A translating harness includes an umbilical within a translating assembly to define a translation distance. A method for operating the translating harness incudes launching a vehicle from a tube of a host system, the translating harness between a host system and the vehicle; completing a translation length of the translation harness; and disconnecting a vehicle connector of the translating harness from the vehicle while the vehicle is within the tube.

A translating harness includes an umbilical within a translating assembly to define a translation distance. A method for operating the translating harness incudes launching a vehicle from a tube of a host system, the translating harness between a host system and the vehicle; completing a translation length of the translation harness; and disconnecting a vehicle connector of the translating harness from the vehicle while the vehicle is within the tube.

A patient transfer device. According to one embodiment, there is provided a patient transfer device: a support part including a patient seating surface on which a patient is supported; a plurality of propeller parts, connected to the support part, for moving the support part; a power supply unit to be transported while being borne by the user, the power supply unit serving to supply power to the plurality of propeller parts; and a connection member connecting the power supply unit and the support part, wherein the support part is configured to move to follow the power supply unit.

A foldable aerial vehicle may take the form of a flying wing. The flying wing includes port and starboard wings having port and starboard root and tip portions. The port and starboard root and tip portions are hinged one to another so that the span axes of all of the root and tip portions are parallel in the stowed condition and so that the tip portions are separated by the root portions in the deployed condition to define the flying wing. The wings are not symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, with the span axes of the root and tip portions being stepped from one wing tip to the other. Folding winglets are disposed on opposing wing tips, with the higher winglet extending in an upward direction and the lower winglet extending in the downward direction.

An aircraft is described with both VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capabilities and convention airplane capabilities. A preferred embodiment comprises a fuselage and fixed wing, with one boom on either side of the fuselage. Each boom comprises a tilt rotor on a fore end and a fixed rotor on the aft end. Both rotors can be directed vertically for VTOL capability. During cruise the tilt rotors can be directed forward for thrust and the fixed rotors can be stopped and directed along the boom axis, minimizing drag. The described embodiments have advantages in weight savings and maneuverability compared to other VTOL aircraft.

An unmanned aerial vehicle including a housing, a first front arm, a first back arm, a second front arm, and a second back arm. The first front arm has an end at a first elevational plane when in a closed position. The first back arm has an end at a second elevational plane when in the closed position, the second elevational plane higher than the first elevational plane to provide an offset. The second front arm has an end at the first elevational plane when in the closed position. The second back arm has an end at the second elevational plane when in the closed position, the second elevational plane higher than the first elevational plane to provide the offset.

An unmanned system maneuver controller (USMC) includes an inertial navigation system (INS) for state estimation of the USMC in three-dimensional (3D) space, a communications device configured to communicate with an unmanned system, and a processor configured to receive, via the communications device, flight, maneuver, or dive data from the unmanned system, and generate flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions based at least on the flight, maneuver, or dive data and data received from the INS. The flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions are configured to pilot the unmanned system based on movement of the USMC in 3D space. A remote may selectively control an operation of the USMC. The USMC may be mounted to a weapon or observation device, such that movement of the weapon or observation device in 3D space controls a movement of the unmanned system. Additional systems and associated methods are also provided.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for deployable wing portions of an aircraft. An example method of deploying an aircraft includes separating the aircraft from a launch vehicle, the aircraft having a wing pivotably coupled to a fuselage, rotating, about an axis of rotation, the wing relative to the fuselage from a first rotational orientation to a second rotational orientation different from the first rotational orientation, wherein, in the first rotational orientation, the wing extends along a direction that substantially aligns with a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and extending the wing in a lateral direction away from the fuselage in the second rotational orientation.

A system for video imaging and photographing using an autonomous aerial platform. The system may be a quad rotor system using electrically powered propellers. The aerial platform may be commanded by the user to follow an object of interest. The aerial platform may have multiple configurations for its thrust units such that they are clear of the field of view of the imaging device in a first configuration, such that they protect the imaging device during landing in a second configuration, and that allows for efficient storage in a stowed configuration.

A collapsible flying device is provided having a housing including first and second housing sections forming an enclosure, and a motorized assembly that includes a drive motor and a drive shaft driven by the drive motor. The drive shaft matingly receives the first housing section and is coupled to the second housing section, wherein operation of the drive motor drives the drive shaft to move the first housing section from a closed position adjacent the second housing section to an open position spaced from the second housing section. A rotor hub is rotatingly driven by the drive motor. At least two rotor blades are coupled thereto and positioned within the enclosure in a collapsed position when the first housing section is in the closed position, and extend beyond the enclosure in an expanded position when the first housing section is in the open position.