Some embodiments include apparatuses providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a retail facility, comprising: multiple self-propelled motorized transport units; a wireless communication network; and a central computer system, wherein the central computer system comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; and a memory storing computer instructions that when executed cause the control circuit to: receive an override command, from a worker associated with the retail facility, to cause a first motorized transport unit of the multiple motorized transport units to implement one or more actions; confirm a valid authorization of the worker to override one or more operating limits of the first motorized transport unit; and override the one or more operating limits and communicate one or more instructions to the first motorized transport unit configured to cause the first motorized transport unit to implement the one or more actions in accordance with the override command.

An example method to control an autonomous vehicle includes receiving a first signal and receiving a second signal. The first signal includes a first set of parameters that define a planned trajectory for the autonomous vehicle. The second signal includes a second set of parameters that define a planned trajectory for the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes generating a third signal by modifying the first set of parameters of the first signal to include the second set of parameters of the second signal. The method also includes outputting the third signal.

Techniques for engaging and disengaging a vehicle from an autonomous operation mode are described. The techniques include receiving a request to engage or disengage the autonomous mode at a teleoperations system. The request is validated at the teleoperations system using a first set of conditions describing trust in the request and validity of the request. The request is then sent, if valid, to the vehicle where a second validation is performed using a second set of conditions describing the conditions or states of the vehicle. If the second conditions are valid then the request is performed and the vehicle engages or disengages from autonomous mode.

Device, system, and method for Skydiving Robots? which can skydive using customized or off-the-shelf parachutes and deliver civilian or military payloads. The Skydiving Robots can freefall, open the parachute and steer toward the target, carry payloads, operate in the daytime or the pitch black at night using GPS guidance to land precisely. If they exited the plane at up to or over 30,000 feet above ground level (AGL) the final target could be miles away. They are the ideal reconnaissance scouts with a wide array of sensors such as cameras. They can carry payloads and precisely land within a few feet of a target.

An aerial vehicle and system for automatically detecting an object (e.g., human, pet, or other animal) approaching the aerial vehicle is described. When an approaching object is detected by an object detection component, a safety profile may be executed to reduce or avoid any potential harm to the object and/or the aerial vehicle. For example, if the object is detected entering a safety perimeter of the aerial vehicle, the rotation of a propeller closest to the object may be stopped to avoid harming the object and rotations of remaining propellers may be modified to maintain control and flight of the aerial vehicle.

Disclosed is a method of controlling of a robot including evaluating whether a requestor of control over the robot has a privilege to do so, and if so, then recognizing the authority of the requestor. Disclosed is method of controlling a robot including selecting a point and/or a route for the robot and invoking a control that enables transmitting instructions to which a robot may respond by traveling to the point and/or along the route.

A system includes: a remote control unit that causes a moving object to move by remote control, the moving object being able to move by the remote control in a manufacturing process in a factory that manufactures the moving object, the moving object including a communication unit and a driving control unit, the communication unit having a communication function, the driving control unit executing driving control of the moving object; a disabling execution unit that selectively executes one of irreversible disabling processing for irreversibly disabling the remote control, and reversible disabling processing for reversibly disabling the remote control; and a disabling instruction unit that determines which one of the irreversible disabling processing and the reversible disabling processing to execute using shipping destination information related to the remote control at a shipping destination to which the moving object after manufacturing is shipped.

A remote control system includes: a moving object including command accepting and first communication units, the command accepting unit being switchable between valid and invalid states, the valid state accepts a remote control command supplied from outside the moving object, the invalid state rejects the remote control command, the first communication unit transmits at least one information of first and second information, the first information indicating a sign that the operating state will switch to the valid state, the second information indicating that the operating state has switched to the valid state; and a controller including second communication and judging units, the second communication unit receives the at least one information, the judging unit permits switching of the operating state to the valid state when the judging unit judges that the second communication unit has received the at least one information and a predetermined permission condition is satisfied.

Systems and methods are provided that may to cause autonomous navigation of autonomous vehicles in the case of non-standard traffic flows such as police stops, emergency vehicle passing, construction sites, vehicle collision sites, and other non-standard road conditions. An entity associated with the non-standard traffic flow (e.g., an emergency vehicle, road sign, barrier, etc.) may transmit or broadcast a control signal to be received (or otherwise detected) at one or more autonomous vehicles. Each autonomous vehicle, upon receiving the control signal, may autonomously navigate in accordance with the control signal, thus mitigating or eliminating dangers associated with non-standard traffic flows.

Presented are intelligent vehicle control systems enabling external control of vehicles using cues, methods for making/using such vehicle control systems, and vehicles equipped with such control systems. A method of controlling operation of a vehicle includes a vehicle controller receiving a signal indicating the vehicle is in particular operating mode and, responsive to receiving a cue, determine if a command is executable and, if so, executing the command.