Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a central body and a plurality of landing gears that are extendable from and movable relative to the central body. The plurality of landing gears are configured to transform between a flight configuration and a surface configuration. In the flight configuration, the landing gears are extending laterally away from the central body and not in contact with a surface below the central body. In the surface configuration, the landing gears are extending towards the surface below the central body. When the landing gears are in the surface configuration, the landing gears are configured to support a weight of the central body on the surface and transport the UAV over the surface by moving one or more of the landing gears relative to the surface.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a central body and a plurality of arms extendable from the central body using one or more actuators. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to support one or more propulsion units. One arm of the plurality of arms is configured to connect to one of the one or more actuators via a linkage mechanism. The one of the one or more actuators is configured to actuate the linkage mechanism between (1) a first dead center position for securing the one arm when the one arm is extended away from the central body in a flight configuration and (2) a second dead center position for securing the one arm when the one arm is folded substantially parallel to the central body in a compact configuration.

Abstract: A method for supporting aerial operation over a surface includes obtaining a representation of the surface that comprises a plurality of flight sections, and identifying a flight path based on the representation of the surface. The flight path allows an aircraft, when following the flight path, to conduct an operation over the flight sections.

Abstract: A control device includes a touchscreen and one or more processors. The touchscreen is configured to display an image captured by an imaging device supported by a movable object or a carrier coupled to the movable object, and receive a user input indicative of selection of a position on the touchscreen to display a selected target of the image and selection of a zoom factor for zooming in or out of the selected target. The one or more processors are configured to generate control data based on information about the user input. The control data includes instructions for the imaging device, the carrier, or the movable object to automatically control an attitude of the imaging device for positioning the selected target at or near the selected position on the touchscreen and a zoom level of the imaging device according to the user selected zoom factor.

Abstract: A method for controlling a movable object includes obtaining, by one or more processors of the movable object, an image including a machine-readable code configured to store a set of operation data for controlling the movable object; processing the image to retrieve the machine-readable code and the set of operation data; and adjusting one or more operation parameters of the movable object based on the set of operation data to control an operation of the movable object.

Abstract: A sliding door assembly includes a landing platform located in a first plane, a sliding door mating with the landing platform and located in a second plane approximately parallel to the first plane, and a driving assembly configured to drive the sliding door to move translationally in the second plane to open or close the sliding door.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for operating a movable object using a machine readable code. In one embodiment, an image may be obtained by the movable object. The image may include a machine-readable code configured to store a set of operation data for controlling the movable object. The movable object may process the image to retrieve the machine-readable code and the set of operation data. The movable object further may adjust one or more operation parameters of the movable object based on the set of operation data.

Abstract: A control device includes a display configured to show an image captured by an imaging device supported by a movable object and one or more processors configured to obtain information about a user input indicative of a target shown within the image, and generate data, based on the information about the user input indicative of the target, to effectuate an automatic control of a zoom level of the imaging device and an attitude of the imaging device relative to the target.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a central body and a plurality of arms extendable from the central body using one or more actuators. Each of the plurality of arms is configured to support one or more propulsion units. One arm of the plurality of arms is configured to connect to one of the one or more actuators via a linkage mechanism. The one of the one or more actuators is configured to actuate the linkage mechanism between (1) a first dead center position for securing the one arm when the one arm is extended away from the central body in a flight configuration and (2) a second dead center position for securing the one arm when the one arm is folded substantially parallel to the central body in a compact configuration.

Abstract: A method for operating a mobile platform includes determining one or more service points based on a model of an object and directing the mobile platform to perform one or more tasks at the determined service points.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a central body having a plurality of sides and a plurality of arms extendable from the central body. Each arm of the plurality of arms comprises a plurality of foldable sections. Each arm of the plurality of arms is configured to transform between a flight configuration and a compact configuration. When an arm is in the flight configuration, the plurality of foldable sections of the arm are extended away from the central body. When an arm is in the compact configuration, the plurality of foldable sections of the arm are folded toward a corresponding side of the central body such that the plurality of foldable sections are substantially parallel to one another.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for tracking a maximum temperature point. In the method, a first pair of coordinates of a maximum temperature point in an image sensed by an infrared camera is acquired, where the image is an image captured by the infrared camera. A rotation angle of a gimbal equipped with the infrared camera is then determined according to the first pair of coordinates of the maximum temperature point and a pair of coordinates of a target position in the image. The gimbal is then controlled to rotate according to the determined rotation angle, so as to adjust the maximum temperature point in the image captured by the infrared camera to be located at the target position.

Abstract: A method for servicing an object via a mobile platform includes maintaining a distance between the mobile platform and the object and performing a task for the object while maintaining the distance.

Abstract: A battery replacement device including a first linear motion mechanism, a second linear motion mechanism mounted on the first linear motion mechanism, a third linear motion mechanism mounted on the second linear motion mechanism, and a clamp mechanism mounted on one of the first, second, and third linear motion mechanisms. Each of the first, second, and third linear motion mechanisms includes a carrying member and a driving member configured to drive the carrying member to move translationally in one of a first axis direction, a second axis direction, and a third axis direction that build a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. A coordinate position of the clamp mechanism in the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system is adjusted by the first driving member, the second driving member, and the third driving member.

Abstract: A method for locating a faulty photovoltaic (PV) panel includes controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to fly and perform image capturing, obtaining image information of the PV panel captured by a camera carried by the UAV, obtaining global positioning (GPS) information of the UAV and attitude information of the camera at a shooting time when the camera captures the image information, and, in response to determining that the image information includes fault information of the PV panel, determining a position of the PV panel according to the GPS information of the UAV and the attitude information of the camera at the shooting time.

Abstract: An image processing method includes obtaining first contour information of a first image captured by a first lens and second contour information of a second image captured by a second lens, the first and second images being captured at the same time, aligning the first contour information of the first image with the second contour information of the second image to obtain aligning contour information of the first and second contour information, and adjusting a relative position between the first and second images according to the aligning contour information to fuse the first and second images to obtain a fused image, the fused image including first edge information of the first image and second edge information of the second image.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for tracking includes obtaining an infrared image and a visible image from an imaging device supported by a carrier of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), obtaining a combined image based on the infrared image and the visible image, identifying a target in the combined image, and generating control signals for tracking the identified target using the imaging device.

Abstract: A system for landing a mobile platform, such as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (“UAV”) and methods for making and using the same. The system can land the UAV by applying a magnetic levitation force upon the UAV and adjusting the applied magnetic levitation force. The system can initiate a landing process to a designated docking station and can guide the UAV to an adjacency of the designated docking station. Once the UAV has entered the adjacency, the magnetic levitation forces can take control of the landing process. During the landing process, certain magnetic sensitive devices installed on the UAV and/or on the designated docking station can be protected by turning them off or by shielding them. The system overcomes disadvantages of currently-available landing systems by restricting a size and weight of the landing arrangements, as well as, avoiding potential damage to the UAV and the designated docking station.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for swapping the battery on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while providing continuous power to at least one system on the UAV. The UAV may be able to identify and land on an energy provision station autonomously. The UAV may take off and/or land on the energy provision station. The UAV may communicate with the energy provision station. The energy provision station may store and charge batteries for use on a UAV. The UAV and/or the energy provision station may have a backup energy source to provide continuous power to the UAV.

Abstract: A touch control substrate, a touch control panel, a display substrate, a display panel and a display device are provided in the application. The touch control substrate includes a touch region and a frame wiring region. A plurality of electrode lines in the frame wiring region are distributed in different layers, and orthogonal projections, on a projection plane, of the plurality of electrode lines distributed in the different layers are overlapped, the projection plane being a plane parallel to the touch control substrate.