Various methods enable a processor of a robotic vehicle to determine when the robotic vehicle has been stolen so that a self-recovery operation may be performed. Determining whether the robotic vehicle has been stolen may include evaluating, by a processor of the robotic vehicle, unauthorized use indicia, and determining that the robotic vehicle is stolen in response to determining that unauthorized use indicia exceed a threshold. Evaluating unauthorized use indicia may include determining whether an Integrated Circuit Card Identifier of a Subscriber Identify Module matches a stored value, determining whether a paired controller is different from a usual controller, determining whether the operator's skill has changed, and evaluating one or more trust factors that are observable features of normal operation.

Various embodiments of an airfoil and machines with airfoils are disclosed. The airfoils include a thicker leading airfoil portion and a thinner trailing airfoil portion. In one embodiment, the leading airfoil portion is formed by bending a body of the airfoil back toward itself. In another embodiment, the leading airfoil portion has a solid geometry and includes two elliptic surfaces. To prevent detachment of airflow, the leading airfoil portion includes at least two arc portions or surfaces that act to direct the airflow down to the trailing airfoil portion in a manner that stabilizes vortexes that may form in the region of changing thickness.

An aerial vehicle including a housing, an outrunner motor including a stator mechanically coupled to the housing and a rotor rotationally coupled to the stator, and a propeller removably coupled to the rotor, the propeller including a hub and a plurality of propeller blades. A rotor, a propeller including a hub and a propeller blade, a radial alignment mechanism, a rotational retention mechanism, and an axial retention mechanism.

Systems and methods for providing UAV-based digital escort drones in visitor management and access control systems are provided. A visitor management and access control system can identify a need for escorting a visitor through the region and transmit a signal to a drone that identifies a starting location and a destination location in the region. Responsive to receiving the signal, the drone can escort the visitor along a path from the starting location to the destination location, and an access privilege device carried by the drone can open a secured door or access a secured area along the path.

The present disclosure is directed toward a system for autonomously landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) within an unmanned aerial vehicle ground station (UAVGS) and removing a battery assembly from within the UAV while landed. In particular, systems described herein enable a battery arm to engage a battery assembly and remove the battery assembly from within the UAV. Additionally, the battery arm can include one or more sensors that detect a pattern of sensor contacts arranged on an end of the battery assembly. In particular, the sensors on the battery arm can detect and identify the battery assembly based on the particular pattern of sensor contacts on the end of the battery assembly.

The present invention relates to systems for protecting against sun's damaging rays, and against unwanted onlookers like drones. The systems comprise a drone and a covering member attached to the drone. In one aspect, a Flight Control System, FCS, flies the drone in a selected spot. In one embodiment, the covering member acts like an overhead covering, and a measuring device provides the FCS information for flying the drone on a holding position over a stationary user. In another embodiment, a measuring device enables the FCS to fly the drone over a non-stationary user and to tracking him. Further, the FCS adjusts the drone position with respect to the position of either the sun or a detected drone in the sky. In another embodiment, a radio control, transmitter receiver, pair is used to communicate user's requests to the FCS. One request may be to turn on the motors.

This disclosure is generally directed to an Unmanned Aerial Device (UAV) that uses a removable computing device for command and control. The UAV may include an airframe with rotors and an adjustable cradle to attach a computing device. The computing device, such as a smart phone, tablet, MP3 player, or the like, may provide the necessary avionics and computing equipment to control the UAV autonomously. For example, the adjustable cradle may be extended to fit a tablet or other large computing device, or retracted to fit a smart phone or other small computing device. Thus, the adjustable cradle may provide for the attachment and use of a plurality of different computing devices in conjunction with a single airframe. Additionally the UAV may comprise adjustable arms to assist in balancing the load of the different computing devices and/or additional equipment attached to the airframe.

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.

A device that controls the flight altitude of an unmanned aerial vehicle having mounted thereon an imaging device that captures an image of the ground, the device being provided with: one or more memories; and circuitry which, in operation, recognizes, as a plurality of markers, a plurality of objects located on the ground from the image captured by the imaging device, calculates the area of a polygon formed by the plurality of markers, and controls the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle in such a way that the area of the polygon is maximized.

A system for video imaging and photographing using an autonomous aerial platform. The system may be a quad rotor system using electrically powered propellers. The aerial platform may be commanded by the user to follow an object of interest. The aerial platform may have multiple configurations for its thrust units such that they are clear of the field of view of the imaging device in a first configuration, such that they protect the imaging device during landing in a second configuration, and that allows for efficient storage in a stowed configuration.