Abstract:
One variation of a method for imaging an area of interest includes: within a user interface, receiving a selection for a set of interest points on a digital map of a physical area and receiving a selection for a resolution of a geospatial map; identifying a ground area corresponding to the set of interest points for imaging during a mission; generating a flight path over the ground area for execution by an unmanned aerial vehicle during the mission; setting an altitude for the unmanned aerial vehicle along the flight path based on the selection for the resolution of the geospatial map and an optical system arranged within the unmanned aerial vehicle; setting a geospatial accuracy requirement for the mission based on the selection for the mission type; and assembling a set of images captured by the unmanned aerial vehicle during the mission into the geospatial map.
Abstract:
A vehicle-based airborne wind turbine system having an aerial wing, a plurality of rotors each having a plurality of rotatable blades positioned on the aerial wing, an electrically conductive tether secured to the aerial wing and secured to a ground station positioned on a vehicle, wherein the aerial wing is adapted to receive electrical power from the vehicle that is delivered to the aerial wing through the electrically conductive tether; wherein the aerial wing is adapted to operate in a flying mode to harness wind energy to provide a first pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle; and wherein the aerial wing is also adapted to operate in a powered flying mode wherein the rotors may be powered so that the turbine blades serve as thrust-generating propellers to provide a second pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle.
Abstract:
An aircraft, in particular an unmanned aerial vehicle with wing-borne flight mode and hover flight mode, comprises a wing structure (4) having a left (6), middle (7), and right wing section (8). A support structure extends from the wing structure (4), and has an upper and lower support section. Each one of the left and right wing section (6, 8), and upper and lower support section (18, 20) has a thrust unit (10, 12, 22, 24). Left and right wingtip sections are rotatable relative to a left and right wing base section, respectively, around an axis extending substantially in a lengthwise direction of the wing structure. The thrust units (10,12) of the left and right wing sections(6, 8) are provided at the respective wingtip sections, in particular at the extremities thereof.
Abstract:
A vertical takeoff/landing capable, multi-engine aircraft with an airfoil without elevator or rudder surfaces is provided. Strut apertures accommodate vertical and horizontal translation of the airfoil in reference to engine supporting struts which are disposed through the apertures, opposite ends of the struts extending to opposite sides of the airfoil, wherein the struts are adjustably attached to the airfoil. A first and second plurality of engines are attached to ends of the struts, an attachment position of the plurality of engines to the struts is horizontally adjustable. A computerized engine controller, controls thrusts of the engines, to enable the aircraft to vertically lift off/land and re-orient itself to horizontally fly, and perform thrust-initiated elevator and rudder emulating flight. An external payload-to-delivery mating mechanism is attached to the bottom of the payload, which mates to a pole leading to the payload receptacle. Transceivers facilitate precise transfer of the payload.
Abstract:
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided with a plurality of synthetic jet actuators and a nonlinear robust controller. The controller compensates for uncertainty in a mathematic model that describes the function of the synthetic jet actuators. Compensation is provided by the use of constant feedforward best guess estimates that eliminate the need for more highly computationally burdensome approaches such as the use of time-varying adaptive parameter estimation algorithms.
Abstract:
A tethered wing comprising an aerodynamic wing body defining external and internal faces and a plurality of rotors disposed on the wing body. The tether wing can further include a tether configured to extend and retract. The tethered wing can be configured to perform a payload pickup maneuver that includes coupling the tether to a payload with the tether in an extended configuration, taking off in a vertical flight configuration proximate to the tethered payload, transitioning to a horizontal flight configuration over the tethered payload and circling and ascending over the tethered payload to lift the tethered payload into the air via the tether.
Abstract:
A vehicle-based airborne wind turbine system having an aerial wing, a plurality of rotors each having a plurality of rotatable blades positioned on the aerial wing, an electrically conductive tether secured to the aerial wing and secured to a ground station positioned on a vehicle, wherein the aerial wing is adapted to receive electrical power from the vehicle that is delivered to the aerial wing through the electrically conductive tether; wherein the aerial wing is adapted to operate in a flying mode to harness wind energy to provide a first pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle; and wherein the aerial wing is also adapted to operate in a powered flying mode wherein the rotors may be powered so that the turbine blades serve as thrust-generating propellers to provide a second pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle
Abstract:
Embodiments include an aerial vehicle. Two winged surfaces are provided in communication with a fuselage. The surfaces are in communication at a front edge via a cuff, at a midsection via a first resilient member, and at a trailing edge via a second resilient member. As the aerial vehicle is in flight, it is subject to loads. The connections of the surfaces provides flexibility and resiliency to maintain the surfaces in communication with the fuselage and to allow regulated separation of the winged surfaces at their rear edges in a first direction in a first flexed state and at their front edges in a second direction, different from the first direction, in a second flexed state.
Abstract:
A flight-operable, truly modular aircraft has an aircraft core to which one or more of outer wings members, fuselage, cockpit, leading and trailing edge couplings, and empennage and tail sections can be removably coupled and/or replaced during the operating life span of the aircraft. In preferred embodiments the aircraft core houses the propulsive engines, avionics, at least 80% of the fuel, and all of the landing gear. The aircraft core is preferably constructed with curved forward and aft composite spars, that transfer loads across the center section, while accommodating a mid-wing configuration. The aircraft core preferably has a large central cavity dimensioned to interchangeably carry an ordnance launcher, a surveillance payload, electronic countermeasures, and other types of cargo. Contemplated aircraft can be quite large, for example having a wing span of at least 80 ft.
Abstract:
A long endurance powered aircraft includes a fuselage, a propeller coupled to the fuselage, a wing coupled to the fuselage, and an energy storage system disposed within the fuselage. The wing includes an adjustable surface area including solar cells configured to collect incident solar energy and convert the collected incident solar energy to electrical energy for powering the aircraft during daylight flight. The energy storage system is configured to convert excess electrical energy converted from collected incident solar energy to chemical energy, store the chemical energy, and convert the stored chemical energy to electrical energy for powering the aircraft during night flight.