A vertical take-off and landing multirotor aircraft with an airframe and at least eight thrust producing units, each one of the at least eight thrust producing units being provided for producing thrust in an associated predetermined thrust direction, wherein at least four thrust producing units of the at least eight trust producing units form a first thrust producing units sub-assembly, and at least four other thrust producing units of the at least eight thrust producing units form a second thrust producing units sub-assembly, the first thrust producing units sub-assembly being operable independent of the second thrust producing units sub-assembly.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for generating a flight path for aerial drones around parked vehicles, where the flight path navigates an aerial drone to specific locations associated with predetermined views of the vehicle. A remotely located user can select from a list of predetermined views where the drone should travel, and the computer system can direct the drone to a location associated with the selected view, align the camera on the drone to capture the selected view, and relay live video of the selected view of the parked car to the user.

The present invention provides an unmanned aerial vehicle (100) comprising: a flight system (4) for producing thrust to manoeuvre the unmanned aerial vehicle (100). The flight system (4) comprises: one or more flight rotors (42) defining a plane passing through each flight rotor and a thrust direction generally perpendicular to the plane; and one or more electric motor (44) for driving the one or more flight rotors (42). The unmanned aerial vehicle (100) further comprises: a cargo area for coupling to or receiving a load (200); and a load system (6) for providing thrust additional to the thrust provided by the flight system (4) to thereby lift a load attached to the connection point. The load system (6) comprises: a first gas turbine propulsion system; and a controller configured to control the flight system (4) and load system (6).

Stations for a drone are described as well as a monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property using one or more drones. The drone is launched from a docking station and configured to navigate the property to perform operations to monitor the property. The docking station is located at an area of the property. The docking station includes a landing surface that is parallel to a particular area of the property that supports the docking station. A positioning surface of the docking station slopes toward the landing surface. The positioning surface, including its slope, is configured to receive the drone and guide the drone toward the landing surface.

A method for controlling a movable object is provided. A user input that includes a first parameter corresponding to a first coordinate system is received and an operation mode is determined. In response to determining the operation mode being a first operation mode, a second parameter corresponding to a second coordinate system is generated and the movable object is controlled to move based on the second parameter. In response to determining the operation mode being a second operation mode, the first parameter is translated to a third parameter corresponding to the second coordinate system and the movable object is controlled to move based on the third parameter.

In some examples, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) employs one or more image sensors to capture images of a scan target and may use distance information from the images for determining respective locations in three-dimensional (3D) space of a plurality of points of a 3D model representative of a surface of the scan target. The UAV may compare a first image with a second image to determine a difference between a current frame of reference position for the UAV and an estimate of an actual frame of reference position for the UAV. Further, based at least on the difference, the UAV may determine, while the UAV is in flight, an update to the 3D model including at least one of an updated location of at least one point in the 3D model, or a location of a new point in the 3D model.

A method is provided. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is operated. A position of the UAV is determined while in flight, and a nonce is generated. A Merkel root is generated based at least in part on a timestamp and the position of the UAV. A current block is calculated based at least in part on a previous block, the Merkel root, and the nonce, and the current block, the timestamp, the nonce, the prior block, and the position of the UAV are transmitted.

Provided is an abnormality detection device for a rotary wing unit. The rotary wing unit includes a plurality of rotary wings that is coaxially disposed. The abnormality detection device includes a controller configured to acquire at least one of a correlation at the time of normal operation between operation parameters related to the rotary wings and a correlation at the time of abnormal operation between the operation parameters and detect abnormality of the rotary wing unit, based on a correlation at the time of actual operation between the operation parameters and at least one of the correlation at the time of normal operation and the correlation at the time of abnormal operation.

A modular quadcopter is provided for vertical flight. The quadcopter includes a housing, a quadrilateral set of extensions, and a quadrilateral set of arms. The housing contains flight control and sensor equipment, and has a relative vertical orientation. The housing is configurable for either stowage or deployment. The extensions are disposed on each corner of the housing. Each extension has a hinge that pitches outward and upward. Each arm is disposed on the hinge and contains an electric motor and a speed controller. The configurable below the housing for the stowage and extends radially from respective the extension in relation to the orientation for the deployment.

Systems and methods relate to a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platform that can include a stator and a rotor magnetically levitated by the stator. The rotor and stator can be annular, such that the rotor rotates about a rotational axis. The stator can include magnets that provide guidance, levitation, and drive forces to drive the rotor, as well as to control operation of rotor blades of the rotor that can be independently rotated to specific pitch angles to control at least one of lift, pitch, roll, or yaw of the VTOL platform. Various controllers can be used to enable independent and redundant control of components of the VTOL platform.