An aerial vehicle takeoff and landing system, an aerial vehicle takeoff and landing apparatus, and an aerial vehicle capable of reducing the influence of the ground effect and capable of taking off and landing smoothly even in a comparatively small and limited space. A pair of rails are arranged side by side with a gap therebetween, and are arranged with a space in an extension direction on at least an under side and one end side. An aerial vehicle has a suspension portion provided at an upper portion thereof so as to be inserted between the rails from the one end side. With the suspension portion is inserted between the rails, the aerial vehicle can be suspended at a predetermined landing position of the rails, and the aerial vehicle suspended at the landing position can take off.

A base module may be used to receive and house one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) via one or more cavities. The base module receives commands from a manager device and identifies a flight plan that allows a UAV to execute the received commands. The base module transfers the flight plan to the UAV and frees the UAV. Once the UAV returns, the base module once again receives it. The base module then receives sensor data from the UAV from one or more sensors onboard the UAV, and optionally receives additional information describing its flight and identifying success or failure of the flight plan. The base module transmits the sensor data and optionally the additional information to a storage medium locally or remotely accessible by the manager device.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a parasail-assisted system for launching a fixed-wing aircraft into free flight and for retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft from free flight.

A method, apparatus, and method for facilitating communications with an underwater platform. A communications system comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle, a radio frequency communications system, a laser communications system, and a controller. The unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a first section and a second section. The first section is moveably connected to the second section. The radio frequency communications system is connected to the first section of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The radio frequency communications system comprises a first parabolic antenna. The laser communications system is connected to the second section of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The laser communications system comprises a second parabolic antenna. The controller is configured to control the laser communications system to transmit incoming information in a transmit laser beam to the underwater platform submerged in a body of water. The incoming information is from a receive radio frequency signal received by the radio frequency communications system.

A base module may be used to receive and house one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) via one or more cavities. The base module receives commands from a manager device and identifies a flight plan that allows a UAV to execute the received commands. The base module transfers the flight plan to the UAV and frees the UAV. Once the UAV returns, the base module once again receives it. The base module then receives sensor data from the UAV from one or more sensors onboard the UAV, and optionally receives additional information describing its flight and identifying success or failure of the flight plan. The base module transmits the sensor data and optionally the additional information to a storage medium locally or remotely accessible by the manager device.

Many different types of systems are utilized or tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of unmanned vehicles, or drones, that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more unmanned vehicles can be integrated with a dedicated marine electronic device of a marine vessel for autonomous control and operation. Additionally or alternatively, the unmanned vehicle can be manually remote operated during use in the marine environment. Such unmanned vehicles can be utilized in many different marine environment systems or tasks, including, for example, navigation, sonar, radar, search and rescue, video streaming, alert functionality, among many others. However, as contemplated by the present invention, the marine environment provides many unique challenges that may be accounted for with operation and control of an unmanned vehicle.

A control system includes a base device to be mounted on a mobile object, an aerial vehicle, a cable including a power supply cable for supplying electric power from the mobile object to the aerial vehicle and connecting the base device with the aerial vehicle, and a control device that controls flight of the aerial vehicle. The control device controls the aerial vehicle so that a relative altitude of the aerial vehicle with respect to the mobile object matches a target relative altitude. This control system optimizes an altitude of the aerial vehicle in accordance with the mobile object.

Provided is an artificial intelligence (AI) amphibious vertical take-off and landing modular hybrid flying automobile. The automobile may include a vehicle and a drone. The vehicle may include a vehicle body, a chassis, an engine, a transmission unit, a steering unit, a brake unit, an AI vehicle control unit, and one or more batteries. The vehicle may further include a wind turbine, a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen storage tank, an AI control unit, a plurality of sensors, and an obstacle detection module in communication with the plurality of sensors. The obstacle detection module may be configured to detect an obstacle and activate the brake unit. The drone may include a connection unit configured to releasably attach to a top of the vehicle body of the vehicle, a drone body, propellers configured to provide a vertical take-off and landing, and an AI drone control unit.

A UAV landing platform having movable covers to securely store/maintain/charge a UAV. The UAV may be launched from the landing platform, and the landing platform can have visual indicators to guide the landing of the UAV back onto the landing platform. There can be an optional mechanism to self-adjust/self-level the landing surface such that a UAV can safely land onto the landing platform even when the landing platform is on a traveling vehicle.

Various measures (for example methods, UAVs, controllers and computer programs) are provided in relation to controlling a UAV. The UAV is caused to provide energy to and receive energy from a given vehicle. The received energy is used to provide power to at least one component of the UAV.