A method according to certain embodiments generally involves operating a system including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a base station. The base station includes a nest including an upper opening having an upper opening diameter and a lower opening having a lower opening diameter less than the upper opening diameter. The lower opening is accessible from within the base station. The method generally includes landing the UAV within the nest such that a portion of the UAV is accessible via the lower opening, releasably attaching a load to the UAV, and operating the UAV to deliver the load to a destination.

An aircraft hoist system includes hoist equipment arranged in an aircraft, the hoist equipment including a motor, a cable, and a hook portion. The aircraft hoist system also includes at least one sensor configured to obtain measurements and a processor configured to analyze the measurements from the at least one sensor. The aircraft hoist system also includes the processor configured to determine motor control signals to control the motor based on an analysis of the measurements from the at least one sensor to reduce sway and/or oscillations of the cable while lifting a load. The aircraft hoist system also includes the processor configured to control the motor to lift the load with the cable based on the determined motor control signals.

The invention relates to a load holder (1, 200) for a suspension system for suspending loads, comprising fastening means (30, 30′) for releasably fastening a suspension module (10) to and/or a suspension module (10) on a first end of the load holder (1, 200), as well as a load bearing device (60) at a second end of the load holder (1, 200), which faces away from the first end along a longitudinal direction (L) of the load holder (1, 200). In order to reduce the risk of falling loads when using the suspension system and to simply the correct set-up of the suspension system, the load holder (1, 200) further comprises a levelling module (20, 20′) for adjusting a length (L1, L2) of the load holder (1, 200) in the longitudinal direction (L) and a measurement module (40) for measuring a tensile load between the load bearing device (60) and the first end.

An automatically opening and closing inflatable holiday ornament includes a box that has a base, a plurality of side panels hingedly connected to the base, and a top portion connected to each of the plurality of side panels. The ornament further includes a motor, a plurality of pull cables, such that each of the plurality of pull cables has a first end operatively connected to the motor and a second end connected to one of the plurality of side panels. The ornament also includes a first blower, an inflatable disposed in the box and surrounding the first blower such that operation of the first blower blows air into the inflatable to inflate the inflatable, and a controller operatively connected to the motor and to the first blower such that the controller controls operation of the motor and the blower.

An automatically opening and closing inflatable holiday ornament includes a box that has a base, a plurality of side panels hingedly connected to the base, and a top portion connected to each of the plurality of side panels. The ornament further includes a motor, a plurality of pull cables, such that each of the plurality of pull cables has a first end operatively connected to the motor and a second end connected to one of the plurality of side panels. The ornament also includes a first blower, an inflatable disposed in the box and surrounding the first blower such that operation of the first blower blows air into the inflatable to inflate the inflatable, and a controller operatively connected to the motor and to the first blower such that the controller controls operation of the motor and the blower.

A crane vehicle includes: an operation unit; a winch device configured to operate at a speed corresponding to an operation amount of the operation unit; a weight detection unit; a storage unit configured to store a time-weight target characteristic indicating a target in temporal change of a detected value at the weight detection unit for a maximum operation amount input from the operation unit; and a control unit configured to perform feedback control of an operation speed of the winch device such that the detected value follows the time-weight target characteristic in a case where the maximum operation amount is input from the operation unit, the control unit being configured to set the operation speed of the winch device at the speed corresponding to the operation amount of the operation unit, in a case where fluctuation of the detected value has converged in a predetermined range.

An example charging station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the charging station generally including a nest and a charging device. The nest includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion defines an upper opening sized and shaped to receive a landing apparatus of the UAV, and a diameter of the nest reduces from a first diameter at the upper opening to a second diameter at the lower portion. The charging device is mounted in the nest, and includes a first contact pad and a second contact pad. The charging device is configured to apply a voltage differential across the first contact pad and the second contact pad such that the charging station is operable to charge a power supply of the UAV via the landing apparatus.

A method and a circuit for controlling electric power delivered to an electric motor are disclosed. A forward control signal is transmitted when a forward command is received while a forward latch is not set. The forward latch is set and the forward control signal is stopped when a power level of the motor exceeds a threshold while the forward command is received. The forward latch is reset and a reverse control signal is transmitted when a reverse command is received. The reverse and forward control signals are not transmitted when no command is received. A reverse latch is optionally set when the power level exceeds the threshold while the reverse command is received. A winch connected to the motor has a cable wound thereon in a forward direction of the motor and unwound therefrom in a reverse direction of the motor, as controlled by the circuit.

The present disclosure discloses a vehicle, a winch for the vehicle, and a warning control device for the winch of the vehicle. The warning control device includes: a warning component; and a warning control board, including: a load detector, connected to the motor through a current sensor, and configured to detect load condition of the motor by collecting measured working current of the motor; a processor, connected to the load detector and the warning controller respectively, and configured to output a warning control signal to the warning controller according to the load condition of the motor; and a warning controller, connected to the warning component and the processor respectively, and configured to receive the warning control signal and to control the warning component to produce a warning based on the warning control signal.

A rope guiding device for guiding a rope on a rope drum, the rope drum being adaptable to rotate about a drum axis to wind the rope around the rope drum or from the rope drum to hoist and lower a load adapted on the rope, includes at least guiding element, and an actuator for generating a rope guiding force, which force affects each guiding element in the direction of the drum axis so that the movement of each guiding element in the direction of the drum axis may be guided by the force.