compares information obtained by the global positioning system device with information contained in the travel itinerary or schedule, detects a deviation from an expected position, location, or travel route, and generates a message containing information regarding a date and time of the deviation and position or location information of the apparatus. The transmitter or apparatus transmits the message or information contained in the message to a drone. An operation of the drone is activated, the drone travels to the position or location of the apparatus, records video information of the apparatus or individual or of an area in a vicinity of the apparatus or individual, and transmits the video information to the user device or the computer.

An apparatus, including a database which stores a travel itinerary or schedule of an individual; a processor; a global positioning system device; and a transmitter. The processor monitors a movement of the individual, compares information obtained by the global positioning system device with information contained in the travel itinerary or schedule, detects a deviation from an expected position, location, or travel route, and generates a message containing information regarding a date and time of the deviation and position or location information of the apparatus. The transmitter or apparatus transmits the message or information contained in the message to a drone. An operation of the drone is activated, the drone travels to the position or location of the apparatus, records video information of the apparatus or individual or of an area in a vicinity of the apparatus or individual, and transmits the video information to the user device or the computer.

Systems and methods to combine lights and cameras are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may carry a housing that holds both a lighting component and a video camera; receive instructions to operate the lighting component in at least one of two different lighting modes, including a landing lighting mode and a taxi lighting mode; control the video camera to capture video information at a particular frame rate; and control the lighting component to emit light in a manner that supports at least one particular lighting mode and that includes switching off or turning down the lighting component in synchrony with the particular frame rate to reduce glare and/or otherwise improve the captured video information.

Systems and methods to combine lights and cameras are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may carry a housing that holds both a lighting component and a video camera; receive instructions to operate the lighting component in at least one of two different lighting modes, including a landing lighting mode and a taxi lighting mode; control the video camera to capture video information at a particular frame rate; and control the lighting component to emit light in a manner that supports at least one particular lighting mode and that includes switching off or turning down the lighting component in synchrony with the particular frame rate to reduce glare and/or otherwise improve the captured video information.

Methods and systems are provided for autonomously operating a retractable lighting arrangement. One method involves obtaining a current speed of the vehicle when the lighting arrangement is in an extended state, and when the current speed is greater than a threshold when the lighting arrangement is in the extended state, verifying one or more illumination elements associated with the lighting arrangement are in a deactivated state and thereafter automatically signaling an actuation arrangement associated with the lighting arrangement to transition the lighting arrangement from the extended state to a retracted state.