Abstract: A system may include a receiver configured to receive sensor data from one or more aerial vehicles, the sensor data including map data including sensed data related to an aerial view from one or more aerial vehicles of terrain and objects on the terrain. The system may also include a map updating processor in communication with the receiver. The map updating processor may receive the map data and identify a geographic location and/or an orientation associated with the map data. The map updating processor may also align, based at least in part on the geographic location and/or the orientation, the map data with a virtual aerial map providing an aerial view of terrain and objects on the terrain. The map updating processor may also incorporate at least a portion of the map data into the virtual aerial map and generate an updated virtual aerial map.

Abstract: Systems and methods to detect objects and associated properties may be performed by an aerial vehicle having one or more propellers and one or more microphones. The aerial vehicle may emit propeller noise patterns via the propellers during operation, and the aerial vehicle may receive echoes of the propeller noise patterns via the microphones. Based on the emitted noise patterns and received echoes, the aerial vehicle may detect objects and associated properties within an environment of the aerial vehicle. In addition, the aerial vehicle may emit encoded propeller noise patterns via the propellers during operation to communicate with other aerial vehicles, and other aerial vehicles may receive the encoded propeller noise patterns via microphones. Using such encoded propeller noise patterns, a plurality of aerial vehicles may communicate and/or coordinate operations with each other.

Abstract: A sensor system may include first and second sensors configured to be coupled to a vehicle and generate respective first and second sensor signals indicative of operation of the vehicle. The sensor system may also include a sensor anomaly detector including an anomalous sensor model configured to receive the first and second sensor signals and determine that one or more of the first sensor or the second sensor is an anomalous sensor generating inaccurate sensor data. The sensor system may also be configured to identify one or more of the first sensor or the second sensor as the anomalous sensor generating inaccurate sensor data.

Abstract: Systems and methods to maintain a fleet of aerial vehicles may include a maintenance system, a charging power source, and a control system. For example, the maintenance system may include a plurality of workstations to perform maintenance tasks, a charging rail that connects the workstations with the charging power source, and a plurality of platforms that move along the charging rail. The control system may instruct a platform to receive an aerial vehicle, couple the aerial vehicle to the charging rail, move the aerial vehicle among the workstations, and charge a battery of the aerial vehicle via the charging rail during movement and/or performance of various maintenance tasks.

Abstract: Systems and methods to measure states of charge of a battery may include an ultrasonic sensor and a control system. For example, the control system may instruct the ultrasonic sensor to emit ultrasonic waves toward a battery, and may instruct the ultrasonic sensor to receive echoes of the emitted ultrasonic waves reflected back from the battery. In addition, the control system may process data associated with the emitted waves and received echoes, including properties associated with the waves and echoes, such as a time of flight, frequency, amplitude, wavelength, phase, duration, or others. Based on the properties of the received echoes, and by comparison with expected properties, various physical, mechanical, chemical, and/or material characteristics of the battery may be determined, based on which a state of charge and/or a state of health of the battery may further be determined.

Abstract: A system may include a receiver configured to receive sensor data from one or more aerial vehicles, the sensor data including map data including sensed data related to an aerial view from one or more aerial vehicles of terrain and objects on the terrain. The system may also include a map updating processor in communication with the receiver. The map updating processor may receive the map data and identify a geographic location and/or an orientation associated with the map data. The map updating processor may also align, based at least in part on the geographic location and/or the orientation, the map data with a virtual aerial map providing an aerial view of terrain and objects on the terrain. The map updating processor may also incorporate at least a portion of the map data into the virtual aerial map and generate an updated virtual aerial map.

Abstract: Active sensor fusion systems and methods may include a plurality of sensors, a plurality of detection algorithms, and an active sensor fusion algorithm. Based on detection hypotheses received from the plurality of detection algorithms, the active sensor fusion algorithm may instruct or direct modifications to one or more of the plurality of sensors or the plurality of detection algorithms. In this manner, operations of the plurality of sensors or processing of the plurality of detection algorithms may be refined or adjusted to provide improved object detection with greater accuracy, speed, and reliability.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for managing a set of autonomous vehicles (AVs) configured to perform delivery tasks and computing tasks. Computing tasks can be performed such as training a model and/or calculating an incremental update for the model. As additional training data is obtained, a subset of AVs may be managed as a distributed computing cluster and assigned a computing task such as training or calculating an incremental update for the model or any suitable computing task. Corresponding data computed by the subset of AVs of the cluster (e.g., the retrained model, updated model parameters corresponding to the updated model, etc.) may be received and stored or transmitted (e.g., the computing task requestor, to the AVs, etc.) for subsequent use (e.g., for subsequent delivery tasks).

Abstract: Systems and methods to maintain a fleet of batteries may include a plurality of electrically connected batteries and a control system. For example, the connected batteries may be stored and connected via a cabinet or rack. The control system may determine desired states of charge and/or desired storage temperatures for the connected batteries, in order to maintain at least one battery available to meet demand while also minimizing an aging rate of the fleet of batteries. Accordingly, the control system may adjust states of charge associated with the fleet of batteries to the desired states of charge, which may include various distributions of states of charge, and the control system may also adjust storage temperatures associated with the fleet of batteries.

Abstract: Systems and methods to measure states of charge of a battery may include an ultrasonic sensor and a control system. For example, the control system may instruct the ultrasonic sensor to emit ultrasonic waves toward a battery, and may instruct the ultrasonic sensor to receive echoes of the emitted ultrasonic waves reflected back from the battery. In addition, the control system may process data associated with the emitted waves and received echoes, including properties associated with the waves and echoes, such as a time of flight, frequency, amplitude, wavelength, phase, duration, or others. Based on the properties of the received echoes, and by comparison with expected properties, various physical, mechanical, chemical, and/or material characteristics of the battery may be determined, based on which a state of charge and/or a state of health of the battery may further be determined.

Abstract: Systems and methods to maintain a fleet of aerial vehicles may include a maintenance system, a charging power source, and a control system. For example, the maintenance system may include a plurality of workstations to perform maintenance tasks, a charging rail that connects the workstations with the charging power source, and a plurality of platforms that move along the charging rail. The control system may instruct a platform to receive an aerial vehicle, couple the aerial vehicle to the charging rail, move the aerial vehicle among the workstations, and charge a battery of the aerial vehicle via the charging rail during movement and/or performance of various maintenance tasks.

Abstract: A system may include a receiver configured to receive sensor data from one or more aerial vehicles, the sensor data including map data including sensed data related to an aerial view from one or more aerial vehicles of terrain and objects on the terrain. The system may also include a map updating processor in communication with the receiver. The map updating processor may receive the map data and identify a geographic location and/or an orientation associated with the map data. The map updating processor may also align, based at least in part on the geographic location and/or the orientation, the map data with a virtual aerial map providing an aerial view of terrain and objects on the terrain. The map updating processor may also incorporate at least a portion of the map data into the virtual aerial map and generate an updated virtual aerial map.