Apparatus and associated methodology contemplating an emergency flotation system for floating a flying machine on a body of water. The system includes a water sensor mounted to the flying machine. An inflation device is configured to produce an appropriate amount of pressurized gas in response to the water sensor detecting a presence of water. An inflatable flotation device is in fluid communication with the inflation device, to receive the pressurized gas and thereby become inflated. The flotation device is configured, when inflated, to impart a buoyant force to the flying machine in the water.

An amphibious cargo carrying unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage, two wings and two frames, in which a cargo hold is arranged at the lower end of the fuselage, the cargo hold is provided with a cargo chamber for cargo carrying, and the cargo hold can touch the water surface at the same time. When taking off or landing on the water surface, the hollow structure of the cargo chamber can provide additional buoyancy. The two wings are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the fuselage, the two frames are correspondingly arranged on the two wings, and the buoyancy parts can be detachably arranged on the two frames to provide buoyancy.

Various embodiments of a vision-guided unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system to identify and collect foreign objects from the surface of a body of water are disclosed herein. A vision system and methodology has been developed to reduce reflections and glare from a water surface to better identify an object for removal. A linearized polarization filter and a specularity-removal algorithm is used to eliminate excessive reflection and glare. A contour-based detection algorithm is implemented for detecting the targeted objects on water surface. Further, the system includes a boundary layer sliding mode control (BLSMC) methodology to reduce and minimize position and velocity errors between the UAV and object in the presence of modeling and parameter uncertainties due to variation in a moving water surface.

An aircraft is provided. The aircraft includes a ducted wing portion and a fan chamber. The fan chamber is attached to a bottom of the ducted wing portion. A fan assembly is provided in the fan chamber and is operative to blow air through the ducted wing portion. The ducted wing portion is configured to direct air blown by the fan assembly down to provide lift for the aircraft.

An unmanned aircraft (100) according to the present disclosure is equipped with a flight propeller (2) and includes a main body (1), a locomotion unit having an aquatic locomotion mechanism and a terrestrial locomotion mechanism independent of the flight propeller, and a connector that connects the main body and the locomotion mechanisms.

An unmanned aircraft (100) according to the present disclosure is equipped with a flight propeller (2) and includes a main body (1), a locomotion unit having an aquatic locomotion mechanism and a terrestrial locomotion mechanism independent of the flight propeller, and a connector that connects the main body and the locomotion mechanisms.

A method includes receiving a digital surface model of an area for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation. The digital surface model represents an environmental surface in the area. The method includes determining, for each grid cell of a plurality of grid cells in the area, a confidence value of an altitude of the environmental surface at the grid cell and determining a terrain clearance value based at least on the confidence value of the altitude of the environmental surface at the grid cell. The method includes determining a route for a UAV through the area such that the altitude of the UAV is above the altitude of the environmental surface at each grid cell of a sequence of grid cells of the route by at least the terrain clearance value determined for the grid cell. The method includes causing the UAV to navigate through the area using the determined route.

A propeller guard (200) according to the present disclosure is a propeller guard (200) for an unmanned aerial vehicle including a main body part (1) and a propeller part (2) and includes: an encircling part (210) that extends around the propeller part (2) and protects the propeller part (2); and a connection part (220) that connects the main body part (1) and the encircling part (210), wherein the encircling part (210) has a buoyant force for maintaining at least a part of the main body part (1) and the propeller part (2) above water.

A propeller guard (200) according to the present disclosure is a propeller guard (200) for an unmanned aerial vehicle including a main body part (1) and a propeller part (2) and includes: an encircling part (210) that extends around the propeller part (2) and protects the propeller part (2); and a connection part (220) that connects the main body part (1) and the encircling part (210), wherein the encircling part (210) has a buoyant force for maintaining at least a part of the main body part (1) and the propeller part (2) above water.

A helicopter includes a propulsion system, gimbal assembly, and a controller. The propulsion system includes a first rotor assembly and a second rotor assembly. The first rotor assembly comprises a first motor coupled to a first rotor and the second rotor assembly comprises a second motor coupled to a second rotor. The second rotor is coaxial to the first rotor and is configured to be counter-rotating to the first rotor. The gimbal assembly couples a fuselage of the helicopter to the propulsion system. The controller is communicably coupled to the gimbal assembly and is configured to provide instructions to the gimbal assembly in order to weight-shift the fuselage of the helicopter, thereby controlling movements of the helicopter.