An in-flight battery recharging system for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). This invention converts byproducts of a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle's conventional propulsion system operation and airframe movements to generate electricity that, in turn, is used to power the propulsion system's electric motors, power onboard electronic components, and recharge the battery that initially powers the propulsion system's electric motors. Having this ability of recharging the battery in-flight gives an unmanned aerial vehicle a much improved flight time and range, thereby greatly increasing its utility.

A multirotor aircraft with at least two thrust producing units, the multirotor aircraft being adapted for transportation of passengers and comprising an aircraft operating structure that is adapted for operation of the multirotor aircraft in failure-free operating mode, and a redundant security architecture that is at least adapted for operation of the multirotor aircraft in case of a failure of the aircraft operating structure in operation, the redundant security architecture being provided to comply with applicable authority regulations and certification requirements regarding passenger transportation.

An aerial vehicle and methods of use. The aerial vehicle including a central rotor assembly configured to provide vertical thrust. A fuselage having a longitudinal axis mounted to the central rotor assembly. A plurality of rotors smaller than said central rotor mounted to said fuselage by a frame, includes a propeller, an electrical motor, an electronic speed controller, a flight controller (means for controlling the rotation speed of the central rotor and the smaller rotors). A propulsion system for powering said central rotor, said smaller rotors and said flight controller. Together with control and monitoring systems, the aerial vehicle system enables a new agricultural ecosystem for providing small farmer access to global markets.

Described herein is a system comprising (a) a UAS registry including a plurality of UAS accounts each including owner information data and a unique UAS identifier, (b) a plurality of UAS registration computing systems operable to create UAS accounts for the UAS registry, (c) a plurality of USS computing systems that each provide service to one of a plurality of service areas within an airspace, wherein each USS computing system is operable to: (i) receive, from UAS operators, operation data for UASs operating in the service area served by the USS computing system, (ii) receive, from the other USS computing systems for the airspace, operation data for UASs operating in the other service areas served the other USS computing systems, (iii) combine the operation data received from the UAS operators for the corresponding service area, with the operation data received from the other USS computing systems for the other service areas in the airspace, to maintain an airspace-wide UAS database, and (iv) provide a publicly accessible application interface for obtaining airspace data based on the UAS database.

An unmanned aerial system includes a remote controller device and an unmanned aerial vehicle. A user input on the remote controller device indicates a flight command requested by a user. The remote controller device determines a current position and/or orientation of the remote controller device in response to the flight command from the user. The current position and/or orientation is sent to the vehicle. The vehicle responsively determines a desired orientation of the unmanned aerial vehicle as a function of the current position and/or orientation of the remote controller device and operates a lift mechanism to execute a flight operation based on the desired orientation of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the current position of the remote controller device.

An unmanned air vehicle is provided. The unmanned air vehicle includes a frame having a center portion connecting two substantially parallel transversely spaced apart ele-wings. The ele-wings may store batteries and rotate along a forward axis to provide lift during a transition from vertical flight to linear flight. The landing gear may be connected to the ele-wings and configured to change pitch of the ele-wing to ensure stable flight during flight mode transition. A plurality of propellers, each having propeller drive motors, are attached to the frame and able to rotate from parallel position, relative to the center portion, for vertical flight to a perpendicular position, relative to the center portion, for linear flight. The propeller drives rotate on its axis and may be configured to propel the vehicle in a ground and flight mode.

A robust amphibious air vehicle incorporates a fuselage with buoyant stabilizers and wings extending from the fuselage. At least one lift fan is mounted in the fuselage. Movable propulsion units carried by the wings are rotatable through a range of angles adapted for vertical and horizontal flight operations.

A system and method for safely, efficiently and reliably deploying a payload, such as a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) beneath the surface of the water. The ROV is configured to capture data and/or information and to transmit the data and/or information to a base station. The system comprises an unmanned aerial system (UAS) having a frame comprising a support structure configured to receive the payload, wherein the payload may be deployed beneath the surface of water and a winch is configured to deploy the ROV from and retrieve the ROV back to the UAS using a tether. The tether is configured to wirelessly transmit telemetry, data, and/or information between the UAS and the ROV in real time.

A thrust producing unit for producing thrust in a predetermined direction, comprising a shrouding and at least two rotor assemblies, wherein the shrouding defines an internal volume, and wherein a first rotor assembly of the at least two rotor assemblies defines a first rotor axis and a second rotor assembly of the at least two rotor assemblies defines a second rotor axis, the first and second rotor axes being one of: (i) coaxially arranged, and (ii) inclined by associated inclination angles with respect to the predetermined direction, the associated inclination angles being comprised in a range between 60 and +60, and preferably amounting to 0, and wherein the first rotor assembly is arranged outside of the internal volume of the shrouding.

A system and method for measuring three-dimensional coordinates is provided. The system includes an aerial drone, an optical scanning device and a processor system. The aerial drone includes a plurality of landing support legs on one side and a plurality of plurality of support struts on an opposite side, the aerial drone having at least one thrust device. The optical scanning device is coupled to the aerial drone, the optical scanning device being configured to measure three-dimensional coordinates of at least one point. The processor system is configured to position the plurality of support struts against a surface in the environment using the thrust devices prior to operating the optical scanning device.