Abstract:
A helicopter may include a hybrid engine system including an internal combustion engine (204) and an electric engine (206). The internal combustion engine and the electric engine being coupled to the rotor system and configured to separately or collectively operate the rotor system in response to a triggering event. In one aspect, a method for operating a rotor system of a helicopter may include receiving an indicator of a triggering event and actuating a non-active engine, one of the internal combustion engine or the electric engine, in response to receiving the triggering event.
Abstract:
A reconfigurable system capable of autonomously exchanging material from unmanned vehicles of various types and sizes. The system comprises an environmental enclosure, a landing area, a universal mechanical system to load and unload material from the unmanned vehicle, and a central processor that manages the aforementioned tasks. The landing area may comprise a one or more visible or non-visible markers/emitters capable of generating composite images to assist in landing the unmanned vehicle upon the reconfigurable, autonomous system.
Abstract:
Die Erfindung betrifft ein Antriebssystem (100) sowie ein Verfahren zum Bereitstellen von kinetischer Energie für ein Vortriebsmittel (150) eines Flugzeugs. Das Antriebssystem (100) ist als seriell hybrides System ausgebildet, das einen Elektromotor (140) zum Antreiben des Vortriebsmittels (150), einen Generator (120) zum Bereitstellen der elektrischen Energie für den Elektromotor (140) sowie einen Verbrennungsmotor (110) zum Bereitstellen der kinetischen Energie zum Betreiben des Generators (120) aufweist. Der Generator (120) ist als supraleitender Generator (120) ausgebildet. Als Kühlmittel für den Generator (120) wird Wasserstoff eingesetzt. Sobald der Wasserstoff im Umfeld des Generators (120) eine vorgegebene Temperatur überschreitet, wird er dem Generator (120) in gasförmigem Zustand entnommen und einer Vorrichtung (110, 180) zugeführt, die den Wasserstoff derart verarbeitet, dass eine im Antriebssystem (100) verwertbare Energie bereitgestellt wird. Die Vorrichtung (110, 180) kann bspw. eine Brennstoffzelle (180) und/oder der als Wasserstoffturbine ausgebildete Verbrennungsmotor (110) sein.
Abstract:
A drone apparatus or arrangement is provided. The drone apparatus or arrangement includes a plurality of drone devices, each drone device including an unmanned vehicle configured to be controlled to hover in air at a desired height and move to a desired location, and a surface apparatus connected to the plurality of drone devices such that the plurality of drone devices are collectively controllable to reposition the surface apparatus to a desired location.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for persistent deployment of aerial vehicles. The present application discloses a mission control system that is configured to control and manage one or more aerial vehicles for deployment to and from one or more docking stations. The one or more docking stations may be configured with a battery swapping device for removing the depleted battery from an aerial vehicle and for refilling a charged battery into the aerial vehicle. The mission control system may be configured to generate a priority list used to determine the recharging order of the one or more aerial vehicles.
Abstract:
A vehicle propulsion system includes an air heating chamber that receives inlet air from an air intake chamber and provides thrust through an exhaust chamber. A battery powered pulse generator generates a pulsed electrical output signal. An amplifier amplifies the pulsed electrical output signal to provide an amplified pulsed power output signal to the air heating chamber. The amplified pulsed power output signal directly heats the inlet air to generate thrust through the exhaust chamber.
Abstract:
An unmanned aerial delivery device has a plurality of rotors for propulsion and control, including redundant rotors in case of failure of a primary rotor, and uses a Laser Rangefinder system to guide the delivery device around an obstacle in its path until an acceptable straight-line path to a recipient is found, detect when a rotor is inoperable, and detect the distance from a take-off or landing surface to retract or extend support legs. The device has an insulated payload chamber that can only be opened by entering an unlock code on a touchscreen
Abstract:
An AC-to-AC matrix converter includes a controlled rectifier input stage, an inverter output stage, and a regenerative unit. The controlled rectifier input stage is electrically connected to a power source and configured to convert AC input power from the power source into DC power. The controlled rectifier input stage may be unidirectional. The inverter output stage is electrically connected to a load and operates to convert the DC power into AC output power, which is then fed into the load. The regenerative unit is electrically connected to the inverter output stage and operates control energy generated by the load in a regenerative mode within the inverter output stage. The controlled rectifier input stage may be isolated from the inverter output stage in the regenerative mode.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a charging station (12) which comprises: a control unit (20); a detection unit for detecting the failure of a supply voltage of an energy supply network (24), the detection unit being coupled to the control unit (20); and a transmitter unit for transmitting a message or a signal to an electric means of transport (14), the transmitter unit being coupled to the control unit (20) and the message or the signal relating to a supply of electrical power from a traction battery of the means of transport (14) to the charging station (12).
Abstract:
Some embodiments include a kit for increasing endurance of a battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by incorporating flexible solar cells or applying flexible solar cells on a surface of a UAV or on a surface of a component of a UAV. The kit further include a power conditioning system configured to operate the solar cells within a desired power range and configured to provide power having a voltage compatible with an electrical system of the UAV.