An electrical system for a vehicle may include a main power supply and a power supply controller electrically connected to the main power supply and configured to selectively electrically connect the main power supply to, and disconnect the main power supply from, a vehicle subsystem. The electrical system may also include a supervisor power supply controller configured to receive signals indicative of an operational status of the vehicle, and determine, based at least in part on the signals, expected signals associated with operation of a plurality of vehicle subsystems. The supervisor power supply controller may also receive signals associated with operation of a vehicle subsystem, and determine that the signals associated with operation of the vehicle subsystem are indicative of a fault. The supervisor power supply controller may cause the power supply controller associated with the vehicle subsystem to disconnect the vehicle subsystem from the main power supply.

There is provided a method of automatically landing a drone on a landing pad having thereon guiding-elements arranged in a pattern relative to a central region of the landing pad, comprising: receiving first image(s) captured by a camera of the drone, processing the first image(s) to compute a segmentation mask according to an estimate of a location of the landing pad, receiving second image(s) captured by the camera, processing the second image(s) according to the segmentation mask to compute a segmented region and extracting from the segmented region guiding-element(s), determining a vector for each of the extracted guiding-element(s), and aggregating the vectors to compute an estimated location of the central region of the landing pad, and navigating and landing the drone on the landing pad according to the estimated location of the central region of the landing pad.

Methods and system are disclosed for guiding an autonomous drone aircraft during descent to a landing target. The method features the steps of: (a) acquiring an image using a camera on the drone aircraft of an active fiducial system at the landing target; (b) verifying the active fiducial system in the image by comparing the image to a stored model or representation of the active fiducial system; (c) determining a relative position and/or orientation of the drone aircraft to the landing target using data from the image; (d) using the relative position and/or orientation determined in step (c) to guide the drone aircraft toward the landing target; and (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) a plurality of times.

Stations for deployment, recharging and/or maintenance of a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are disclosed herein. Such deployment stations can be implemented in a container that includes a robotic arm and a conveyor system. The robotic arm can secure a UAV hovering outside the station, move the UAV inside the station, and transfer the UAV to the conveyor. The conveyor can couple to and move multiple UAVs. Further, charging systems may be integrated in such deployment stations to charge UAVs when coupled to and moving along the conveyer. Further, process pieces may be utilized to simplify mechanical and electrical interfacing between a UAV, the robotic arm, the conveyor, the charging system and/or other systems at the UAV station.

The present disclosure provides a method, a device and a system for guiding an unmanned aerial vehicle to land. A navigation equipment on the unmanned aerial vehicle sends a landing instruction to the ground, so that a landing platform receiving the landing instruction displays a landing pattern. The navigation equipment scans image of the ground to identify the landing pattern, and guides the unmanned aerial vehicle to land at the landing pattern and land on the landing platform eventually. The landing platform displays a landing pattern according to the received instruction, and the unmanned aerial vehicle lands at the landing pattern, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle lands quickly and conveniently without extensive calculation.

Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.

There is provided a drone system in which a drone and a movable body operate in coordination with each other, the movable body being capable of moving with the drone aboard and allowing the drone to make a takeoff and a landing, the drone system includes a demarcating member that demarcates an operation area and detects an intruder into the operation area, the operation area being an area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation, the movable body includes a movement control section that stops movement of the movable body based on the detection of the intruder by the demarcating member, and the drone includes a landing position determining section that determines a landing position based on a stop position of the movable body.

The current invention concerns an improved system for cargo delivery through (unmanned) aerial vehicles (preferably UAVs or drones) to specifically designed home stations. Additionally, a method is described according to which the system of the invention functions.

A recharging/refuelling station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a network of the same are provided. Optionally the recharging/refuelling stations are network with a central control. Individual recharging/refuelling stations include a landing platform that includes a UAV capture system and a recharging or refuelling system. The recharging/refuelling stations may be equipped with a variety of sensors or modules to facilitate UAV landing and recharging/refuelling.

Described herein are apparatuses that provided various features related to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An example apparatus may include, among other features, (i) a launch system for a UAV, (ii) a landing feature that is arranged on the apparatus so as to receive the UAV when the UAV returns from a flight, and (iii) a mechanical battery-replacement system that is configured to (a) remove a first battery from the UAV, and (b) after removal of the first battery, install a second battery in the UAV.