Abstract: An aerial vehicle (AV) 100 includes a rotor system 150 with a set of rotor arms 152 and a set of propellers 154 to provide a lift force during a vertical take-off of the AV 100; and a set of landing gears movably coupled to the rotor arms 152 for movement between a deployed position to support the aerial vehicle 100 during landing and take-off, and a retracted position to form an enclosure 210 around the set of propellers 154 to reduce aerodynamic drag during a forward movement of the AV 100 after the vertical take-off. The sets of landing gears can includes a pair of L-shaped landing gears 200, a C-shaped cross sectional landing gears, an another C-shaped cross sectional landing gears, a U-shaped slidable landing gears, and a flap-shaped slidable landing gears.

Abstract: A device 100 for pivotally holding and locking an aggregate of an aerial vehicle (AV) includes a housing 102 fixed to the body of the AV; a cam structure 104 pivotally coupled to the housing 102 for pivotal movement about a pivot axis between a deployed position, in which the aggregate fixed to the cam structure 104 is operational, and a folded position, in which the aggregate is not operational; and a plate spring 106 configured in the housing 102. Cam structure 104 is configured relative to the plate spring 106 such that, when the cam structure 104 is moved between the deployed position and the folded position, the cam structure 104 deflects the plate spring 106 to cause toggling of the aggregate between the deployed position and the folded position. The aggregate is any of a rotor arm assembly and a landing gear 108.

Abstract: A method for capturing videos and/or images of a target area using a single camera configured with an aerial vehicle (AV) is disclosed including the steps of moving the AV over the area of interest along a straight path; capturing a first set of images of an area down below by pointing an optical axis of the camera towards a first side of the straight path such that the optical axis makes a first set of predefined angles with vertical; and capturing a second set of images of the area down below by pointing the optical axis of the camera towards a second side of the straight path such that the optical axis makes a second set of predefined angles with respect to the vertical. Side overlap between the first and second set of images is optimized to account for error in camera movement.

Abstract: A device 100 for pivotally holding and locking an aggregate of an aerial vehicle (AV) includes a housing 102 fixed to the body of the AV; a cam structure 104 pivotally coupled to the housing 102 for pivotal movement about a pivot axis between a deployed position, in which the aggregate fixed to the cam structure 104 is functional, and a folded position, in which the aggregate is not functional; and a plate spring 106 configured in the housing 102. Cam structure 104 is configured relative to the plate spring 106 such that, when the cam structure 104 is moved between the deployed position and the folded position, the cam structure 104 deflects the plate spring 106 to cause toggling of the aggregate between the deployed position and the folded position. The aggregate can be any of a rotor arm assembly, a landing gear 108, and a sensor.

Abstract: A system (100) for planning a flight path for a survey of a ROI comprises at least one UAV (102). a flight control unit (104) and a flight planning unit (106). Flight planning unit (106) creates a main flight path (302) covering the ROI, identifies an area of interest based on trigger data within the ROI, creates a boundary (304) around the identified area of interest, and creates an additional flight path (306), which is contiguous to the main flight path (302), for the identified area of interest. The trigger data may be captured during the main flight path using sensors mounted on the UAV and the flight path planned/generated in real-time during the flight, or may be fed by user. The main flight path (302) and the additional flight path (306) are any of a back-and-forth linear paths or spiral path flight paths.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle (AV) 100 includes a rotor system 150 with a set of rotor arms 152 and a set of propellers 154 to provide a lift force during a vertical take-off of the AV 100; and a set of landing gears movably coupled to the rotor arms 152 for movement between a deployed position to support the aerial vehicle 100 during landing and take-off, and a retracted position to form an enclosure 210 around the set of propellers 154 to reduce aerodynamic drag during a forward movement of the AV 100 after the vertical take-off. The sets of landing gears can includes a pair of L-shaped landing gears 200, a C-shaped cross sectional landing gears, an another C-shaped cross sectional landing gears, a U-shaped slidable landing gears, and a flap-shaped slidable landing gears.

Abstract: A connector assembly 100 for detachably coupling a propeller to a motor of an UAV includes a base portion 200 to be fixed to the motor and a holder 400 to be fixed to the corresponding propeller. The detachable coupling is facilitated by teeth 402 provided on the holder 400 and corresponding recesses 208 on base portion 200 such that when holder 400 is rotated after being placed over the base portion 200, the teeth 402 engage with the recesses 208. Holder 400 is locked against rotation after the teeth engage with recesses. An engaging plate 300 is provided to move between a pressed position and a released position and includes projections 302, which, in the released position of the engaging plate 300, engage with cavities 404 of holder 400, to lock the holder 400 against rotation.

Abstract: A method for capturing images of large target area using a single camera configured with an aerial vehicle (AV) for reconstructing a high-resolution image is disclosed including the steps of moving the AV over the area of interest along a straight path; capturing a first set of images of an area down below by pointing an optical axis of the camera towards a first side of the straight path such that the optical axis makes a first predefined angle with vertical; and capturing a second set of images of the area down below by pointing the optical axis of the camera towards a second side of the straight path such that the optical axis makes a second predefined angle with respect to the vertical. Side overlap between the first and second set of images is optimized to account for error in camera movement.