A UAV includes a body and rotor coupled to the body. The UAV may include a boom connected to the body, and a nozzle connected to a distal end of the boom, wherein an operational configuration of the nozzle is responsive to a second control signal. The rotor, boom, and nozzle are arranged such that the nozzle is disposed further away from the body than the rotor. The UAV may further include a sensor disposed on either the body or the boom, wherein the sensor is configured to generate a detection signal associated with a distance between the sensor and a surface disposed proximate to the sensor.

A coating system for applying coating liquid such as a base coat, a paint, a lacquer or a protective layer to surfaces of buildings, wind turbines, ships and aircraft. The coating system includes an unmanned aerial machine in the form of a helicopter for dispensing the coating liquid. The aerial machine has a fuselage, two rotors, a tank for holding the coating liquid, and an applicator for dispensing the coating liquid and outputting same onto a surface to be coated. In order to supply the tank with coating liquid, the tank is fastened to the aerial vehicle and the tank or aerial vehicle has a filling opening for refilling the tank in the landed state of the vehicle, and/or the tank is part of an exchangeable tank module coupled to the fuselage and/or is uncoupled from the fuselage by a coupling device controlled in an automated manner.

A UAV includes a body and rotor coupled to the body. The UAV may include a boom coupled to the body, and a nozzle coupled to a distal end of the boom, wherein an operational configuration of the nozzle is responsive to a second control signal. The rotor, boom, and nozzle are arranged such that the nozzle is disposed further away from the body than the rotor. The UAV may further include a sensor disposed on either the body or the boom, wherein the sensor is configured to generate a detection signal associated with a distance between the sensor and a surface disposed proximate to the sensor.

A desired image is printed in a non-contact state on a print object surface with a flyable printer in which a printing device is mounted in a flying object. The printer includes a flying object having a body part, a controller, and a drive part; and a print head, mounted in the flying object, to print a desired image in a non-contact state, on a print object which the flying object has approached. The print head is driven while a gap is maintained at a predetermined value by bringing a gap adjustment part attached to the body part of the flying object into contact with the print object or by accurate control of the drive part. It is possible to print a desired image in good image quality regardless of the state of the surface of the print object.

A smart nozzle assembly includes a nozzle, a nozzle control mechanism, and camera rigidly attached to the nozzle for use with a mobile robot in an autonomous spray painting system. The nozzle control mechanism is configured to control flowrate, control the shape of the spray pattern, mix two or more colors, and clean dried paint at the nozzle tip. The nozzle assembly further includes a process for running software to manage or initiate the nozzle control mechanism's functionality and to provide the nozzle calibration. The calibration method for the nozzle uses a novel algorithm that measures the spray pattern, the distribution of paint within the spray pattern, and the relative position of the nozzle and camera. The distribution of paint within the spray pattern is measured in terms of physical quantity of delivered paint per unit area.

A marking maintenance system comprising a marking database, a drone, and a data network communicatively coupled to the marking database and drone. The marking database is arranged to store marking data associated with one or more markings. The marking data can include one or more marking locations within a geographic area and a type of infrastructure associated with each of the one or more marking. The drone is arranged to determine the location of the drone via one or more location sensors, receive data from the marking database, and deploy to each marking location within a portion of the geographic area. The drone is also arranged to determine whether each marking within the portion of the geographic area is sufficiently present using one or more marker sensors and repair each marking within the portion of the geographic area that is determined to not be sufficiently present.

A marking identification system comprising a marking database, a drone, and a data network communicatively coupled to the marking database and drone. The marking database is arranged to store marking data associated with one or more markings. The marking data can include one or more marking locations within a geographic area and a type of infrastructure associated with each of the one or more marking. The drone is arranged to determine the location of the drone via one or more location sensors, receive data from the marking database, and deploy to the location within the geographic area. The drone is also arranged to detect one or more markings within the geographic area, detect an indicator in pain associated with each of the detected markings, and determine a type of infrastructure associated with each of the detected markings based on the detected indicator associated with each of the markings.

An autonomous marking apparatus comprising a propulsion system, a location sensor, a payload assembly, one or more marking sensors, a transceiver, a data store, and a processor. The location sensor is arranged to determine the location of the apparatus. The payload assembly is arranged to carry a payload of marking material. The one or more marking sensors are arranged to scan an area in proximity to the apparatus. The transceiver is arranged to exchange data with a remote server via a data network. The data store is arranged to store a portion of the data. The processor is arranged to receive data from the location sensor, the one or more marking sensors, and from the transceiver. The processor is also arranged to send data to the transceiver and control the delivery of the payload at the location of the apparatus.

A painting system that makes use of drones such as modified quadrotors. The drone includes a support arm that carries a paint nozzle configured for pan and tilt motion. A power supply line is connected from an external power supply to the drone to allow extended flight time. A paint supply line is also connected from an external paint supply to the drone to allow extended painting time and/or surface coverage with each flight. The drone has an onboard controller so painting is autonomous with no human input being required. The drone stores a 3D model of the target structure annotated with the drone trajectory plus commands to control the pan-tilt paint nozzle to perform the painting. At runtime, the controller uses a sensor to view the target structure and localizes itself. The drone then traverses the stored trajectory and implements the painting commands to paint the 3D structure's surfaces.

An aerial operations system for performing various tasks such as painting is provided. The modular aerial operations system includes an aerial vehicle capable of vertically taking off and landing, hovering and precisely maneuvering near walls and other structures. The aerial vehicle may be a rotorcraft such as a multicopter. In an aspect, as aerial vehicle paints one or more designated surfaces using detachable arms and equipment. The system may paint the designated surface in one of several available techniques using paint provided in a container such as an attached reservoir, a base station, a paint can, or the like. The aerial operations system provided may also be configured to perform a variety of other tasks.