An articulated support includes a base and pitch-roll-yaw assembly having a pitch/roll subassembly and a yaw subassembly. The pitch/roll subassembly includes a central member configured for spring-loaded rotation about a pitch/roll axis, and the yaw subassembly has a U-shaped member configured (a) at end portions to engage under-wing connection lugs of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and (b) at a central portion to mate to the central member of the pitch/roll subassembly in a rotatable manner providing for rotation of the yaw subassembly about a yaw axis. The pitch/roll subassembly and yaw subassembly are further co-configured to define first and second fixed yaw positions in which a fuselage of the UAS is, respectively, parallel to and perpendicular to the pitch/roll axis, permitting roll motion and pitch motion of the UAS when mounted on the articulated support.

A flight-capable imaging system includes a set of parallel rails, a power source mounted to the set of parallel rails, an imaging device mounted to the set of parallel rails, an aerial vehicle body mounted to the set of parallel rails, a set of aerial vehicle arms attached to the aerial vehicle body that each include a set of propellers and a motor configured to turn the set of propellers to enable flight of the flight-capable imaging system, and at least one processing module configured to control the flight of the of the flight-capable imaging system based on controlling a motor speed of the motor of each of the set of aerial vehicle arms.

A collision avoidance system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) receives physical space data for a flight area and creates a virtual world model to represent the flight area by mapping the physical space data with a physics engine. The automatic collision avoidance system creates a virtual UAV model to represent the UAV in the virtual world model. The automatic collision avoidance system receives flight data for the UAV and determines a current position of the virtual UAV model within the virtual world model. The automatic collision avoidance system determines a predicted trajectory of the virtual UAV model within the virtual world model, and determines whether the predicted trajectory will result in a collision of the virtual UAV model with the virtual world model. The automatic collision avoidance system performs evasive actions by the UAV, in response to determining that the predicted trajectory will result in a collision.

A vehicle includes a wheel; a hybrid power generation system including an engine and a generator mechanically coupled to the engine; and a propulsion system including an electric motor electrically coupled to the generator and mechanically coupled to the wheel.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system and a method of controlling the same, wherein such method controls the stability and maneuverability of the VTOL UAV by manipulating the speeds of the propellers at each rotor. The VTOL UAV includes a body with three extending arms, wherein each of such arms is aligned and fixed at a certain angle from a central axis passing through the body. Each extending arm is equipped with a rotor with propellers. The rotors are sufficient to control the yaw of the UAV, and there is no need for coaxial rotors or an extra servo-motor in order to control the yaw of the UAV, thus reducing the cost and the weight of the UAV.

Various methods for utilizing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to monitor hazards for a user may include maintaining the UAV at a monitoring position relative to the user, monitoring an area surrounding the user for approaching objects, detecting an approaching object, determining whether the approaching object poses a danger to the user, and performing one or more actions to mitigate the danger of the approaching object in response to determining that the approaching object poses a danger to the user.

A transport system includes: a plurality of autonomously movable first moving bodies; and one or more second moving bodies configured to transport the plurality of first moving bodies as a first assembly in which relative positions of the plurality of first moving bodies with respect to each other are identified.

An apparatus includes a frame and a plurality of propellers coupled to the frame and configured to produce sufficient thrust to allow the apparatus to hover. Each propeller from the plurality of propellers having a horizontally oriented blade and a first propellor from the plurality of propellors overlapping a second propellor from the plurality of propellers in a vertical plane.

A torque and pitch managed four rotor aircraft, having intersecting blades connected by synchronizing gears. The power for the rotors is provided by individual motors, one for each rotor, preferably electric. Each rotor-motor assembly includes a torque managing means comprising two torque sensors, one measuring the load torque presented by the rotors and one measuring the drive torque supplied by the motors. A feedback or servo system for each rotor causes the motors to supply a drive torque that is equal to the load torque for each rotor. A second, overriding feedback system regulates the rotors rotational speed. Speed and direction of the aircraft is effected by adjusting the fixed pitch of the individual rotors. Power is supplied through a battery and motor/generator system located elsewhere in the aircraft.

Aerial vehicles may be equipped with propellers having clutch mechanisms that contract around a shaft when the propellers are not rotating, or are rotating at low angular velocities, and expand around the shaft when the propellers are rotating at sufficiently high angular velocities. The clutch mechanisms may receive one or more fixed posts within an opening or window defined therein. When the clutch mechanisms contract into a closed position, components of the clutch mechanisms come into contact with the posts, and the propellers are forced to remain in an alignment defined by the posts. When the clutch mechanisms expand into an open position, such components may rotate freely without contacting the posts. Thus, a clutch mechanism may cause a propeller to remain aligned in a desired orientation when the propeller is not required for operation, thereby reducing drag or adverse acoustic effects.