公开(公告)号：US11034245B1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-15

申请号：US16843277

申请日：2020-04-08

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： Daniel B. Cottrell

IPC: B60L8/00 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64F1/22 ,  B64D33/08 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B60L50/60 ,  B60L53/36 ,  F03D9/25 ,  H02J7/34 ,  H02J3/38 ,  B60L58/12

Abstract: A power generation system includes an aircraft that includes a propulsor and a platform attached to a structure and configured to support the aircraft. The propulsor is configured to generate electrical power via a wind rotating the propulsor while the aircraft is supported by the platform. A method for using a propulsor of an aircraft to generate electrical power includes positioning the aircraft such that the aircraft is supported by a structure and generating the electrical power via a wind rotating the propulsor while the aircraft is supported by the structure.

公开(公告)号：US20210129317A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-06

申请号：US16675062

申请日：2019-11-05

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： William Robert Bosworth

IPC: B25J9/16 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J15/10 ,  B25J15/00 ,  B25J15/06

Abstract: A method for controlling an aerial vehicle including a compliant arm mechanism is disclosed. A propulsion system of the aerial vehicle is controlled to fly the aerial vehicle to an area proximate to a surface. One or more of the propulsion system and the compliant arm mechanism are controlled such that the compliant arm mechanism contacts the surface. The compliant arm mechanism is configured to extend laterally beyond a perimeter of the propulsion system. One or more sensor signals indicating contact of the compliant arm mechanism against the surface are received via a sensor. A force at which the aerial vehicle presses against the surface is determined based on the one or more sensor signals.

公开(公告)号：US20210109516A1

公开(公告)日：2021-04-15

申请号：US16601810

申请日：2019-10-15

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： William Robert Bosworth

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  G08G5/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  H04W4/029

Abstract: An example system for flying to a target location is provided, comprising a parent aerial vehicle and at least one child vehicle releasably coupled to the parent vehicle. The parent vehicle is configured to transport the at least one child aerial vehicle to a region containing a target location, uncouple from the at least one child aerial vehicle, and transmit information to the at least one child aerial vehicle relevant to operation of the child aerial vehicle. The child aerial vehicle comprises at least one sensor for surveillance at the target location.

公开(公告)号：US20200301422A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-24

申请号：US16866458

申请日：2020-05-04

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： Jessica E. Duda ,  John Tylko ,  David Mindell ,  Fabrice Kunzi ,  Michael Piedmonte ,  John Allee ,  Joshua Torgerson ,  Jason Ryan ,  James Donald Paduano ,  John Brooke Wissler ,  Andrew Musto ,  Wendy Feenstra

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  B25J11/00 ,  B64D45/00 ,  B64D43/00 ,  G05D1/10

Abstract: An aircrew automation system that provides a pilot with high-fidelity knowledge of the aircraft's physical state, and notifies that pilot of any deviations in expected state based on predictive models. The aircrew automation may be provided as a non-invasive ride-along aircrew automation system that perceives the state of the aircraft through visual techniques, derives the aircraft state vector and other aircraft information, and communicates any deviations from expected aircraft state to the pilot.

公开(公告)号：US12277744B2

公开(公告)日：2025-04-15

申请号：US18611047

申请日：2024-03-20

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： Benjamin Jafek ,  Samvruta Tumuluru

IPC: G06V10/20 ,  G06F18/20 ,  G06V10/75 ,  G06V20/64

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first image that is captured at a first time. The method also includes detecting a location of a first object in the first image. The method also includes determining a region of interest based at least partially upon the location of the first object in the first image. The method also includes receiving a second image that is captured at a second time. The method also includes identifying the region of interest in the second image. The method also includes detecting a location of a second object in a portion of the second image that is outside of the region of interest.

公开(公告)号：US12190741B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-07

申请号：US17573085

申请日：2022-01-11

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： Margaret Reagan ,  Jeffery Saunders ,  William R. Bosworth

IPC: G08G5/00 ,  G08G5/04

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting and avoiding conflict along a current route of a robot. The method includes accessing a trajectory of the robot on the current route of the robot, and a predicted trajectory of a nearby moving object, and from the trajectory and predicted trajectory, detecting a conflict between the robot and the nearby moving object. Alternate routes for the robot are determined, each of which includes an alternative route segment offset from the current route, and a transition segment from the current route to the alternative route segment. Routes including the current and alternative routes are evaluated according to a cost metric, and a route from the routes is selected for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot to avoid the conflict.

公开(公告)号：US20240217663A1

公开(公告)日：2024-07-04

申请号：US18601233

申请日：2024-03-11

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： Shekhar Sarpotdar

IPC: B64D13/00 ,  B60L50/60 ,  B60L58/26 ,  B64D27/24 ,  H01M6/50 ,  H01M10/613 ,  H01M10/625 ,  H01M50/249 ,  H05K7/20

CPC classification number: B64D13/006 ,  B60L50/60 ,  B60L58/26 ,  B64D27/24 ,  H01M6/5038 ,  H01M10/613 ,  H01M10/625 ,  H01M50/249 ,  H05K7/20254 ,  H05K7/20854 ,  B60L2200/10 ,  H01M2220/20

Abstract: Presented are passive temperature control systems for thermal management of electrical components, methods for making/using such thermal management systems, and aircraft equipped with smart-material activated temperature control systems for passive cooling of battery modules. A thermal management system is presented for passively cooling an electrical component stored inside a module housing. The thermal management system includes a cooling chamber that movably attaches adjacent a module housing that contains an electrical component, such as a rechargeable battery module. The cooling chamber contains a sublimable cooling agent, such as dry ice. A biasing member biases the cooling chamber away from the module housing. A smart material actuator is attached to and interposed between the cooling chamber and module housing. The smart material actuator extracts thermal energy from the module housing and, once heated to a phase transformation temperature, contracts and thereby pulls the cooling chamber into contact with the module housing.

公开(公告)号：US11961274B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-16

申请号：US17328910

申请日：2021-05-24

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： Benjamin Jafek ,  Samvruta Tumuluru

IPC: G06V10/20 ,  G06F18/20 ,  G06V10/75 ,  G06V20/64

CPC classification number: G06V10/255 ,  G06F18/295 ,  G06V10/751 ,  G06V20/64 ,  G06V10/759

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first image that is captured at a first time. The method also includes detecting a location of a first object in the first image. The method also includes determining a region of interest based at least partially upon the location of the first object in the first image. The method also includes receiving a second image that is captured at a second time. The method also includes identifying the region of interest in the second image. The method also includes detecting a location of a second object in a portion of the second image that is outside of the region of interest.

公开(公告)号：US11958593B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-16

申请号：US17529025

申请日：2021-11-17

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： Michael J. Duffy ,  Shaun M. Detloff

IPC: B64C27/30 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64D27/24

CPC classification number: B64C27/30 ,  B64C29/0025 ,  B64D27/24

Abstract: A propeller assembly including a shaft having a rotational axis; a plurality of propellers connected to the shaft; means for deploying the plurality of propellers using a centrifugal force generated from a rotation of the shaft, so as to provide vertical thrust during a vertical take-off and landing of the aircraft; and means for restoring the propellers into a stowed configuration.

公开(公告)号：US11797004B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US17148141

申请日：2021-01-13

Applicant: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

Inventor： Alfredo Giuliano ,  Jeffery Saunders

IPC: G05D1/00

CPC classification number: G05D1/0088 ,  G05D1/0027 ,  G05B2219/32129 ,  G05B2219/50391

Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus and computer-readable storage medium are provided for causing one or more robots to execute a mission. The method includes identifying the mission including a nominal sequence of selected tasks that are executable to cause the one or more robots to execute maneuvers to achieve a mission objective. The method includes determining a task graph in which the mission is modeled. The task graph is expressed as a directed graph and includes selected task nodes representing the selected tasks that are connected by edges representing transitions between the selected tasks. The method also includes causing the one or more robots to execute the mission using the task graph and a task library of tasks including a selected task executable to cause the one or more robots to execute a maneuver.