A mechanically secure docking platform for unmanned VTOL aircraft (drone) or other automated vehicle, acting as an automated battery recharging system for drones or a battery quick change system for drones. The system also is capable of enabling an automated data logistics system for drones, an autonomous guidance system for landing and docking for drones, and/or an autonomous guidance system for undocking and takeoff for drones.

The technical description relates to perimeters for vehicles. Specific examples relate to vehicle perimeters established by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such as autonomous drones, for a variety of vehicle types, including manually-driven, partially autonomous, and fully autonomous vehicles. Perimeter devices, vehicles, including autonomous vehicles and human-controlled vehicles, UAVs, and related systems and methods are described. Perimeter devices respond to triggering events, such as vehicle-immobilizing events, GPS-based events, and environment-based events, to establish a perimeter adjacent a vehicle such that observers can visually detect the presence of a signal member, such as a warning triangle having a reflective surface. An example vehicle includes a tractor unit, a trailer connected to the tractor unit, a storage enclosure associated with the tractor unit, and a plurality of perimeter devices disposed in the chamber. Each perimeter device of the plurality of perimeter devices includes a triangular signal member, a base member, and a UAV. Each perimeter device is adapted to deploy from the chamber and establish a perimeter by the vehicle in response to a triggering event, such as parking of the vehicle in a location for which a perimeter must be established, impact of the vehicle with another object, such as during a traffic accident, rollover of the vehicle, or mechanical and/or electrical failure of the vehicle.

An apparatus for supporting a ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station for a premises including a ceiling grid and a support structure disposed above the ceiling grid is provided. The apparatus includes an unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket including a top surface and a bottom surface which is configured to be affixed to an exposed surface of a ceiling element in the ceiling grid by a first plurality of fastening elements. The bottom surface of the bracket is configured to be affixed to the ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station. The apparatus further includes a panel including a top surface and a bottom surface which is configured to be affixed to a concealed surface of the ceiling element by the first plurality of fastening elements. The top surface of the panel includes at least one anchoring element physically coupling the panel to the support structure.

A method, apparatus, and system for supplying power during the takeoff and landing of an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) aircraft is disclosed herein. A power supplying method is performed by a power supply system comprising a drone and a hub. The power supplying method includes: determining whether power is required for an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) aircraft to land on the hub using battery information of the UAM aircraft when the UAM aircraft is determined to be in a landing mode; moving the drone from the hub to the UAM aircraft using location information of the UAM aircraft when it is determined that power is additionally required for the UAM aircraft to land on the hub; docking the drone to the UAM aircraft to couple with; and supplying power required for the UAM aircraft to land on the hub to the UAM aircraft by the drone

A method, apparatus, and system for supplying power during the takeoff and landing of an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) aircraft is disclosed herein. A power supplying method is performed by a power supply system comprising a drone and a hub. The power supplying method includes: determining whether power is required for an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) aircraft to land on the hub using battery information of the UAM aircraft when the UAM aircraft is determined to be in a landing mode; moving the drone from the hub to the UAM aircraft using location information of the UAM aircraft when it is determined that power is additionally required for the UAM aircraft to land on the hub; docking the drone to the UAM aircraft to couple with; and supplying power required for the UAM aircraft to land on the hub to the UAM aircraft by the drone

Unmanned vehicles may be terrestrial, aerial, nautical, or multi-mode. Unmanned vehicles may accomplish tasks by breaking out into sub-drones, re-grouping itself, changing form, or re-orienting its sensors.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for drone landing ground station. A method includes determining that a drone is landing on a ground station, based on determining that the drone is landing on the ground station, determining a magnetic field to generate at a first magnetic component at a first position in the ground station and an opposing magnetic polar at a second magnetic component at a second position in the ground station, and generating the magnetic field at the first magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at the second magnetic component.

An apparatus for providing maintenance and shelter to at least one drone. The apparatus includes at least one maintenance unit operable to provide maintenance to a drone that has arrived for maintenance thereat; a base structure for providing support to the at least one maintenance unit; at least one landing structure suitable for the drone to land thereat, each landing structure including a first actuator that is operable to move the landing structure in relation to the base structure, so as to align the drone landed on the landing structure with respect to the at least one maintenance unit; and means for supporting the base structure on ground, the means for supporting the base structure operable to alter position of the base structure to provide shelter to the landing structure.

A method and system for cooperative charging between an unmanned aerial vehicle and an unmanned surface vessel includes: using the unmanned aerial vehicle to capture an image of the unmanned surface vessel; analyzing the relative position of a capturing device and the velocity of the unmanned surface vessel; controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to approach the capturing device, and making the unmanned aerial vehicle to hover at a certain height within the capture range; detecting whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is within the capture range and, if within the range, using the unmanned surface vessel to capture the unmanned aerial vehicle or using the unmanned aerial vehicle to re-capture an image of the unmanned surface vessel; using the capturing device to adjust the position of the unmanned aerial vehicle and performing wireless charging.

A landing platform for an unmanned aerial vehicle, including a plurality of substantially funnel-shaped centering housings configured to cooperate with a corresponding plurality of projections of the aerial vehicle for reaching a predetermined landing position. The platform can include a mechanism for recharging the battery of the aerial vehicle and/or with an arrangement for serial data transfer.