A method for transporting a rescue device from an aerial vehicle to a person to be rescued includes launching an unmanned aerial vehicle from the aerial vehicle having an end portion releasable attached to the unmanned aerial vehicle via a first connection and a second connection. The method further includes enabling the person to be rescued to reach the end portion of the rescue device. and determining whether the end portion of the rescue device is released from the first connection. If the rescue device is released determining at the unmanned aerial vehicle whether the person to be rescued is safely attached to the rescue device. If so, the method comprises either releasing the rescue device from the second connection, or deactivating the unmanned aerial vehicle such that the unmanned aerial vehicle remains attached to the rescue device via the second connection.

Techniques are disclosed for real-time mapping in a movable object environment. A system for real-time mapping in a movable object environment, may include at least one movable object including a computing device, a scanning sensor electronically coupled to the computing device, and a positioning sensor electronically coupled to the computing device. The system may further include a client device in communication with the at least one movable object, the client device including a visualization application which is configured to receive point cloud data from the scanning sensor and position data from the positioning sensor, record the point cloud data and the position data to a storage location, generate a real-time visualization of the point cloud data and the position data as it is received, and display the real-time visualization using a user interface provided by the visualization application.

The present disclosure describes various systems, devices, and methods configured to retrieve a fixed-wing aircraft from free flight using a flexible capture member and a monopole assembly.

A system for deploying and retrieving an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a UAV carrier including a UAV bay, where the system includes a UAV pad including a UAV pad base and a UAV pad coupler to couple the UAV to the UAV pad base; a mechanical arm including a first end configured to couple to the UAV carrier, and a second end configured to couple to the UAV pad; and a controller configured to determine a deployment position for the UAV pad, determine a retrieval position for the UAV pad, control the UAV pad, and control the mechanical arm.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for a remote oceanic environment includes a float system, at least one electric motor, and a seawater battery. The float system allows the UAV to maintain buoyancy on a body of water. The electric motor or motors produce the required lift for the UAV to achieve and maintain flight. The flight includes the UAV landing on the body of water and takeoff from the body of water. The seawater battery directly or indirectly powers the electric motor or motors using seawater from the body of water while the UAV is floating on the body of water.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for an unmanned aerial system inspection system. One of the methods is performed by a UAV and includes obtaining, from a user device, flight operation information describing an inspection of a vertical structure to be performed, the flight operation information including locations of one or more safe locations for vertical inspection. A location of the UAV is determined to correspond to a first safe location for vertical inspection. A first inspection of the structure is performed is performed at the first safe location, the first inspection including activating cameras. A second safe location is traveled to, and a second inspection of the structure is performed. Information associated with the inspection is provided to the user device.

A semiautonomous robot. The robot includes at least two powered locomotion devices and a monocular capture unit. The at least two locomotion devices are designed to rotate at least the capture unit about a rotational axis, which is situated in a fixed position relative to the capture unit, the capture unit and the rotational axis being set apart from each other. The robot further includes at least one control and/or regulating unit for ascertaining a distance traveled. As a function of a movement of the capture unit about the rotational axis fixed during the movement, in particular, at a known distance from the rotational axis and/or in a known orientation relative to the rotational axis, the control and/or regulating unit is configured to determine a distance conversion parameter, which is provided for ascertaining the distance traveled.

A pharmaceutical package for carrying a pharmaceutical container includes a first housing and a second housing in the first housing. The second housing defines a compartment sized and shaped to receive and carry the pharmaceutical container. A gas chamber is disposed between the first and second housings. The gas chamber is configured to hold a gas in an inflated state of the gas chamber. A passage extends from the first housing to the second housing and defines a passageway extending there-between to allow the pharmaceutical container to be positioned in the compartment of the second housing by moving the pharmaceutical container through the passageway. One or more supports are connected to and extending between the first housing and the second housing. The one or more supports secure and hold the second housing in the first housing.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for an unmanned aerial system inspection system. One of the methods is performed by a UAV and includes obtaining, from a user device, flight operation information describing an inspection of a vertical structure to be performed, the flight operation information including locations of one or more safe locations for vertical inspection. A location of the UAV is determined to correspond to a first safe location for vertical inspection. A first inspection of the structure is performed is performed at the first safe location, the first inspection including activating cameras. A second safe location is traveled to, and a second inspection of the structure is performed. Information associated with the inspection is provided to the user device.

An unmanned aerial vehicle manages storage of data and transfer between other connected devices. The unmanned aerial vehicle captures sensor data from sensors on the unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle transfers the captured sensor data from the unmanned aerial vehicle to a remote controller via a wireless interface. The captured data may be transferred via a TCP link, a UDP link, or a combination thereof. If a loss of link is detected, the captured sensor data is stored to a buffer and a battery level of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a flight status of the unmanned aerial vehicle is monitored. The stored sensor data is transferred from the buffer to a non-volatile storage responsive to the battery level dropping below a predefined threshold or detecting that the unmanned aerial vehicle is stationary and a shutdown may be imminent.