Flight guidance systems and methods that provide an airport selection in response to an EO condition in a single engine plane. The airport selection takes into consideration factors such as optimal approach type, runway length, weather, terrain, remaining battery time, and the like. Additionally, various also generate and display a visual indication of a remaining glide range when the EO condition is happening; the remaining glide range determination is based, at least in part, on terrain.

Systems and methods for operating drones in proximity to objects are disclosed herein. An example method includes determining a change in drone, flight status that involves a rotor of the drone being active, determining presence of a mobile device within a designated clearance area established around the drone, preventing the drone from landing, providing a warning message to a user of the mobile device to clear away from the designated clearance area, detecting that the mobile device and the user are not within the designated clearance area, and causing the drone to land.

Flight guidance systems and methods that provide an airport selection in response to an EO condition in a single engine plane. The airport selection takes into consideration factors such as optimal approach type, runway length, weather, terrain, remaining battery time, and the like. Additionally, various also generate and display a visual indication of a remaining glide range when the EO condition is happening; the remaining glide range determination is based, at least in part, on terrain.

A method, system, and device for planning a path for a forced landing of an aircraft based on image recognition are provided. The method includes: calculating an endurance distance of an aircraft based on sensor data and meteorological information; obtaining an alternative landing area by a satellite image containing contour information and a terrain image recognition model; obtaining a current satellite image of the alternative landing area and determining a landing area; and selecting a landing site by a landing site decision model and generating a path for a forced landing, such that the aircraft completes a forced landing task according to the path for the forced landing. The method, system, and device can automatically recognize image information, select a best landing site, and generate a path for a forced landing to assist a pilot in performing a forced landing task.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for operating a gliding parachute/kite. The gliding parachute/kite has a wing with a flexible material, and a set of suspension lines adapted for coupling a load to the wing, such that the coupling is configurable in any one of a plurality of possible states based on relative lengths of the suspension lines. In some implementations, the possible states include a first state enabling gliding in a first direction, and a second state enabling gliding in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. Reversing direction is possible with the first and second states. Additionally, or alternatively, the possible states include a spinning state enabling spinning of the gliding parachute/kite. Adjusting a rate of decent is possible with the spinning. Reversing direction and/or spinning operations can be used to improve control of trajectory.

A wind direction and a wind speed are readily and accurately estimated at a desired position without using a wind direction and velocity sensor. Movement instruction means of a wind estimation system instructs an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which includes a sensor unit that detects information about a position change, to move. Fall control means causes the UAV to free fall after the UAV is moved according to the instruction of the movement instruction means. Estimation means estimates at least one of a wind direction and a wind speed at a fall position based on the information about the position change detected by the sensor unit during a fall of the UAV.

Described is a method of delivery for cargo or goods from an aerial vehicle (mothership) to a designated ground delivery location via the use of a direct air shipping package. For example, an aerial vehicle may be an airplane or helicopter that remains at altitude with a package stowed for deployment. As the mothership travels in the vicinity of the designated location the package flight control computer (flight controller) calculates a preferred travel trajectory based upon the aerodynamic properties of the package and location relative to the designated delivery location such as a small delivery pad located on a patio of a home. When the mothership transits through a calculated release point the package disengages the mothership. As the package descends it may increase accuracy relative to the designated delivery location by altering aerodynamic properties to maintain the preferred travel trajectory and decreasing landing zone size requirements and increasing precision of delivery. To reduce the impact force at landing the designated delivery location and/or the package may contain a net, airbag, parachute or similar device to provide a suitably soft landing suitable for commercial home delivery.

A method of automating entry of an aircraft into autorotation includes detecting a loss of engine power, analyzing a sensed height and sensed airspeed of the aircraft, determining an adjusted position of one or more control surfaces of the aircraft in response to the sensed height and sensed airspeed, and automatically moving the one or more control surfaces to the adjusted position.

Example implementations may relate to selection between a first mode and a second mode. The first mode may involve (i) directing an aerial vehicle (e.g., in an aerial network including a plurality of aerial vehicles) to navigate to each of a plurality of altitudes and (ii) determining respective wind-related data at each respective altitude. Whereas, the second mode may involve (i) selecting at least one altitude based on the determined wind-related data and (ii) directing the aerial vehicle to reposition to the at least one selected altitude. As such, a control system may determine flight data for the aerial vehicle. Based on the flight data, the control system may make a selection between the first mode and the second mode. And based on the selection, the control system may then operate the aerial vehicle according to the first mode or may operate the aerial vehicle according to the second mode.

Directed fragmentation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is described. In one embodiment, the UAV includes various components, such one or more motors, batteries, sensors, a housing, casing or shell, and a payload for delivery. Additionally, the UAV includes a flight controller and a fragmentation controller. The flight controller determines a flight path and controls a flight operation of the UAV. During the flight operation, the fragmentation controller develops a fragmentation sequence for one or more of the components based on the flight path, the flight conditions, and terrain topology information, among other factors. The fragmentation controller can also detect a disruption in the flight operation of the UAV and, in response, direct fragmentation of one or more of the components apart from the UAV. In that way, a controlled, directed fragmentation of the UAV can be accomplished upon any disruption to the flight operation of the UAV.