Abstract: The technology relates to techniques for lightweight brackets for storm hardening of aircraft components. A bracket flange for protecting an electronics assembly from electrical storm activity can include a leg element coupled to and extending from a component of a vehicle and a first bar element extending from another end of the leg element on a plane substantially parallel to the component and over a part of an electronics assembly. The location of the bracket flange can be determined using a lightning attachment survey configured to indicate a part of the electronics assembly to which a lightning streamer attaches during an electrical surge. The location and size of the bracket flange may be configured to divert surge current away from the part of the electronics assembly to which the lightning streamer attaches in the lightning attachment survey.

Abstract: The technology relates to an intelligent weather data service for providing optimized weather forecast data using real time weather observation data in response to weather forecast requests. A weather data system may include a scorer job configured to obtain weather observation data and weather forecast data from a plurality of weather data sources and to generate a plurality of error scores for the weather forecast data over a predetermined time period, each of the plurality of error scores corresponding to one of the plurality of weather data sources and indicating, for a cell on a grid map, an amount or a probability of error in the weather forecast data by a weather data source in relation to the weather observation data; an observations index configured to index the weather observation data; a data store configured to store the plurality of error scores; and a fusion layer configured to receive and respond to a weather data request using the plurality of error scores.

Abstract: The technology relates to techniques for transient voltage protection for low voltage circuits. A transient voltage protection circuit can include an input, wherein a transient voltage event causes a transient voltage at the input; a transient voltage suppression (TVS) diode implemented downstream from the input, wherein the TVS diode is configured to absorb energy of the transient voltage event; and a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) implemented downstream from the TVS diode; wherein: a gate voltage applied to the MOSFET is based on a desired on-state resistance of the MOSFET in the absence of the transient voltage; energy of the transient voltage event that is not absorbed by the TVS diode and that is transmitted past the TVS diode enters a drain of the MOSFET; and the MOSFET is configured to clamp in a linear mode in response to the transient voltage event.

Abstract: The technology relates to power saving modes for subsystems in solar powered aircraft. An onboard subsystem of an aircraft includes a first processor configured to monitor a state of the subsystem and generate state data; a heating component configured to heat the subsystem to at least a minimum viable temperature; an operational component; and a hardware controller configured to control power to the heating component, the first processor, and the operational component, at least during a preservation mode and a monitoring mode. The subsystem draws a moderate amount of power when the heating component is on and a minimum threshold amount of power in the preservation mode. The subsystem draws a moderate amount of power in the monitoring mode in order to generate and communicate state data by the first processor, a moderate amount of power being lower than the higher amount of power required to operate the operational component.

Abstract: The technology relates to dynamic risk assessment of a fleet of aircraft. A method for dynamic risk assessment of a flight in a fleet of aircraft includes fetching state data for a flight from a distributed database configured to store state data for flights being performed by the fleet of aircraft; running simulations, by risk modules, based on the state data for the flight, each of the risk modules configured to assess a type of risk and output a risk score, the simulations resulting in risk scores for the flight; merging the risk scores for the flight by stacking the risk scores for the flight beginning with a highest risk score until a merged risk threshold is exceeded or each of the risk scores have been stacked; providing merged risk score data to an automated system configured to generate an automated message to the flight in response to the merged risk score data.

Abstract: The technology relates to service dispatchers for fleet management and flight planning systems. A method for dispatching vehicles for service includes receiving, by a service dispatcher, a first input comprising a plurality of state data of a fleet of aerial vehicles and a second input comprising a service objective; determining, using the first input, that one or more aerial vehicles in the fleet meets a set of criteria associated with performing the service objective; submitting a bid on the one or more aerial vehicles, the bid configured to induce a vehicle allocator to allocate the one or more aerial vehicles to the service dispatcher; receiving an allocation of some or all of the one or more aerial vehicles; generating a plan to use the allocation to perform the service objective; and dispatching the allocation according to the plan.

Abstract: The technology relates to recovery and test dispatchers for fleet management and flight planning systems. A method for dispatching to a decommissioned vehicle zone includes receiving a first input comprising state data of an aerial vehicle and a second input comprising an objective; determining, using the first input, the aerial vehicle meets a set of criteria associated with the objective; selecting a dispatcher configured to dispatch a vehicle to a decommissioned vehicle zone; allocating the aerial vehicle to the dispatcher; and selecting, by the dispatcher, the decommissioned vehicle zone to which the aerial vehicle is to be dispatched, wherein the objective comprises a test objective or recovery objective, and wherein the dispatcher comprises a test dispatcher or recovery dispatcher.

Abstract: An end user premises device is provided that includes a memory, one or more transceivers, and one or more processors. The one or more transceivers are configured to communicate with one or more stations in a network and a client device. The one or more processors are configured to receive a first user request for data from the client device using the one or more transceivers, determine a first point in time for retrieving the data based on an amount of charge in batteries of the one or more stations in the network, retrieve, at the first point in time, the data from a remote server via the network using the one or more transceivers, store the data in the memory, and in response to a second user request, transmit the data to the client device using the one or more transceivers.

Abstract: Determining a location of a user equipment includes transmitting, by one or more processors from a network node, a first beam having a first frequency range in a first area and a second beam having a second frequency range in a second area. The first area is larger than and encompasses the second area. A request for determining the location of the user equipment is received. The one or more processors may then cause the second beam to sweep within the first area, receive a second signal from the user equipment indicating when the second beam is swept over the location of the user equipment and data related to signal measurements of the second beam at the user equipment, and determine the location of the user equipment based on a pointing direction of the second beam relative to a position of the node of the network and the received data.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a group of aerial vehicles to meet a connectivity service objective are provided. A method may include causing aerial vehicles in the group to arrive at a target service area during a given arrival time window associated with the connectivity service objective, which may indicate a desired probability of service coverage of the target service area. The method further includes calculating a probability of service coverage of the target service area for the vehicles for a time period after the vehicles are expected to arrive at the target service area, determining whether the probability of service coverage meets a threshold, and causing the vehicles to operate according to a station seeking flight policy during the time period.

Abstract: Determining a location of a user equipment includes transmitting, by one or more processors from a network node, a first beam having a first frequency range in a first area and a second beam having a second frequency range in a second area. The first area is larger than and encompasses the second area. A request for determining the location of the user equipment is received. The one or more processors may then cause the second beam to sweep within the first area, receive a second signal from the user equipment indicating when the second beam is swept over the location of the user equipment and data related to signal measurements of the second beam at the user equipment, and determine the location of the user equipment based on a pointing direction of the second beam relative to a position of the node of the network and the received data.

Abstract: The technology provides a launch rig structure capable of filling a very large balloon envelope while the balloon is arranged vertically. The filled balloon is capable of staying aloft in the stratosphere with its payload for months or longer. The launch rig structure is configured to rotate up to 360° in response to current wind conditions. It includes an integrated lifting boom and gas handling system to fill the envelope. A payload release assembly is configured to couple with a rigid connection member of the balloon, enabling the envelope to be filled while in a vertical orientation. The payload release assembly is part of a launch cart that is positioned within the interior space of the launch rig. A gripper assembly engages with the rigid connection member. Once the envelope is filled, the gripper assembly disengages from the connection member so that the balloon floats away from the launch rig.

Abstract: The technology relates to controllers for lighter-than-air vehicles using deep reinforcement learning. A method for generating an objective-directed controller for an aerial vehicle includes defining an action space for an objective-directed controller, providing a set of feature vectors and the action space as input to a simulation module, training, by a learning module, the objective-directed controller according to a reward function correlated with the desired objective, evaluating the trained objective-directed controller, and storing high performing trained objective-directed controller.

Abstract: The technology provides a launch rig structure capable of filling a very large balloon envelope while the balloon is arranged vertically. The filled balloon is capable of staying aloft in the stratosphere with its payload for months or longer. The launch rig structure is configured to rotate up to 360° in response to current wind conditions. It includes an integrated lifting boom and gas handling system to fill the envelope. A payload release assembly is configured to couple with a rigid connection member of the balloon, enabling the envelope to be filled while in a vertical orientation. The payload release assembly is part of a launch cart that is positioned within the interior space of the launch rig. A gripper assembly engages with the rigid connection member. Once the envelope is filled, the gripper assembly disengages from the connection member so that the balloon floats away from the launch rig.

Abstract: A multi-tenant system is provided for coordinating spectrum allocation of a plurality of high-altitude networks (HANs) so that at least one high-altitude platform (HAP) in one of the plurality of HANs is controlled to avoid interfering with a HAP in at least one other HAN of the plurality of HANs. The multi-tenant system comprises a database including: 1) a first interface, 2) a second interface, 3) at least one service module, and 4) a data storage device. The multi-tenant system further comprises a communication controller coupled to the database, the communication controller configured to control various characteristics of HAPs in their respective HANs and links therebetween based on data maintained in the data storage device of the database. The data includes regulatory and coordination constraints provided via the first interface and non-regulatory and external coordination information provided via the second interface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for nulling a radio frequency (RF) beam for a high-altitude platform (HAP). A transmitter generates an RF signal. A primary antenna system generates an RF beam based on the RF signal. One or more processors determine a result indicating whether to modify the RF beam. When the result indicates to modify the RF beam, a detachable nulling subassembly generates nulling signals based on the RF signal to modify the RF beam generated by the primary antenna system.

Abstract: The technology relates to generating a flight map for an aircraft. For instance, this may include, running a plurality of simulations by placing a simulated aircraft within each cell of a grid representing areas of the earth and using predicted wind data. Each simulations identifies a cell in which each aircraft is located at the end of the simulation. A connection graph may be generated using any identified cells. The connection graph may be used to determine a flight map for an actual aircraft using a cost function and iterating from a destination cell to an initial cell. The flight map may be used to determine a route for the actual aircraft. In some examples, the flight map may be refined by running further simulations. The refined flight map may then be used to determine a route for the actual aircraft.

Abstract: A high-altitude platform (HAP) node provides communication service during an emergency. The HAP node uses a first network to provide communication services for handling calls initiated by at least one user equipment (UE). The HAP node detects that an emergency disruption has occurred that prevents the use of the first network. In response to detecting the occurrence of the emergency disruption, a mobile terminal (MT) in the HAP node searches for a second network able to accept emergency calls. The HAP node determines whether the second network will handle all calls initiated by the at least one UE or only emergency calls generated by the at least one UE. The HAP node handles the calls based on the determining and through the use of the second network.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle control system includes an aerial vehicle and a computing device. The aerial vehicle includes an altitude controller and a lateral propulsion controller. The computing device includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to obtain location data corresponding to a location of the aerial vehicle; obtain wind data; determine an altitude command, a latitude command, and a longitude command based on at least one of the location data or the wind data; cause the altitude controller to implement at least one of the altitude command, the latitude command, or the longitude command; and cause the lateral propulsion controller to implement at least one of the altitude command, the latitude command, or the longitude command.

Abstract: A method for planning a high altitude platform-based communication network includes aggregating data from at least one data source, wherein the data includes environmental data. Based on the aggregated data, a plurality of network expansion potential scores are computed according to geographic location. A visual output is generated based on the computed plurality of network expansion potential scores.