The present invention provides a granular agrochemical composition capable of reducing the risk of occurrence of chemical injury and capable of saving the labor, and a method for spraying the granular agrochemical composition. The granular agrochemical composition containing an agrochemical active component is used being mixed with rice seeds and sprayed upon sowing, and the composition having a short diameter of 50 to 320% of the width of the rice seeds, a long diameter of 50 to 230% of the length of the rice seeds, and a specific gravity of 1 to 4 g/cm.sup.3. The method and the like for spraying the granular agrochemical composition, including: a mixing step of mixing the granular agrochemical composition with rice seeds; and a spraying step of spraying the mixture obtained in the mixing step.

In one aspect, a rotor assembly includes a hub and a plurality of rotor blades; at least one blade root actuator configured to adjust at least one of the plurality of rotor blades independently of the other rotor blades to accommodate forces on the aircraft; and at least one controller couplable to the at least one blade root actuator and configured to send signals to the at least one blade root actuator to enable adjustment of the at least one of the plurality of rotor blades. In another embodiment, at least one blade flap is associated with a rotor blade can be actuated to adjust the shape of the rotor blade. In some embodiments, there are methods and systems incorporating at least one of the root blade actuator and the blade flap for stabilizing a tiltrotor aircraft by counteracting destabilizing forces on at least one rotor blade.

A method for providing medical services to a patient, including: receiving a medical service request associated with a patient location; selecting an aircraft, located at an initial location, from a plurality of aircraft based on the patient location and the initial location; determining a flight plan for flying the aircraft to a region containing the patient location; at a sensor of the aircraft, sampling a first set of flight data; at a processor of the aircraft, autonomously controlling the aircraft to fly based on the flight plan and the set of flight data; selecting a landing location within the region; and landing the aircraft at the landing location, including: sampling a set of landing location data; determining a safety status of the landing location based on the set of landing location data; outputting a landing warning observable at the landing location; at the sensor, sampling a second set of flight data; and in response to determining the safety status and outputting the landing warning, autonomously controlling the aircraft to land at the landing location based on the second set of flight data.

Methods and systems for inspecting insulated equipment for corrosion under insulation are provided. The system includes an autonomous unmanned vehicle having aerial and ground locomotive capabilities. The vehicle includes an infrared detector and a pulsed eddy current sensor. In the method, infrared waves emitted from the equipment are detected along the equipment with the infrared detector. Using the infrared detector, at least one image of an inner surface of the equipment is developed based on the detected infrared waves. At least one area that is susceptible to corrosion is determined based on the at least one image. The susceptible area is inspected with the pulsed eddy current sensor, which induces an eddy current in the inner wall of the equipment. Based on a rate of the decay in strength of the eddy current, it is determined whether corrosion exists at the susceptible area using a processor configured by code.

Methods and systems for inspecting insulated equipment for corrosion under insulation are provided. The system includes an autonomous unmanned vehicle having aerial and ground locomotive capabilities. The vehicle includes an infrared detector and a pulsed eddy current sensor. In the method, infrared waves emitted from the equipment are detected along the equipment with the infrared detector. Using the infrared detector, at least one image of an inner surface of the equipment is developed based on the detected infrared waves. At least one area that is susceptible to corrosion is determined based on the at least one image. The susceptible area is inspected with the pulsed eddy current sensor, which induces an eddy current in the inner wall of the equipment. Based on a rate of the decay in strength of the eddy current, it is determined whether corrosion exists at the susceptible area using a processor configured by code.

The disclosure is directed to systems and methods for autonomously picking up water in support of fire fighting missions using aerial vehicles. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to systems and methods for picking up water in support of fire fighting missions using onboard sensing and decision making processes with application of the fire retardant using unmanned aerial vehicles.

A disbursement system for a UAV is provided. The disbursement system may include a plurality of disbursement nozzles operable to dispense an agricultural product at variable flowrates, a flow controller responsive to instructions and operable to regulate a volume of the agricultural product dispensed by the disbursement nozzles, and a control system. The control system may include a plurality of sensors operable to monitor a plurality of flight parameters and a processing unit configured to model an effect of the plurality of flight parameters on first flow control instructions corresponding to a prescription coverage of the agricultural product and calculate and output modulated flow control instructions to the flow controller. The control system may modulate the first control instructions to change a flowrate of one or more of the plurality of disbursement nozzles to achieve an actual coverage of the agricultural product that is closer to the prescription coverage.

A method of providing communication coverage includes collecting a location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while the UAV is in flight, determining a communication signal distribution in a proximity of the UAV, and determining one or more locations for arranging one or more relays based on the communication signal distribution to improve communication signal coverage along a flight path of the UAV.

An unmanned rotorcraft has a lift module having a propulsion system and coaxial rotors driven in rotation by the propulsion system. The rotorcraft includes a payload support system adapted to couple an external payload directly to the lift module. The rotorcraft is devoid of provisions for human passengers.

A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle includes assessing whether the UAV is within a flight-restriction region and, based on the assessment, generating signals that cause the UAV to take a flight response measure when within the flight-restriction region. The flight-restriction region is generated based on a location of a reference restriction feature and a functional parameter of the reference restriction feature.