A traffic control system, a controller and an associated method are provided to direct a vehicle to slow or, in some instances, stop at a defined spatial location along the roadway. In the context of a controller, the controller includes at least one processor and memory including computer program code with the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the controller to receive information indicative of at least one characteristic of the behavior of the vehicle as the vehicle approaches a defined location. Based on the information, the controller is caused to compare the behavior of the vehicle to a defined criterion and, in response, to cause an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) to maintain a hovering position in which the UAV hovers above the roadway so as to be within the path of travel of the vehicle on the roadway.

Provided is a control apparatus for controlling a plurality of flying bodies including a first flying body having an antenna for forming a communication area by a beam irradiated toward the ground to provide wireless communication service for a user terminal in the communication area. The control apparatus comprises a selection unit configured to select a flying body of a combination target to be combined with the first flying body from the plurality of flying bodies; and a flying body control unit configured to control combination of the first flying body and the flying body of a combination target.

A flight module for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft comprises multiple drive units arranged on a supporting framework structure that comprises struts interconnected at node points. Each drive unit comprises an electric motor and a propeller that is operatively connected to the electric motor. Some of the drive units are arranged outside the node points.

Disclosed is a charging station (2) for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1) comprising one or more energy stores, the station having a charging device for transferring electrical energy to the energy store or stores. Also disclosed is a combined charging station (12) for vertical take-off and landing aircraft, each aircraft comprising one or more energy stores, the combined charging station (12) having multiple charging stations.

Systems and methods for managing power of an aerial vehicle, an illustrative system including an aerial vehicle including a power storage module and a plurality of components, and a computing device communicatively coupled to the aerial vehicle, the computing device including a processor and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to receive data indicating a state of charge of the power storage module, receive data indicating a rate of power consumption of the plurality of components, receive a goal, generate, based on at least one of the state of charge of the power storage module, the rate of power consumption of the plurality of components, and the goal, a power command, and transmit the power command to the aerial vehicle.

A method is described to stabilize a reflector in the upper atmosphere to reflect solar irradiance before it can be absorbed or scattered by Earth's atmosphere or surface. Thin reflective sheets are flown under control in the upper atmosphere above Earth, in contrast to reflecting from Space orbits or the ground. The high altitude enables nearly total reflection. This invention uses rotational motion to hold sheets stretched by centrifugal means while enabling the generation of aerodynamic lift. During the daytime solar power is used to store rotational and potential energy. During the night the low disc loading of the rotor system facilitates gliding flight without descending into controlled airspace.

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle having multifunctional leg assembly and charging system, including unmanned aerial vehicle and charging station. The UAV includes obstacle avoidance sensors, flight control module, first signal processing module, electric undercarriage and power charge/storage module. The charging station includes power charge/supply module. The obstacle avoidance sensors sense obstacles near the UAV to generate obstacle sensing signals. The first signal processing module interprets and processes the obstacle sensing signals to determine whether there is an obstacle near the UAV, and when the judgment result is yes, an avoidance instruction is transmitted to the flight control module, so that the flight control module drives the UAV to avoid the obstacle. The electric undercarriage includes first leg frame, second leg frame and electric driving mechanism. The electric driving mechanism drives the first leg frame and the second leg frame to fold and unfold alternately. The power charge/storage module includes first positive electrode and first negative electrode. The charging station includes power charge/supply module. The power charge/supply module includes second positive electrode and second negative electrode. When the UAV parks on a platform of the charging station, and the first positive electrode and the first negative electrode are in contact with the second positive electrode and the second negative electrode, then the power charge/supply module charges electricity to the power charge/storage module.

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle having multifunctional leg assembly and charging system, including unmanned aerial vehicle and charging station. The UAV includes obstacle avoidance sensors, flight control module, first signal processing module, electric undercarriage and power charge/storage module. The charging station includes power charge/supply module. The obstacle avoidance sensors sense obstacles near the UAV to generate obstacle sensing signals. The first signal processing module interprets and processes the obstacle sensing signals to determine whether there is an obstacle near the UAV, and when the judgment result is yes, an avoidance instruction is transmitted to the flight control module, so that the flight control module drives the UAV to avoid the obstacle. The electric undercarriage includes first leg frame, second leg frame and electric driving mechanism. The electric driving mechanism drives the first leg frame and the second leg frame to fold and unfold alternately. The power charge/storage module includes first positive electrode and first negative electrode. The charging station includes power charge/supply module. The power charge/supply module includes second positive electrode and second negative electrode. When the UAV parks on a platform of the charging station, and the first positive electrode and the first negative electrode are in contact with the second positive electrode and the second negative electrode, then the power charge/supply module charges electricity to the power charge/storage module.

A drone-assisted ballistic system is provided. The ballistic system may include a plurality of mobile devices, a ballistic computer, and a data interface. Each mobile device may be operable to gather wind data along or adjacent to a flight path of a projectile to a target, each mobile device measuring at least wind speed and wind direction. The ballistic system may include at least one static device operable to gather wind data at or near a launch or firing position. The ballistic computer may be in data communication with the plurality of mobile devices to receive the wind data. The ballistic computer may be configured to calculate a wind compensation value for the projectile based on the wind data. The data interface may be in data communication with the ballistic computer to output the wind compensation value to a user in real-time.

A method is described to stabilize a reflector in the upper atmosphere to reflect solar irradiance back into Space before it can be absorbed or scattered by Earth's atmosphere. Thin reflective sheets are flown under control in the upper atmosphere above Earth, in contrast to reflecting from Space orbits or the ground. The high altitude enables nearly total reflection. This embodiment uses buoyant aerostatic lift and pneumatic pressure to support and hold sheets stretched while providing aerostatic lift. During the daytime solar power is used to provide energy for propulsion and gain altitude by volume expansion. During the night the aerostatic lift holds the system above controlled airspace. Edgewise gliding permits seasonal movement of the system and station-keeping. In one example application, a swarm of aerostatically stabilized reflectors placed around the edge of the Antarctic continent will reduce summer melting of ice, in order to reverse the rise in sea level.