Embodiments include devices and methods for capturing images of a game by an unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV). A processor of the UAV may determine game play rules of the game. The processor may predict a game action based on the determined game play rules. The processor may determine a position from which to capture an image of the game based on the predicted game action, and may move the UAV to the determined position to enable the UAV to capture of an image of the game from the determined position.

A system and method for controlling a flying toy is shown and described herein. The flying toy may transmit a signal and receive a return signal after the signal reflects off of a surface. The return signal may be compared to the transmitted signal to determine information indicative of an error between the transmitted signal and the return signal. A control signal may be sent to a motor to control the speed of the motor based on the information indicative of the error. The motor may operate a propeller to control the distance between the flying toy and the surface.

A Lynchpin structure may be combined with one or more additional Lynchpin structures to form a compound Lynchpin propulsion structure. Each Lynchpin structure may include six pentangular areas, and one or more of the pentangular areas may include a propulsion device. The propulsion may be used to propel the compound Lynchpin propulsion structure through or over various media, such as through air, across ground, on or underwater, or through or over other media. The propulsion may include avionic propulsion, ground propulsion, hydrodynamic propulsion, or other types of propulsion. A single type of propulsion device may be used within one or more of the pentangular areas, or diverse types of propulsion may be used to provide various navigational performance or multi-mode operation. Each propulsion device may also include a device to direct the propulsion, such as a single or multi-axis gimble or adjustable aerodynamic control surface.

A safety rotor system for an aircraft including a flight rotor that is rotationally driven by a drive, the system including: a safety rotor that is rotationally driven during rotation of the flight rotor, the safety rotor including one or more safety members traversing a path outward of the flight rotor so that an object approaching the flight rotor through the path contacts one of the safety members before contacting the flight rotor, wherein the safety rotor decelerates when one of the safety members contacts an object; a sensor for detecting rotation of the safety rotor; and a controller configured to: determine, using the sensor, a deceleration of the safety rotor corresponding to one of the safety members contacting an object; and cause the rotation of the flight rotor to cease in response to detecting the deceleration of the safety rotor.

A propulsion system assembly includes a propeller and a motor configured to drive the propeller to rotate. The propeller includes one of a first body and a second body. The motor comprises the other one of the first body and the second body. The propulsion system assembly also includes a locking mechanism configured to detachably connecting the first body and the second body. The locking mechanism includes a locking member and a position limiting lock catch. The locking member is configured to lock the first body and the second body. The locking member includes locking parts located at at least two sides of the locking member. When the locking parts of the locking member rotate to a locking position, the position limiting lock catch is mounted to a side of the locking parts, to restrain the locking member from rotating relative to the first body.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing method includes detecting, via one or more sensors on-board the UAV, a positional change of the UAV while the UAV is airborne; and generating, with aid of one or more processors on-board the UAV and in response to the detected positional change, one or more command signals to decelerate one or more rotor blades of the UAV, thereby causing the UAV to land autonomously.

An unmanned aerial vehicle has a thrust body including a control system, thrusters to generate lift and direct the UAV in response to control signals from the control system. A spherical fender cage envelopes the thrust body. Spokes extend radially from the thrust body to support spherical thrust bearings able to slide freely against the internal spherical surface of the fender cage such that the fender cage is uncoupled from the thrust body and can rotate freely in any spherical direction without the use of any gimbal mechanism.

A lighter-than-air toy drone having at least one balloon that is inflated with a lift gas. The drone has a first conduit progresses along a first axis and a second conduit that progresses along a perpendicular second axis. At least one motorized propeller is provided that can selectively moving air through the first conduit and the second conduit to propel the drone. The motorized propeller can also generate a gyroscopic force that acts to rotate said at least one balloon for directional steering.

An aerial vehicle landing method includes controlling to decelerate, with aid of one or more processors and in response to at least two of a plurality of conditions being satisfied, the aerial vehicle to cause the aerial vehicle to land autonomously. The plurality of conditions includes determining that an external signal related to a human is detected via one or more sensors; determining that a location/orientation change of the aerial vehicle is detected while the aerial vehicle is airborne; and determining that an external contact from an external object is exerted upon the aerial vehicle, the external object being an object that is not part of the aerial vehicle.

There is provided a control device including an image display unit configured to acquire, from a flying body, an image captured by an imaging device provided in the flying body and to display the image, and a flight instruction generation unit configured to generate a flight instruction for the flying body based on content of an operation performed with respect to the image captured by the imaging device and displayed by the image display unit.