A drone pod may receive, stow, and launch a drone. The drone pod may include a housing, a canopy movably coupled to the housing, a platform movably coupled to the housing, and a drone bay. The drone pod may be configured to move the canopy to expose the drone bay and raise the platform relative to a floor of the drone bay to receive the drone, lower the platform toward the floor of the drone bay and move the canopy to enclose the drone bay to stow the drone, move the canopy to expose the drone bay and raise the platform relative to the floor of the drone bay to launch the drone. The drone pod may be mounted on a vehicle. A system may include a drone pod and a drone, wherein the drone pod is configured to receive, stow, and launch the drone.

The invention relates to a method for automatically guiding a drone with a computer, with a view to landing the drone on a docking and recharging platform, the drone comprising a first luminous means that emits a first light signal and a second luminous means that emits a second light signal different from the first light signal, the first luminous means and the second luminous means being fastened at two separate points to the drone, the station receiving images captured by a camera, said method comprising: analyzing the images captured by the camera so as to locate the first and second luminous means, determining the position and orientation of the drone depending on the determined position of the first and second luminous means, generating, with the computer, piloting instructions intended for the drone, said instructions being configured to guide the drone towards the docking and recharging platform, transmitting said instructions to the drone, the drone receiving and implementing said instructions.

A ground station for aerial vehicles including a protective casing, at least one charging mechanism, and an extendable landing pad. The extended landing pad is operable to transition between a closed configuration having dimensions suitable to be contained within said protective casing, and an open configuration having dimensions suitable to land the aerial vehicle.

A reconfigurable system capable of autonomously exchanging material from unmanned vehicles of various types and sizes. The system comprises an environmental enclosure, a landing area, a universal mechanical system to load and unload material from the unmanned vehicle, and a central processor that manages the aforementioned tasks. The landing area may comprise a one or more visible or non-visible markers/emitters capable of generating composite images to assist in landing the unmanned vehicle upon the reconfigurable, autonomous system.

A drone system includes a headquarter station and one or more drone port stations. Each drone port station includes a platform configured to receive a drone, a radar system configured to detect and identify the drone, and one or more locker clips disposed on the platform, wherein the one or more locker clips are configured to lock onto one or more legs extending from the drone. Each drone port station also includes an internal computer configured to control operations of the drone port station, an internal camera operatively connected to the internal computer, where the internal camera is configured to detect a charging port or a fuel tank of the drone, a glass panel placed on the platform, where the glass panel is configured to protect the internal camera, and an antenna extending from the platform and configured to provide a communications pathway from the drone port station to the headquarter station.

A drone system includes a headquarter station and one or more drone port stations. Each drone port station includes a platform configured to receive a drone, a radar system configured to detect and identify the drone, and one or more locker clips disposed on the platform, wherein the one or more locker clips are configured to lock onto one or more legs extending from the drone. Each drone port station also includes an internal computer configured to control operations of the drone port station, an internal camera operatively connected to the internal computer, where the internal camera is configured to detect a charging port or a fuel tank of the drone, a glass panel placed on the platform, where the glass panel is configured to protect the internal camera, and an antenna extending from the platform and configured to provide a communications pathway from the drone port station to the headquarter station.

In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that for transporting and deploying unmanned aerial vehicles. The unmanned aerial vehicles may be deployed from mobile stations that include receptacles each configured to retain an unmanned aerial vehicle. The receptacles may be independently movable into relative positions that permit multiple unmanned aerial vehicles to be deployed simultaneously from the mobile stations.

An unmanned aerial vehicle courier service with mobile device traffic management application and identified user landing pads is disclosed. The invention comprised of a landing pad and software application for mobile devices having dashboards for a variety of stakeholders such end user subscribers, courier services and operations team. The aforementioned landing pads and software services allow users to schedule a pickup and delivery, reserve a flight path, track a package and detect UAV arrivals and departures. An object of the invention is to allow greater, open access to UAV delivery methods for common citizens and residents of a community.

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide an AirBox constructed to receive deliveries from a drone. The AirBox can comprise an automatically openable lid; and a wireless receiver that is constructed to receive data concerning a delivery from the drone. The automatically openable lid can open to receive the delivery from the drone.

The invention relates to a system and to a method for the transfer of a line or a heaving line for a line, wherein the system comprises at least a flying vehicle, provided with a connection provision adapted for releasably connecting a line or heaving line to said flying vehicle