A method of performing a cooperative safe landing area determination includes receiving perception sensor data indicative of conditions at a plurality of potential landing areas. A processing subsystem of a vehicle updates a local safe landing area map based on the perception sensor data. The local safe landing area map defines safe landing area classifications and classification confidences associated with the potential landing areas. One or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps are received from one or more remote data sources. The one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps correspond to one or more additional potential landing areas and non-landing areas. The local safe landing area map and the remotely-generated safe landing area maps are aggregated to form a fused safe landing area map. The fused safe landing area map is used to make a final safe landing area determination.

A propeller blade is provided including a leading edge and a trailing edge. The trailing edge is arranged opposite the leading edge to form an airfoil there between. At least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge include at least one facet.

A solar power panel failure search and detect system to search and detect malfunctioning or failed sites of a solar power panel. A search unit is installed in a remotely controllable aerial vehicle. The search unit maintains a constant distance between a solar panel and a failure detector, and maintains the failure detector at an optimum angle. A control unit controls a flight path and a flight angle of the aerial vehicle and controls/regulates an angle of the failure detector, a receiver, a processor, and the search unit. The search unit has an angle sensor, the failure detector, an angle adjuster and an imaging device. The control unit has a transmitter to transmit the search result data.

A method for retrieving personnel is provided. The method includes receiving a radio signal indicating a real-time position of personnel to be retrieved, deploying an unmanned aerial vehicle to the real-time position, receiving an indication that the personnel to be retrieved is on-board the unmanned aerial vehicle, and operating the unmanned aerial vehicle to move the personnel to a different location.

Multiple propeller blades may be joined by tip connectors to form a closed propeller apparatus. The tip connectors may create continuous structure between adjacent tips of a first propeller and a second propeller. Use of the tip connectors may reduce vortices created near the tips of the propeller blades, which cause drag and slow the rotation of the propeller blades. The tip connectors may also reduce noise caused by rotation of propeller blades. Further, the tip connectors reduce or eliminate deflection of the propeller blades by creating a support structure to counteract forces that would otherwise cause deflection of the propeller blades, thereby improving propeller blade loading. In some embodiments, the tip connectors may be formed of a malleable material and/or include one or more joints that enable at least one of the propellers to modify a pitch of blades of the propeller.

A detachable power transfer device for a rotary-wing aircraft includes a docking station integrated into the rotary-wing aircraft. A power pod of the detachable power transfer device is constructed and arranged to detachably connect to the docking station for transferring power to the rotary-wing aircraft.

Rotary-wing aircraft, comprising: a drive motor (12) with a motor output shaft (12-3), a transfer gearbox (14) having the motor output shaft (12-3) as an input and having a first output (14-1) and a second output (14-2), a cockpit with associated cockpit electronics, a rotary wing with rotor and blades, a tail and tail rotor (20) with a drive shaft (20-1) for driving the tail rotor, and a skids unit with equipment suited to the intended application, characterized in that the motor shaft (12-3) of the motor (12), the transfer gearbox (14) with its second output (14-2) and the drive shaft (20-1) that drives the tail rotor (20) are aligned.

Rotary-wing aircraft, comprising: a drive motor (12) with a motor output shaft (12-3), a transfer gearbox (14) having the motor output shaft (12-3) as an input and having a first output (14-1) and a second output (14-2), a cockpit with associated cockpit electronics, a rotary wing with rotor and blades, a tail and tail rotor (20) with a drive shaft (20-1) for driving the tail rotor, and a skids unit with equipment suited to the intended application, characterized in that the motor shaft (12-3) of the motor (12), the transfer gearbox (14) with its second output (14-2) and the drive shaft (20-1) that drives the tail rotor (20) are aligned.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a helicopter-mediated system and method for launching and retrieving an aircraft capable of long-distance efficient cruising flight from a small space without the use of a long runway.

A mobile self-leveling landing platform vehicle is disclosed that includes a landing surface and one or more wheel assemblies. Each wheel assembly includes a wheel, a control arm coupled with the wheel and the body of the landing platform vehicle, and an actuator coupled with the control arm and the body of the platform vehicle. Methods for self-leveling the landing platform vehicle are also disclosed.