The present invention comprises a wireless charging station, configured to charge remote controlled and autonomous vehicles and robots, including one or more charging pods, wherein each pod has at least two panels and at least two wireless power transmitters (WPTs) affixed to at least two of the panels, wherein the WPTs are configured to deliver power wirelessly to at least two wireless power receivers (WPRs), associated with a remote controlled vehicle, an autonomous unmanned vehicle or a robot. The present invention further comprises a method to charge a robot or vehicle at a distance from a wireless power transmitter (WPT), the method comprising: detecting a first WPR located a first distance from a first WPT and a second WPR located a second distance from a second WPT, and transmitting power from the WPTs to the WPRs to charge the robot or vehicle.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to wirelessly power an unmanned aerial vehicle are disclosed. An example unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a first electrode assembly to capacitively couple to a first power cable. The example UAV includes a second electrode assembly to capacitively couple to a second power cable. The first and second electrode assemblies, when capacitively coupled to the respective first and second power cables, are to receive power from at least one of the first and second power cables. The example UAV includes a power storage circuit to store the received power.

A drone takeoff and landing system according to an embodiment comprises: a drone including a through-hole; and a landing pad including an extension member which can pass through the through-hole, wherein, when the extension member of the landing pad passes through the through-hole of the drone, an eddy current may occur between the through-hole and the extension member to cause magnetic braking of the drone.

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to inspect autonomous vehicles. An autonomous vehicle carries a UAV (or drone) in a protected area, for example, in a glove compartment, trunk, etc. Between rides, the UAV can be deployed to inspect the autonomous vehicle. Images from the UAV can be sent to other components for image analysis. When an inspection is completed, the UAV can return to the protected area. The UAV can inspect both the interior and exterior of an autonomous vehicle. When an inspection is passed, the autonomous vehicle can begin a new ride. When an inspection is failed, the autonomous vehicle can report for repairs or summon a tow vehicle.

An automated drone security system for surveilling a location includes one or more drones with onboard sensors and an imaging device for measuring surveillance data. The surveillance data may include images, telemetry data, infrared data, or other detectable information of the location. Drones may be capable of executing one or multiple flight operations as well as storing and transmitting the surveillance data to a server assembly operable for coordinating the drone and receiving the surveillance data. A drone dock may be included for drone launching, landing, and/or storing the drones. A user computing device may be in communication with the server assembly and the drone(s), the user computing device being capable of receiving user input and displaying surveillance data from the drone. Flight operations associated with surveilling the location may be automatically and/or manually controlled by the user computing device and/or or the server assembly in connection with the location.

A ducted fan unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) docking station is provided. The docking station comprises: a guide sized to receive a ducted fan UAV; and a housing communicatively coupled to the guide. The housing comprises: a storage assembly comprising: at least one compartment sized to store the UAV; and at least one dampening system coupled to the at least one storage compartment for cushioning the UAV.

Described herein are apparatuses that provided various features related to unmanned aerial vehicles. An example apparatus may include, (i) a support structure, (ii) at least one shaft coupled to the support structure via at least one swing arm, wherein the swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement of, the at least one shaft from a resting position, (iii) a spool, wherein in the spool is shaped so as to rest on the at least one shaft when the at least one shaft is in the resting position, and wherein the spool is operable to unwind a tether coupled to a payload, and (iv) at least one fan coupled to the at least one shaft, wherein rotation of the spool when unwinding the tether also causes rotation of the at least one fan coupled to the at least one shaft, thereby controlling a descent rate of the payload.

Stations for deployment, recharging and/or maintenance of a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are disclosed herein. Such deployment stations can be implemented in a container that includes a robotic arm and a conveyor system. The robotic arm can secure a UAV hovering outside the station, move the UAV inside the station, and transfer the UAV to the conveyor. The conveyor can couple to and move multiple UAVs. Further, charging systems may be integrated in such deployment stations to charge UAVs when coupled to and moving along the conveyer. Further, process pieces may be utilized to simplify mechanical and electrical interfacing between a UAV, the robotic arm, the conveyor, the charging system and/or other systems at the UAV station.

Various measures (for example methods, UAVs, controllers and computer programs) are provided in relation to controlling a UAV. The UAV is caused to provide energy to and receive energy from a given vehicle. The received energy is used to provide power to at least one component of the UAV.

An authentication between a wireless charger and a device configured to receive wireless energy from the wireless charger includes establishing a wireless data channel between the wireless charger and the device. An authentication challenge signal is driven onto a transmit charging coil of the wireless charger and a receive charging coil of the device is configured to receive the authentication challenge signal. The device sends an authentication response signal to the wireless charger based at least in part on the authentication challenge signal.