Provided is a stable flight control method for a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle based on finite-time neurodynamics, comprising the following implementation process: 1) acquiring real-time flight orientation and attitude data through airborne sensors, and analyzing and processing kinematic problems of the aerial vehicle through an airborne processor to establish a dynamics model of the aerial vehicle; 2) designing a finite-time varying-parameter convergence differential neural network solver according to a finite-time varying-parameter convergence differential neurodynamics design method; 3) solving output control parameters of motors of the aerial vehicle through the finite-time varying-parameter convergence differential neural network solver using the acquired real-time orientation and attitude data; and 4) transmitting results to speed regulators of the motors of the aerial vehicle to control the motion of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Based on the finite-time varying-parameter convergence differential neurodynamics method, the invention can approximate the correct solution of the problem in a quick, accurate and real-time way, and can well solve a variety of time-varying problems such as matrix, vector, algebra and optimization.

An imaging system includes a first optical module including a first image sensor, a second optical module comprising a second image sensor, and an image processor. The first optical module has a first focal length range. The second optical module has a second focal length range. The first focal length range and the second focal length range are different. The image processor is configured to receive image data for a first image from the first optical module and/or image data for a second image from the second optical module and generate data to show the first image and/or the second image within a display.

A propulsion assembly for a rotorcraft includes a blade assembly, a drive shaft coupled to the blade assembly and an electric motor coupled to the drive shaft and operable to provide rotational energy to the drive shaft to rotate the blade assembly. The propulsion assembly includes a landing assistance turbine coupled to the drive shaft and operable to selectively provide rotational energy to the drive shaft during an underpowered descent to rotate the blade assembly and provide upward thrust, thereby reducing a descent rate of the rotorcraft prior to landing.

Disclosed is an aerial vehicle having a reduced noise signature. The aerial vehicle may be a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle comprises an airframe and a plurality of rotors operatively coupled with one or more motors. The plurality of rotors may comprise a first, second, third, and fourth rotor. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth rotors may be arranged in a single plane and oriented to direct thrust downward relative to the airframe. In certain aspects, at least two of the plurality of rotors employ a different geometry to generate a targeted noise signature.

In the mobile communications of the fifth generation or the like, a radio relay apparatus capable of stably over a wide area realize a three-dimensional network, in which a propagation delay is low, a simultaneous connection with a large number of terminal apparatuses in a wide-range and high-speed communication can be performed, and a system capacity per unit area is large, in radio communications with terminal apparatuses including devices for the IoT, and there is no influence on radio wave frequency resources, is provided. The radio relay apparatus comprises a floating object provided with a radio relay station and controlled to be located in a floating airspace with an altitude less than or equal to 100 [km] by an autonomous control or an external control, an optical communication section for performing optical communication with an optical communication destination via an optical antenna apparatus controllable to change outgoing directional beam, an information acquisition section for acquiring at least one of optical-beam control information provided with a radio relay station and a reception sensitivity of the optical communication section, and a beam control section for controlling a directional beam of the optical antenna apparatus based on information acquired by the information acquisition section.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with stereoscopic imaging, and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A representative system includes a support structure oriented relative to a vehicle roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis. The system further includes multiple propellers carried by the support structure, and first and second stereo imaging devices, also carried by the support structure. The first stereo imaging device has a first field of view, the second stereo imaging device has a second field of view, and at least one of the multiple propellers is positioned forward of and between the first and second stereo imaging devices. The at least one propeller has a rotation disc that does not overlap with the first and second fields of view. In representative configurations the fields of view also do not overlap with other (e.g., any other) structures of the UAV.

A UAV package delivery system includes a cabinet for deployment inside a merchant facility. The cabinet is configured for storing and charging UAVs on-site at the merchant facility remote from a command and control of the UAVs. The cabinet includes a plurality of cubbies, power circuitry, communication circuitry, and a controller. The cubbies are each sized and shaped to receive one of the UAVs. The power circuitry is configured for charging the UAVs when the UAVs are stowed within the cubbies. The communication circuitry is configured for communicating with the UAVs when the UAVs are proximate to the cabinet or stowed within the cubbies and for communicating with the command and control. The controller causes the UAV package delivery system to retrieve status information from the UAVs, relay the status information to the command and control, and relay mission data between the command and control and the UAVs.

A transformable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), can operate as a coplanar hexacopter or as an omnidirectional multirotor based on different operation modes. The UAV has 100% force efficiency for launching or landing tasks in the coplanar mode. In the omnidirectional mode, the UAV is fully actuated in the air for agile mobility in six degrees of freedom (DOFs). Models and control design are developed to characterize the motion of the transformable UAV. Simulation results are presented to validate the transformable UAV design and the enhanced UAV performance, compared with a fixed structure.

A transformable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), can operate as a coplanar hexacopter or as an omnidirectional multirotor based on different operation modes. The UAV has 100% force efficiency for launching or landing tasks in the coplanar mode. In the omnidirectional mode, the UAV is fully actuated in the air for agile mobility in six degrees of freedom (DOFs). Models and control design are developed to characterize the motion of the transformable UAV. Simulation results are presented to validate the transformable UAV design and the enhanced UAV performance, compared with a fixed structure.

The present invention relates to a method for validating sensor units in a UAV. The UAV comprising: a first sensor unit and a second sensor unit, each sensor unit being configured to create an image of the surroundings. The method comprising the steps of: taking a first image by the first sensor unit, taking a second image by the second sensor unit, wherein the second image and the first image at least partly overlap, and comparing the overlapping portions between the first image and the second image. Based on a result in which the overlapping portions of the first image and the second image do not correlate to each other, it is determined that at least one of the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit is dysfunctional.