Abstract: A method is provided for supporting a robot in response to a contingency event. The method includes detecting the contingency event during travel of the robot on a route to a destination. In response, the method includes determining a position of the robot, and accessing information about alternate destinations associated with the route. The method includes selecting an alternate destination from the alternate destinations based on a time to travel from the position of the robot to the alternate destination, and the information. And the method includes outputting an indication of the alternate destination for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot to the alternate destination.

Abstract: Techniques for establishing the sufficiency of a path planner to avoid multiple obstacles in planning a path from a starting location to a destination location is presented. The techniques can include: iterating, until a stopping condition occurs: obtaining, from the path planner, a path from the starting location to the destination location; representing the path from the starting location to the destination location as a disjunction of logical terms; conjoining the disjunction of terms to a conjunction of terms representing previously considered paths; determining a satisfiability condition of the conjunction of terms; and for a positive satisfiability condition, adding at least one corresponding obstacle of the plurality of obstacles to the path planner; and providing an indication of sufficiency of the path planner to avoid the obstacles in planning a path from the starting location to the destination location based on the stopping condition.

Abstract: A method is provided for horizon detection. The method includes acquiring an image that depicts a view of an environment, and defining a line pattern of lines that divide the image into respective pairs of image segments. The line pattern is formed of lines that are parallel, or intersecting at a common point of intersection. The method incudes searching the lines of the line pattern to identify one of the lines as an estimated true horizon in the image that divides the image into a respective pair of image segments at a boundary of greatest difference in average brightness between the image segments from among the respective pairs of image segments. The method includes determining true horizon in the image from the estimated true horizon. The method may also include an evaluation of the estimated true horizon or the true horizon as to verify one or more expected characteristics.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, apparatuses, and methods relating to a fan apparatus including a lift fan mounted in a duct and a cover for the lift fan. In some examples, a fan apparatus has a louvered cover including louvers having different chord lengths and/or different projection distances relative to one another when the louvers are in an intermediate (transitional) position. In some examples, a fan apparatus includes a louver actuation assembly configured to move louvers of the fan apparatus rotationally and translationally between open and closed positions. In some examples, a fan apparatus includes a fluid-actuated sealing assembly configured to form a seal between a sealing member and a cover, such as a louvered cover.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting and avoiding conflict along a current route of a robot. The method includes accessing a trajectory of the robot on the current route of the robot, and a predicted trajectory of a nearby moving object, and from the trajectory and predicted trajectory, detecting a conflict between the robot and the nearby moving object. Alternate routes for the robot are determined, each of which includes an alternative route segment offset from the current route, and a transition segment from the current route to the alternative route segment. Routes including the current and alternative routes are evaluated according to a cost metric, and a route from the routes is selected for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot to avoid the conflict.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting and avoiding conflict during a mission of a robot that includes a global route of travel. The method includes monitoring a state of the robot and a state of an environment of the robot as the robot travels the global route. The method includes generating a local route of travel through a region of the environment that includes the robot, the region having a size and shape that are set based on a type of the robot and the state of the robot when the local route is generated. A measure of uncertainty in the perception of objects in the region is monitored based on the state of the environment. And the robot is caused to maintain the global route or transition to the local route based on a comparison of the measure of uncertainty and an uncertainty threshold.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for thermal management of batteries are disclosed herein. An example battery disclosed herein includes a housing defining a cavity and a battery cell disposed in the cavity of the housing. The battery cell has a terminal. The battery further includes a bus bar disposed in the cavity of the housing. The bus bar is coupled to the terminal. A fluid channel formed in the bus bar. The fluid channel is to receive a cooling fluid to cool the bus bar and reduce a temperature of the battery.

Abstract: A system includes a first sensor configured to detect an object within an air space, and output an observation signal indicative of the object within the air space. A second sensor is configured to track the object within the air space, and output a tracking signal of the object within the air space. A tracking control unit is in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor. The tracking control unit is configured to receive the observation signal from the first sensor. In response to receiving the observation signal from the first sensor, the tracking control unit is configured to operate the second sensor to track the object within the air space relative to an aircraft within the air space. The tracking control unit is also configured to determine a priority of actions to take in relation to the object based, at least in part, on the tracking signal received from the second sensor.

Abstract: Techniques for establishing the sufficiency of a path planner to avoid multiple obstacles in planning a path from a starting location to a destination location is presented. The techniques can include: iterating, until a stopping condition occurs: obtaining, from the path planner, a path from the starting location to the destination location; representing the path from the starting location to the destination location as a disjunction of logical terms; conjoining the disjunction of terms to a conjunction of terms representing previously considered paths; determining a satisfiability condition of the conjunction of terms; and for a positive satisfiability condition, adding at least one corresponding obstacle of the plurality of obstacles to the path planner; and providing an indication of sufficiency of the path planner to avoid the obstacles in planning a path from the starting location to the destination location based on the stopping condition.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for operating air vehicles. Missions for the air vehicles are grouped into categories based on durations of the missions. The missions within the categories are clustered into subsets of the missions that can be concurrently performed to meet a set of mission performance criteria. The subsets of the missions are assigned to a set of air vehicle supervisors.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, apparatuses, and methods relating to a fan apparatus including a lift fan mounted in a duct and a cover for the lift fan. In some examples, a fan apparatus has a louvered cover including louvers having different chord lengths and/or different projection distances relative to one another when the louvers are in an intermediate (transitional) position. In some examples, a fan apparatus includes a louver actuation assembly configured to move louvers of the fan apparatus rotationally and translationally between open and closed positions. In some examples, a fan apparatus includes a fluid-actuated sealing assembly configured to form a seal between a sealing member and a cover, such as a louvered cover.

Abstract: A method is provided for horizon detection. The method includes acquiring an image that depicts a view of an environment, and defining a line pattern of lines that divide the image into respective pairs of image segments. The line pattern is formed of lines that are parallel, or intersecting at a common point of intersection. The method includes searching the lines of the line pattern to identify one of the lines as an estimated true horizon in the image that divides the image into a respective pair of image segments at a boundary of greatest difference in average brightness between the image segments from among the respective pairs of image segments. The method includes determining true horizon in the image from the estimated true horizon. The method may also include an evaluation of the estimated true horizon or the true horizon as to verify one or more expected characteristics.

Abstract: An aircraft with an integrated boundary layer ingesting propulsion having a mechanically-distributed propulsion system. The mechanically-distributed propulsion system may include an engine to generate a mechanical drive power, a drive shaft, a direction-reversing transmission, and a propulsor fan. The drive shaft may be operatively coupled to the engine to receive the mechanical drive power. The direction-reversing transmission may have a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, the first rotating shaft operatively coupled to the drive shaft to receive the mechanical drive power, which is configured to redirect the mechanical drive power received at the first rotating shaft from a first direction to face a second direction at the second rotating shaft. The propulsor fan may be coupled to the second rotating shaft to convert the mechanical drive power into thrust.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for operating an aerial imaging system. A first altitude of a first aircraft is determined, by a computer system, using first images of a key point generated by the first aircraft during a flight and stereo depth triangulation. The first altitude is compared with a second altitude of a second aircraft determined by the second aircraft, by the computer system, to form a comparison. An offset between the first altitude and the second altitude is determined, by the computer system, using the comparison. At least one of the first altitude or the second altitude is adjusted based on the offset. A plurality of images of a region from the first aircraft at the first altitude and from the second aircraft at the second altitude is obtained.

Abstract: A method of supporting robot(s) landing within a ground region is provided. The method includes accessing a map in which the ground region is tessellated into cells covering respective areas of the ground region. Each cell is classified as feasible to indicate a respective area is feasible for landing, or infeasible to indicate the respective area is infeasible for landing. The map is searched for clusters of adjoining cells that are classified as feasible, covering clusters of adjoining areas that define sub-regions within the ground region that are feasible for landing. The sub-regions are ranked according to a cost metric, and one of the sub-regions is selected according to the ranking. A geographic position of the selected sub-region is then output for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot(s) to land at the selected sub-region within the ground region.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting and avoiding conflict during a mission of a robot that includes a global route of travel. The method includes monitoring a state of the robot and a state of an environment of the robot as the robot travels the global route. The method includes generating a local route of travel through a region of the environment that includes the robot, the region having a size and shape that are set based on a type of the robot and the state of the robot when the local route is generated. A measure of uncertainty in the perception of objects in the region is monitored based on the state of the environment. And the robot is caused to maintain the global route or transition to the local route based on a comparison of the measure of uncertainty and an uncertainty threshold.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first image that is captured at a first time. The method also includes detecting a location of a first object in the first image. The method also includes determining a region of interest based at least partially upon the location of the first object in the first image. The method also includes receiving a second image that is captured at a second time. The method also includes identifying the region of interest in the second image. The method also includes detecting a location of a second object in a portion of the second image that is outside of the region of interest.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting and avoiding conflict along a current route of a robot. The method includes accessing or determining trajectories of the robot and a nearby moving object forward in time from their respective current positions, and detecting a conflict from a comparison of the trajectories. The method includes selecting a maneuver to avoid the conflict, and outputting an indication of the maneuver for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot to avoid the conflict. Selection of the maneuver includes determining a plurality of angles that describe the conflict such as those at which the robot and moving object observe one another, and/or an angle between their trajectories, and evaluating the plurality of angles to select the maneuver.

Abstract: Techniques for traversing in an environment that includes at least one obstacle, by a mobile autonomous system, to a destination in the environment, are presented. The techniques can include generating, prior to the mobile autonomous system commencing activity in the environment, a graph including a plurality of vertices representing positions in the environment and a plurality of edges between vertices representing feasible transitions by the mobile autonomous vehicle in the environment; annotating the graph with at least one edge connecting a representation of a present position of the mobile autonomous system to a vertex of the graph; determining, based on the graph, a path from the present position of the mobile autonomous system in the environment to the destination; and traversing the environment to the destination, by the mobile autonomous system, based on the path.

Abstract: A method is provided for supporting an aircraft to execute a mission in which the aircraft maneuvers in an airspace system. The method includes detecting a lost-link event in which a datalink between the aircraft and a control station is interrupted or lost, and responsive to which the aircraft is preconfigured to execute a procedure. The method also includes conveying an intent of the aircraft to execute the procedure over a radio channel assigned for voice communication in the airspace system. In this regard, conveying the intent includes composing a message that indicates the intent of the aircraft to execute the procedure. The message is applied to a text-to-speech engine to convert the message to a corresponding verbal message in which the intent of the aircraft is conveyed. The corresponding verbal message is then sent over the radio channel assigned for voice communication in the airspace system.