An exemplary rotorcraft lockout system includes a main rotor lockout comprising a base operable to be attached to a bottom surface of a fuselage and a first and a second tension arm operable to be connected to the base and a main rotor hub, and a tail rotor lockout including a clamp operable to connect to a horizontal stabilizer, a rotor arm connector operable to connect to a tail rotor hub, and a tail rotor tension arm operable to interconnect the clamp and the rotor arm connector in tension.

A heliport docking system provides automated transport, fueling, maintenance, and logistical management of VTOLs. The heliport docking system can include a plurality of helipads that can be autonomously transported from area-to-area to assist in the logistics of heliport management and control. The helipad system can include a surface on which a VTOL can land and a controller that can perform functions related to routing, maintenance, object detection, and transport, among others. The helipad system can releasably secure the VTOL to the helipad and transport the VTOL to different areas of the heliport system. The helipad system can also fuel the VTOL by providing, electricity, combustible fuel, or other suitable energy source, and perform a maintenance check of the VTOL and create maintenance crew of any VTOL irregularities.

A surface assembly and related method of constructing a surface assembly are used as part of a landing platform. The surface assembly includes a modular structure having an upper surface with a plurality of discrete elements. Each discrete element has a body of metal material defining at least one anchor aperture for receiving a hook or like anchor device for anchoring a helicopter or other powered light aircraft to the surface assembly. The surface assembly is configured to define an array of the plurality of discrete elements in which at least two of the anchor apertures are provided side-by-side. The body of each discrete element has a periphery, and each anchor aperture of the array is inboard of the periphery of a respective body of a discrete element in the array.

A landing pad for an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) is disclosed. The landing pad includes a support structure, a charging pad, and a plurality of movable UAV supports. The charging pad is coupled to the support structure and able to move relative to the support structure. The UAV supports are also coupled to the support structure and configured to translate along the support structure from a first position to a second position. When the UAV supports are in the first position, the charging pad supports the UAV. When the UAV supports are in the second position, the charging pad is lowered and the UAV supports then provide support to the UAV.

A docking system for docking an aerial vehicle, including an interface configured to secure the docking system to a stationary element located above the ground, a housing, mechanically coupled to the interface, a docking magnetic member located in the housing, the docking magnetic member is configured to attract an aerial magnetic member of the aerial vehicle, a docking element mechanically coupled to the housing, where the docking element defines a minimal distance between the docking magnetic member and the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle docks in the docking system, and a maneuver mechanism for adjusting a distance between the docking element and the docking magnetic member.

A takeoff and landing assist apparatus for a flight vehicle with rotor blades causes the flight vehicle to take off from or be landed on a target point. The takeoff and landing assist apparatus includes a plurality of guide rods in parallel to each other, the plurality of guide rods being provided to one of the flight vehicle and the target point; and a plurality of guide rings into which the plurality of guide rods are insertable, the plurality of guide rings being provided to the other of the flight vehicle and the target point. A center-to-center distance between the plurality of guide rods and a center-to-center distance between the plurality of guide rings are set to be same.

A system for homing and recharging an unmanned vehicle comprises a plurality of homing layers operative along the radius of an imaginary circle that has the homing target at its center, each homing layer consisting of a sub-system provided with location means of increasing accuracy relative to that of a sub-system that operates along said radius farther away, from the center of said circle.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ground station, comprising: a landing surface having a perimeter and a center; a plurality of pushers held above the landing surface by a plurality of linear actuators; at least one electro-mechanical connector attached to one of the plurality of pushers, mechanically adapted to be electrically connected to a compatible electro-mechanical connector of a UAV; and a landing detection controller adapted to instruct the plurality of linear actuators to move the plurality of pushers simultaneously from the perimeter toward the center when a landing event related to the UAV is detected.

An unmanned aerial vehicle docking system can include a docking arm and a docking station. The docking arm can be mounted on the UAV and include a rod with an interface element positioned on top of the rod. The interface element can have charging contacts that are attached to wires that extend down to a charging circuit on the UAV. The docking station can be located separate from the docking arm and have a guidance cone to direct the docking arm to a capture mechanism. Once the interface element is in the capture mechanism, a charging dome is then lowered down onto the top of the interface element to form a circuit between a power source at the docking station and the UAV's battery. Upon completion of the charging process, the charging dome is raised and the capture mechanism releases the interface element of the UAV.

Reading glasses, more specifically pince-nez glasses, for short-term, close viewing and reading. For better placement of the reading glasses on the nose, the bridge of the reading glasses is provided with knobs, of which two are located on the outside, making it comfortable to grasp and place the glasses on the nose with two fingers and third knob is located on the upper centre of the bridge. Bridge of the reading glasses is ergonomic. The measurements of the radius of bridge of the reading glasses have been developed ellipsoidal in shape, where radius r.sub.1 is 7.0 mm and r.sub.2 is 7.5 mm and the angle of the bridge is 36.