Abstract: Techniques for deicing propellers for mobile platforms are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system is provided. The system may include a propeller comprising a propeller blade having a channel extending from an ingress aperture to an egress aperture along a longitudinal axis of the propeller blade. The system may further include a cowl comprising an air duct configured to direct heated air into the channel to deice the propeller blade. The cowl may be configured to selectively couple to the propeller and an electric motor and form a seal between the cowl and the electric motor to capture the heated air exuded by the electric motor. Additional systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An airframe assembly for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided where the airframe assembly includes a top airframe assembly, a bottom airframe assembly, and a planar support frame disposed between the top and bottom airframe assemblies. The top and bottom airframe assemblies may form one or more rotor ducts disposed about one or more UAV propulsion motor mounts, respectively, where the rotor ducts are configured to protect rotating rotors disposed therein from physical damage caused by impact with environmental flight hazards. The airframe assembly may further include a heat sink thermally coupled to electronics of the UAV and disposed within the airframe assembly such that rotating blades in the rotor ducts cause air to be drawn from outside of inlet orifices of the top airframe assembly, through an airflow channel in which dissipation surfaces of the heat sink are disposed, and into a rotor duct via an airflow outlet.

Abstract: An unmanned vehicle (UV) is provided. The UV comprises an aircraft component, an interposer component electrically and mechanically coupled to the aircraft component, and a payload component electrically and mechanically coupled to the interposer component. The interposer component comprising a processor and a memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor configured the processor to receive a communication from one of the aircraft component or the payload component, and sent the communication to the other of the aircraft component or the payload component.

Abstract: An unmanned vehicle (UV) is provided for transmitting data to a payload device connected to the UV. The UV comprises a processor configured to control operations of the UV, a first and a second communication interface for connecting to a payload device, a third communication interface for communicating with a remote station, and a non-transitory memory device storing instructions configured to cause the processor to to receive and transmit data. The processor is configured to receive one or more data packets through the third communication interface from the remote station, transmit the one or more data packets to the payload device through the first communication interface when the one or more data packets are designated for the first communication interface, and transmit the one or more data packets to the payload device through the second communication interface when the one or more data packets are designated for the second communication interface.

Abstract: An unmanned vehicle (UV) navigation system is provided. The UV navigation system comprises a processor, a communication interface for communicating with a remote station, and a non-transitory memory device storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to navigate the UV. The processor is configured to receive data from sensors, camera or data line for UV processor analysis, determine that a link-free trigger event has occurred, and autonomously navigate the UV in response to the trigger event.

Abstract: A main body of an unmanned vehicle is provided. The main body comprises a propulsion-receiving module having a mount point for removably mounting a propulsion source, a payload-receiving module having a mount point for removably mounting a payload, and a damper interposed between the payload-receiving module and the propulsion-receiving module to inhibit transmission of vibrations from the propulsion-receiving module to the payload-receiving module when the payload-receiving module and the propulsion-receiving module are in mechanical communication.

Abstract: A system, computer-implemented method and non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for generating a two-dimensional (2D) map of an area of interest are provided. The system comprises a processor and memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor configure the processor to perform the method. The method comprises determining a perimeter of an area of interest, obtaining nadir images of the area of interest, obtaining at least one oblique image of the area of interest from at least one corner of the perimeter, and processing the nadir and oblique images together to form the 2D map of the area of interest.

Abstract: Unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) and related techniques are provided to improve the operation of unmanned mobile sensor or survey platforms. A tether management system includes a logic device configured to communicate with a communication module and an orientation sensor coupled to a tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the communication module is configured to establish a communication link with a base station associated with the tethered UAV, the orientation sensor is configured to provide headings of the tethered UAV as it maneuvers within a survey area. The logic device is configured to determine an accumulated twist of a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV and generate a tether damage warning notification based, at least in part, on the determined accumulated twist and a maximum allowable accumulated twist associated with the tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV.

Abstract: Unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) and related techniques are provided to improve the operation of unmanned mobile sensor or survey platforms. A flight altitude estimation system includes a logic device configured to communicate with a communication module and a flight barometer coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the communication module is configured to establish a communication link with a base station associated with the mobile platform, and the flight barometer is configured to provide flight pressures associated with the UAV as it maneuvers within a survey area. The logic device is configured to receive demark pressure data from a demark barometer coupled to the base station and determine a differential flight altitude estimation based, at least in part, on received flight pressure data and demark pressure data, a reference flight pressure and a reference demark pressure corresponding to a flight initiation location of the base station.

Abstract: A remote station and method for rendering a ground plane over video feed are provided. The remote station comprises a processor, a communication interface for communicating with an unmanned vehicle (UV), and a non-transitory memory device storing a communications module. The communications module comprises machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to render a ground plane over video feed. The method comprises receiving a video feed from a camera on a UV, receiving from the UV telemetry information of the camera, receiving from the camera a zoom factor of the camera, calculating a horizon of the camera at a UV controller of the UV, and rendering the horizon as an overlay image on the video feed at a display of the UV controller.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle and process for automatically calibrating the unmanned aerial vehicle having at least one magnetic sensor is described. The calibration process involves receiving an internal or external control command to initiate a take-off process by the unmanned aerial vehicle. A hover mode maintains the unmanned aerial vehicle at hover position, and a calibration rotation sequence rotates the unmanned aerial vehicle. The calibration process further involves receiving measurement data from sensors of the unmanned aerial vehicle during the calibration rotation sequence and calculating calibration parameters using the measurement data. The calibration process may implement corrections using the calibration parameters.