A computer-implemented method for managing the flight of a drone comprising a physical treatment device, the method comprises the steps repeated over time of measuring the distance between the drone and an object present in the environment of the drone; adjusting the distance from the drone to the object according to predefined internal parameters; and performing a physical treatment on the object from the drone. Developments describe the management of distances to objects, surface tracking, object recognition, the installation of beacons in the environment, the use of on-board or remotely accessed sensors (e.g. position and contact sensors, cameras, motion detectors) and various types of treatment (e.g. cleaning, dusting, sterilization). Both software aspects (e.g. learning, central or distributed logic, autonomy, cooperation with floor robots) and system aspects (addition of a fan, brush, duster or germicidal lamp) are described.

The present disclosure provides a blade guard for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV body has a plurality of arms disposed on the UAV body, each arm including a support portion for supporting a motor and an extension portion for connecting the support portion and the UAV body. The blade guard includes a cover and a fixing assembly. The fixing assembly includes a first sleeve fixing member and a second sleeve fixing member. The first sleeve fixing member includes a receiving cavity and a notch connected to the receiving cavity. When the support portion of the arm or the motor is received in the receiving cavity, the extension portion of the arm is rotatable along the notch to enable the extension portion of the arm to be received in the second sleeve fixing member, and the extension portion is then locked by the second sleeve fixing member.

[PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED] To provide an aircraft having improved efficiency and flexibility of the airframe configuration when installing a functional part in the airframe, and a power unit having a configuration for the improved efficiency and flexibility. [Solution] To provide an aircraft, comprising: a power unit having a first space open at least one of its upper or lower surface; a propeller having a first through-space and connected to the power unit; and a functional part having a predetermined function and located at least partially in an internal space formed by the first space and the first through-space.

[PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED] To provide an aircraft having improved efficiency and flexibility of the airframe configuration when installing a functional part in the airframe, and a power unit having a configuration for the improved efficiency and flexibility. [Solution] To provide an aircraft, comprising: a power unit having a first space open at least one of its upper or lower surface; a propeller having a first through-space and connected to the power unit; and a functional part having a predetermined function and located at least partially in an internal space formed by the first space and the first through-space.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a central body and a plurality of arms extending away from the central body. The central body includes a first body portion and a second body portion. The first body portion is configured to move translationally relative to the second body portion to transform the central body between a first configuration and a second configuration. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to couple to at least one propulsion unit configured to generate lift for the UAV.

An aerial vehicle includes a body having a longitudinal axis, a plurality of movable members emanating connected to the body, at least one motor, and at least three aerodynamic propulsors driven by the at least one motor. The movable members are connected to the body and extend away from the body.

A rotorcraft including a fuselage, one or more motor-driven rotors for vertical flight, and a control system. The motors drive the one or more rotors in either of two directions of rotation to provide for flight in either an upright or an inverted orientation. An orientation sensor is used to control the primary direction of thrust, and operational instructions and gathered information are automatically adapted based on the orientation of the fuselage with respect to gravity. The rotors are configured with blades that invert to conform to the direction of rotation.

A multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprises: a fuselage; a plurality of rotor mechanisms disposed on the fuselage, each rotor mechanism including a rotor; and a plurality of connection mechanisms disposed on the fuselage. The plurality of connection mechanisms have a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of rotor mechanisms, each connection mechanism corresponding to one of the plurality of rotor mechanisms. Each rotor mechanism is movably connected to the fuselage through the corresponding connection mechanism; and the plurality of rotor mechanisms are configured to be rotated with respect to the corresponding connection mechanisms to cause the plurality of rotor mechanisms to overlap with each other and form a rotor mechanism assembly.

Disclosed herein are aspects of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In one embodiment, the UAV includes a container body having a cargo bay configured to hold cargo, and a plurality of rotor assemblies coupled to the container body. Each rotor assembly is configured to provide the container body with propulsion. A control system may be held by the container body and operatively connected to the rotor assemblies. The control system may be configured to fly the container body to a destination. The rotor assemblies may be moveable between a flight configuration and a shipping configuration. In the flight configuration, the rotor assemblies may extend outward from the container body such that the rotor assemblies are positioned to propel the container body through the air. In the shipping configuration, the rotor assemblies may be folded to the container body such that the container body is configured to be shipped to a destination.

Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.