Abstract: A hydrogen storage tank for a hydrogen fueled aircraft. The tank has a wall made of layers of aerogel sections around a hard shell layer, sealed within a flexible outer layer, and having the air removed to form a vacuum. The periphery of each layer section abuts other sections of that layer, but only overlies the periphery of the sections of other layers at individual points. The wall is characterized by a thermal conductivity that is lower near its gravitational top than its gravitational bottom. The tank has two exit passageways, one being direct, and the other passing through a vapor shield that extends through the wall between two layers of aerogel. A control system controls the relative flow through the two passages to regulate the boil-off rate of the tank.

Abstract: In one implementation, a method for a solar cell array is provided, the method includes emitting a communication message from the solar cell array by reverse biasing the solar cell array so as to cause at least a portion of the solar array to emit a detectable amount of radiation corresponding to the communication message. In one embodiment a solar cell array circuit is provided including a solar string comprising a plurality of solar cells coupled together, a charge storage device coupled to a power bus, and a bidirectional boost-buck converter having a first and second pair of MOSFETs connected in series between positive and negative rails of the power bus with an inductor coupled from between the first and second paired MOSFETs to a charging output of the solar string.

Abstract: A dispersement system for a UAV is provided. The dispersement system may include a plurality of dispersement nozzles operable to dispense an agricultural product at variable flowrates, a flow controller responsive to instructions and operable to regulate a volume of the agricultural product dispensed by the dispersement nozzles, and a control system. The control system may include a plurality of sensors operable to monitor a plurality of flight parameters and a processing unit configured to model an effect of the plurality of flight parameters on first flow control instructions corresponding to a prescription coverage of the agricultural product and calculate and output modulated flow control instructions to the flow controller. The control system may modulate the first control instructions to change a flowrate of one or more of the plurality of dispersement nozzles to achieve an actual coverage of the agricultural product that is closer to the prescription coverage.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch tube that comprises at least one inner layer of prepreg substrate disposed about a right parallelepiped aperture, at least one outer layer of prepreg substrate disposed about the right parallelepiped aperture, and one or more structural panels disposed between the at least one inner layer of prepreg substrate and the at least one outer layer of prepreg substrate. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch tube that comprises a tethered sabot configured to engage a UAV within a launcher volume defined by an inner wall, the tethered sabot dimensioned to provide a pressure seal at the inner wall and tethered to the inner wall, and wherein the tethered sabot is hollow having an open end oriented toward a high pressure volume and a tether attached within a hollow of the sabot and attached to the inner wall retaining the high pressure volume or attach to the inner base wall.

Abstract: Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft capable of persistent station-keeping having one or more electromagnetic (IR/Visual/RF) sensor elements or suites for purposes of survey and/or signal gathering. Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft capable of persistent station-keeping having a directable laser. Embodiments include a group of four or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft configured as GPS repeaters.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); one or more inner wing panels of the UAV; one or more outer wing panels of the UAV; at least one inboard propeller attached to at least one engine disposed on the one or more inner wing panels; at least one tip propeller attached to at least one engine disposed on the one or more outer wing panels; at least one microcontroller configured to: determine an angular position of the at least one inboard propeller; and send a signal to halt rotation of the at least one inboard propeller such that the at least one inboard propeller is held in an attitude that provides for clearance of the propeller blade to the ground upon landing.

Abstract: A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight includes providing horizontal thrust in-line with the direction of forward flight of the UAV (110) using at least one electric motor (120), providing primary vertical lift for the UAV (110) during the forward flight using a fixed and non-rotating wing (125), repositioning the at least one electric motor (120?) to provide vertical thrust during transition of the UAV (110) to vertical flight (A) for descent (E), landing the UAV (110) on a surface (270) using a vertical approach after the motor repositioning, and deploying an anchor (150) to secure the UAV (110) to a surface (270).

Abstract: In one possible embodiment, a motor winding is provided having a high density multi-conductor wire bundle with a compacted Litz wire bundle. The compacted Litz wire bundle has a serpentine configuration with a central portion having compacted Litz wire and end turns having non-compacted Litz wire.

Abstract: An electric motor controller system for modulating requested motor torque via oscillating the instantaneous torque, including a bi-stable torque controller; a proportional-integral (PI) velocity controller a proportional-integral-differential (PID) position controller; and sinusoidal zero-velocity table mapping.

Abstract: A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, including: uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a first UAV pod; deploying the UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions; providing first survey data from the UAV to the UAV pod; autonomously migrating the UAV from the first UAV pod to a second UAV pod; receiving a second plurality of flight missions in a second UAV pod; providing the UAV with one of the second plurality of flight missions from the second UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the second UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and providing a second survey data from the UAV to the second UAV pod; where the autonomous migrating of the UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for an aircraft having a fuselage; a wing extending from both sides of the fuselage; a first pair of motors disposed at a first end of the wing; and a second pair of motors disposed at a second end of the wing; where each motor is angled to provide a component of thrust by a propeller attached thereto that for a desired aircraft movement applies a resulting torque additive to the resulting torque created by rotating the propellers.

Abstract: In one possible embodiment, an amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle is provided, which includes a fuselage comprised of a buoyant material. Separators within the fuselage form separate compartments within the fuselage. Mounts associated with the compartments for securing waterproof aircraft components within the fuselage. The compartments each have drainage openings in the fuselage extending from the interior of the fuselage to the exterior of the fuselage.

Abstract: A quadrotor UAV including ruggedized, integral-battery, load-bearing body, two arms on the load-bearing body, each arm having two rotors, a control module mounted on the load-bearing body, a payload module mounted on the control module, and skids configured as landing gear. The two arms are replaceable with arms having wheels for ground vehicle use, with arms having floats and props for water-surface use, and with arms having pitch-controlled props for underwater use. The control module is configured to operate as an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned ground vehicle, an unmanned (water) surface vehicle, and an unmanned underwater vehicle, depending on the type of arms that are attached.

Abstract: A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, including: receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request having: a first geographic coverage area; and a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area; planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request; uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod; and deploying the UAV pod.

Abstract: In one possible embodiment, a motor winding is provided having a high density multi-conductor wire bundle with a compacted Litz wire bundle. The compacted Litz wire bundle has a serpentine configuration with a central portion having compacted Litz wire and end turns having non-compacted Litz wire.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for receiving image data; transferring the captured image data to a server having a processor and addressable memory via a network-connected computing device; storing the captured image data on the server; generating captured image metadata based on the stored captured image data; providing access to the captured image data and captured image metadata via an image management component; displaying, by the image management component, the captured image data; and filtering, by the image management component, the captured image data based on the generated captured image metadata.

Abstract: A method and system including: an aerial vehicle including: a first camera comprising a first sensor having at least red, green, and blue color channels, where the blue color channel is sensitive to near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths; a first optical filter disposed in front of the first sensor, wherein the first optical filter is configured to block wavelengths below green, between red and NIR, and longer wavelength NIR; a processor having addressable memory in communication with the first camera, where the processor is configured to: capture at least one image of vegetation from the first camera; provide red, green, and NIR color channels from the captured image from the first camera; and determine at least one vegetative index based on the provided red, green, and NIR color channels.

Abstract: A system having: a processor and addressable memory, where the processor is configured to: receive a geographic data defining a selected geographical area; receive an operating mode associated with the selected geographical area, where the received operating mode restricts at least one of: a viewing of a UAV data and a recording of the UAV data by at least one user device; and broadcast the UAV data to the at least one user device based on the selected geographical area and the received operating mode.

Abstract: A shock resistant fuselage system includes first and second fuselage side walls, each of the first and second fuselage side walls having a plurality of guide posts, and a printed circuit board (PCB) rigidly attached to at least one of the first and second fuselage side walls, the PCB having a plurality of guide slots, each of the plurality of guide posts slideably seated in a respective one of the plurality of guide slots so that elastic deformation of the PCB is guided by the guide slots between the first and second fuselage side walls.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods including a launch control box; a multi-pack launcher (MPL) box; and a cable connecting the launch control box and the MPL box, where the cable comprises: an outer jacket, a shielded braid, a first wire, a second wire, a third wire, and a fourth wire, where the first wire and the second wire are shielded by the shielded braid, where the third wire and the fourth wire are outside of the shielded braid, and where the third wire and the fourth wire act as an antenna.