A survey system for accurately surveying an area includes a coordinate acquisition section that acquires a set of three-dimensional coordinates of a survey point or a base station used for determining sets of coordinates of the area, as a set of measurement coordinates, a comparative coordinate acquisition section that acquires at least a height-direction coordinate value of a set of comparative coordinates indicating a position within a predetermined range from the acquired set of measurement coordinates; and a determining section that calculates a difference between a height-direction coordinate value of the set of measurement coordinates and the height-direction coordinate value of the set of comparative coordinates and determines that at least any one of the set of measurement coordinates and the set of comparative coordinates are incorrect when the difference is larger than a predetermined value.

Construction 3D printing, although a technology that is expected to provide cost, speed and environmental benefits as compared to the traditional construction practices, suffers from inefficient and often troublesome material delivery by pumping cementitious material through hoses or pipes. The present application addresses the need for a consistent and discrete payload delivery between a source and a moving destination. The invention describes an aerial tram delivery system that provides real-time, on-demand, and discrete transportation of material from a material source to the moving destination printheads of the construction 3D printer. Such discrete delivery of material is applicable and beneficial to other applications as described.

Construction 3D printing, although a technology that is expected to provide cost, speed and environmental benefits as compared to the traditional construction practices, suffers from inefficient and often troublesome material delivery by pumping cementitious material through hoses or pipes. The present application addresses the need for a consistent and discrete payload delivery between a source and a moving destination. The invention describes an aerial tram delivery system that provides real-time, on-demand, and discrete transportation of material from a material source to the moving destination printheads of the construction 3D printer. Such discrete delivery of material is applicable and beneficial to other applications as described.

Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.

An aircraft has multiple independent yaw authority mechanisms. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with at least first and second pylons extending therebetween and with a plurality of tail members extending therefrom each having an active control surface. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array is coupled to the airframe that includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each having a rotor assembly and each operable for thrust vectoring. A flight control system is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A first yaw authority mechanism includes differential speed control of rotor assemblies rotating clockwise compared to rotor assemblies rotating counterclockwise. A second yaw authority mechanism includes differential longitudinal control surface maneuvers of control surfaces of two symmetrically disposed tail members. A third yaw authority mechanism includes differential thrust vectoring of propulsion assemblies.

An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. First and second yaw vanes extend aftwardly from the fuselage. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and control movements of the yaw vanes. In a VTOL orientation of the aircraft, differential operation of the yaw vanes and/or differential operations of first and second rotor assemblies of the coaxial rotor system provide yaw authority for the aircraft. In a biplane orientation of the aircraft, collective operation of the yaw vanes provides yaw authority for the aircraft.

A rotary wing vehicle includes a body structure having an elongated tubular backbone or core, and a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system having rotors with each rotor having a separate motor to drive the rotors about a common rotor axis of rotation. The rotor system is used to move the rotary wing vehicle in directional flight.

The aircraft thrust control system comprises a central power unit and peripheral power units. The central power unit comprises upper and lower propellers arranged one above the other and adapted to rotate in opposite directions, while propellers of the peripheral power units are located outside the aerodynamic operating range of the central power unit propellers.

The operational efficiency of a rotorcraft in cruising. The rotary wing aircraft, according to the present disclosure, has a main body and a plurality of motors provided in the main body for rotating each of the rotors, which are parallel to a reference plane. When the main body is inclined with respect to one direction of travel and flying in the direction of travel, the rotational speed of each of the plurality of motors is approximately the same.

The operational efficiency of a rotorcraft in cruising. The rotary wing aircraft, according to the present disclosure, has a main body and a plurality of motors provided in the main body for rotating each of the rotors, which are parallel to a reference plane. When the main body is inclined with respect to one direction of travel and flying in the direction of travel, the rotational speed of each of the plurality of motors is approximately the same.