A transportation system and method serve passenger-conveying VTOL air vehicles (AVs) at a vertiport. The vertiport has a flight deck including at least one landing pad, a passenger terminal, and a dynamic partition arrangement that defines a capsule for receiving one of the AVs at a time. The dynamic partition arrangement assumes a first open state in which it is open to the flight deck and closed to the passenger terminal and a second open state in which it is closed to the flight deck and open to the passenger terminal. A robotic system includes a handling robot that automatically approaches and docks with the AV after landing, and conveys the AV between the landing pad and the capsule via an opening provided by the first open state of the dynamic partition.

A landing station for an unmanned aerial vehicle includes a landing surface and a centering wheel. The centering wheel is coupled to the landing surface and has a spoke extending therefrom. The spoke is positioned to rotate relative to the landing surface in response to rotation of the centering wheel relative to the landing surface. The spoke is configured to rotate into engagement with a landing leg of the unmanned aerial vehicle to impart centrifugal force onto the landing leg sufficient to rotate the unmanned aerial vehicle toward a predetermined position on the landing surface.

A landing station for an unmanned aerial vehicle includes a landing surface and a centering wheel. The centering wheel is coupled to the landing surface and has a spoke extending therefrom. The spoke is positioned to rotate relative to the landing surface in response to rotation of the centering wheel relative to the landing surface. The spoke is configured to rotate into engagement with a landing leg of the unmanned aerial vehicle to impart centrifugal force onto the landing leg sufficient to rotate the unmanned aerial vehicle toward a predetermined position on the landing surface.

A transportation system and method serve passenger-conveying VTOL air vehicles (AVs) at a vertiport. The vertiport has a flight deck including at least one landing pad, a passenger terminal, and a dynamic partition arrangement that defines a capsule for receiving one of the AVs at a time. The dynamic partition arrangement assumes a first open state in which it is open to the flight deck and closed to the passenger terminal and a second open state in which it is closed to the flight deck and open to the passenger terminal. A robotic system includes a handling robot that automatically approaches and docks with the AV after landing, and conveys the AV between the landing pad and the capsule via an opening provided by the first open state of the dynamic partition.

A transportation system and method serve passenger-conveying VTOL air vehicles (AVs) at a vertiport. The vertiport has a flight deck including at least one landing pad, a passenger terminal, and a dynamic partition arrangement that defines a capsule for receiving one of the AVs at a time. The dynamic partition arrangement assumes a first open state in which it is open to the flight deck and closed to the passenger terminal and a second open state in which it is closed to the flight deck and open to the passenger terminal. A robotic system includes a handling robot that automatically approaches and docks with the AV after landing, and conveys the AV between the landing pad and the capsule via an opening provided by the first open state of the dynamic partition.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system, including: a UAV pod having an interior; and a telescoping UAV landing surface disposed in the interior of the UAV pod; where the telescoping UAV landing surface may translate up toward a top opening of the UAV pod, translate down into an interior of the UAV pod, or rotate relative to the UAV pod.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system, including: a UAV pod having an interior; and a telescoping UAV landing surface disposed in the interior of the UAV pod; where the telescoping UAV landing surface may translate up toward a top opening of the UAV pod, translate down into an interior of the UAV pod, or rotate relative to the UAV pod.

An apparatus (1) for changing a power source of a drone, the apparatus (1) comprises an adaptor (2) for securing a power source (3) to a drone and comprising a first energy connection for supplying energy from the power source (3) and a second energy connection for supplying energy to a drone, wherein one of the first and second energy connections comprises a pair of energy links (20, 21) which are movable between a first position (FIG. 5) to facilitate energy supply and secure the power source (3) to the drone and a second position (FIG. 4) to interrupt energy supply and enable the power source (3) to be removed from the drone.

A transportation system and method serve passenger-conveying VTOL air vehicles (AVs) at a vertiport. The vertiport has a flight deck including at least one landing pad, a passenger terminal, and a dynamic partition arrangement that defines a capsule for receiving one of the AVs at a time. The dynamic partition arrangement assumes a first open state in which it is open to the flight deck and closed to the passenger terminal and a second open state in which it is closed to the flight deck and open to the passenger terminal. A robotic system includes a handling robot that automatically approaches and docks with the AV after landing, and conveys the AV between the landing pad and the capsule via an opening provided by the first open state of the dynamic partition.

A transportation system and method serve passenger-conveying VTOL air vehicles (AVs) at a vertiport. The vertiport has a flight deck including at least one landing pad, a passenger terminal, and a dynamic partition arrangement that defines a capsule for receiving one of the AVs at a time. The dynamic partition arrangement assumes a first open state in which it is open to the flight deck and closed to the passenger terminal and a second open state in which it is closed to the flight deck and open to the passenger terminal. A robotic system includes a handling robot that automatically approaches and docks with the AV after landing, and conveys the AV between the landing pad and the capsule via an opening provided by the first open state of the dynamic partition.