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: An aircraft including a wing system, a plurality of control surfaces, a camera mounted on a camera pod, and a control system. The camera pod is configured to vary the orientation of the camera field of view only in yaw, relative to the aircraft, between a directly forward-looking orientation and a side-looking orientation. The control system controls the control surfaces such that they induce a significant aircraft yaw causing an identified target to be within the field of view of the camera with the camera in the directly forward-looking orientation.

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.

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 aircraft defining an upright orientation and an inverted orientation, a ground station; and a control system for remotely controlling the flight of the aircraft. The ground station has an auto-land function that causes the aircraft to invert, stall, and controllably land in the inverted orientation to protect a payload and a rudder extending down from the aircraft. In the upright orientation, the ground station depicts the view from a first aircraft camera. When switching to the inverted orientation: (1) the ground station depicts the view from a second aircraft camera, (2) the aircraft switches the colors of red and green wing lights, extends the ailerons to act as inverted flaps, and (3) the control system adapts a ground station controller for the inverted orientation. The aircraft landing gear is an expanded polypropylene pad located above the wing when the aircraft is in the upright orientation.

Abstract: In one possible embodiment, a wireless network with dynamic transmission control is provided that includes a multiple of nodes. The nodes include an arbiter and multiple client nodes. The arbiter is configured to control an operation of the client nodes by defining communications operation cycles and allocating a bandwidth to each of the client nodes on a cycle by cycle basis in response to requests for bandwidth from the client nodes.

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

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: An airframe-mounted package launching system including a package launching device mounted in an interior portion of an airframe structure proximate an external airframe opening, the package launching device including a launch bed configured to support a package during a launching process, and a launch assembly configured to impart a launching force to the supported package on the launch bed during the launching process.

Abstract: A motor assembly that includes a motor having a motor casing, a rotatable shaft extending from said motor casing to a shaft length and a hub coupled to said rotatable shaft, the hub having a circumferential skid surface disposed immediately proximal to the motor casing and having a channel configured to seat a propeller, when a propeller is present, wherein a bending moment applied to the shaft through the hub results in the circumferential skid surface contacting said motor casing.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for determining a predicted impact point of a selected weapon and associated round based on stored ballistic information, provided elevation data, provided azimuth data, and provided position data.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods including: at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); at least one battery pack comprising at least one battery; and at least one motor of the at least one UAV, where the at least one battery is configured to transfer energy to the at least one motor; where power from the at least one motor is configured to ascend the at least one UAV to a second altitude when the at least one battery is at or near capacity, and where the second altitude is higher than the first altitude; and where power from the at least one motor is configured to descend the at least one UAV to the first altitude after the Sun has set to conserve energy stored in the at least one battery.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for receiving, by a processor having addressable memory, data representing a geographical area for imaging by one or more sensors of an aerial vehicle; determining one or more straight-line segments covering the geographical area; determining one or more waypoints located at an end of each determined straight-line segment, where each waypoint comprises a geographical location, an altitude, and a direction of travel; determining one or more turnarounds connecting each of the straight-line segments, where each turnaround comprises one or more connecting segments; and generating, by the processor, a flight plan for the aerial vehicle comprising: the determined one or more straight-line segments and the determined one or more turnarounds connecting each straight-line segment.

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: Systems, devices, and methods for determining, by a processor, an unmanned aerial system (UAS) position relative to at least one flight boundary; and effecting, by the processor, at least one flight limitation of a UAS if the determined UAS position crosses the at least one flight boundary.

Abstract: A system having a damper with six or more indentations on alternating sides of the damper, where each indentation is open to an outer circumferential surface of the damper and extends over halfway through a width of the damper, and six or more slots, each slot open to an undulating inner circumferential surface of the damper and extending through the width of the damper.

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: An aircraft defining an upright orientation and an inverted orientation, a ground station; and a control system for remotely controlling the flight of the aircraft. The ground station has an auto-land function that causes the aircraft to invert, stall, and controllably land in the inverted orientation to protect a payload and a rudder extending down from the aircraft. In the upright orientation, the ground station depicts the view from a first aircraft camera. When switching to the inverted orientation: (1) the ground station depicts the view from a second aircraft camera, (2) the aircraft switches the colors of red and green wing lights, extends the ailerons to act as inverted flaps, and (3) the control system adapts a ground station controller for the inverted orientation. The aircraft landing gear is an expanded polypropylene pad located above the wing when the aircraft is in the upright orientation.

Abstract: A lidar system, including a base, a sensor body, and a motor having a shaft. The motor is affixed to the base, and can drive the sensor body in rotation with respect to the base. An LED device and a light sensor are each mounted upon the sensor body. A data processing device is also mounted upon the sensor body, and is programmed to produce range information based upon the sensor data. The shaft carries two slip rings. The LED, the sensor and the data processing device all receive electrical power via the two slip rings. The data processing device is configured to transmit the range information via the two slip rings using pulse width modulation.