Abstract: The technology relates to detecting water or fouling on the exterior surface of a sensor cover, for instance due to precipitation or debris (fouling). Such objects on the sensor cover surface may degrade operation of the sensor, which can be problematic for vehicles operating in an autonomous driving mode. According to an aspect of the technology, a waveguide layer is provided on the sensor cover. A laser emits light at a selected wavelength along one side of the waveguide layer. The light waveform propagating along the waveguide layer is affected (distorted) by precipitation and/or fouling on the surface of this layer. A detector receives the distorted waveform. The system determines whether water and/or fouling is present based on the received waveform. This allows the system to determine whether to activate a cleaning module or to factor in the information when processing received sensor data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for periodic real-time reporting of in-flight turbulence experienced by aircraft using the existing Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) messaging system. The invention includes both broadcast to and reception from other aircraft and ground stations using the ADS-B system. Systems and methods for displaying the received turbulence reports on a cockpit display system are also disclosed. The disclosed systems and methods accomplish the objectives of the invention on a non-interference basis with existing ADS-B system functionality by utilizing currently reserved message types and/or unused data fields for the turbulence reporting. The invention is applicable to both 1090ES and 978 UAT ADS-B systems.

Abstract: A fleet operation system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided. The UAV according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of UAVs configured to fly in a fleet according to a determined task plan; and a ground control device for a fleet operation of the plurality of UAVs. The ground control device includes a first communication unit configured to receive flight information comprising a locations from the plurality of UAVs and transmit the task plan and satellite correction information to each of the plurality of UAVs; a second communication unit configured to transmit the satellite correction information to each of the plurality of UAVs; and a central processing unit configured to generate and transmit the task plan of each of the plurality of UAVs to each of the plurality of UAVs through the first communication unit.

Abstract: A platooning management device for providing platooning information, a server for managing a platooning history, and a method thereof are provided. The platooning management device includes: a communicator that performs communication between platooning vehicles, a processor that provides a chat window in which all of platooning members participate, and a display that displays the chat window. The processor determines a platooning state, automatically converts the platooning state into a text, and displays the text on the chat window.

Abstract: Example methods and systems for contingency landing a UAV are provided, comprising sensors configured to detect a position of the UAV and a command module. The command module receives a mission profile comprising a travel path mapped out in multidimensional space over time from an origin to a destination, a first boundary circumscribing at least a portion of the travel path, a second boundary circumscribing the first boundary, and contingent landing sites. The command module sends instructions to the UAV to fly according to the mission profile and determines a position of the UAV relative to the first and the second boundaries. Responsive to determining that the UAV is positioned at the first boundary, the command module sends instructions to land at a contingent landing site, and responsive to determining that the UAV is positioned at the second boundary, the command module sends instructions to land immediately.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide systems and methods for providing suggested locations for pick up and destination locations. Pick up locations may include locations where an autonomous vehicle can pick up a passenger, while destination locations may include locations where the vehicle can wait for an additional passenger, stop and wait for a passenger to perform some task and return to the vehicle, or for the vehicle to drop off a passenger. As such, a request for a vehicle may be received from a client computing device. The request may identify a first location. A set of one or more suggested locations may be selected by comparing the predetermined locations to the first location. The set may be provided to the client computing device.

Abstract: A control channel allocation method for a flying device comprises: allocating a task to a flying device, wherein the task comprises flight information for the flying device; determining a flight time of the flying device flying from a departure station to an arrival station according to the flight information; searching for one or more control channels at the departure station and the arrival station that are idle during the flight time based on one or more control channel occupation tables as one or more target control channels, wherein the one or more control channel occupation tables store idle states of a plurality of control channels at the departure station and the arrival station during a plurality of periods of time; and allocating the one or more target control channels for controlling the flying device to fly from the departure station to the arrival station.

Abstract: A flight control method for controlling an aircraft includes obtaining wind information of an operation region during a spread operation performed by the aircraft. The flight control method also includes controlling a flight location of the aircraft based on the wind information and an allowable deviation of the spread region in the spread operation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring operations of an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a monitoring device receives sub-system data from one or more sub-systems of the autonomous vehicle. The device receives contextual data of the vehicle that comprises one or more situational circumstances of the vehicle during operation. The device receives control data from a control system of the vehicle and analyzes the sub-system data, the contextual data, and the control data to determine a control result. The device provides an assessment to a management system of the overall control status of the vehicle.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, the brake pedal of an agricultural vehicle can be used as an interface to control auto fold/unfold sequences on a sprayer. This can allow functionality to be moved from a button, such as on the armrest, to the brake pedal using a controller, sensing and software. In one aspect, a button on the armrest can start the sequence, as long as the brake pedal is depressed. After the button is pressed, the operator can remove his hand from the button, but maintain the brake pedal depressed. If the operator lifts his foot off of the pedal, or initiates a different boom control button press, the sequence can stop. This can advantageously allow the operator to have the use of his hands during the sequence.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for implementing electronic control unit (ECU) testing optimization includes capturing, within a neural network model, input-output relationships of a plurality of ECUs operatively coupled to a controller area network (CAN) bus within a CAN bus framework, including generating the neural network model by pruning a fully-connected neural network model based on comparisons of maximum values of neuron weights to a threshold, reducing signal connections of a plurality of collected input signals and a plurality of collected output signals based on connection weight importance, ranking importance of the plurality of collected input signals based on the neural network model, generating, based on the ranking, a test case execution sequence for testing a system including the plurality of ECUs to identify flaws in the system, and initiating the test case execution sequence for testing the system.

Abstract: The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for detecting a need for sensor adjustment. Information is received from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to a sensor, including one or more measurements associated with the IMU, where the sensor is deployed on a vehicle for sensing surrounding information to facilitate autonomous driving. The one or more measurements are analyzed with respect to one or more corresponding known measurements of the IMU. The discrepancy between the one or more measurements and the one or more corresponding known measurements is used to determine whether an adjustment to the sensor is needed.

Abstract: Disclosed are an anti-drone method using a GPS spoofing signal and a system thereof. According to an embodiment of the inventive concept, an anti-drone method may include injecting a GPS spoofing signal to analyze a drone feature of a target drone and hijacking the target drone by injecting a GPS spoofing signal into the target drone based on a drone hijacking strategy corresponding to the analyzed drone feature among predefined drone hijacking strategies. The analyzing of the drone feature may include injecting the GPS spoofing signal to analyze a safety device mechanism (GPS fail-safe) and a path-following algorithm of the target drone.

Abstract: A zone mobility system and method for an autonomous device includes a work area within which the autonomous device is intended to operate, one or more electrically separated boundary conductors, each boundary conductor surrounding a work zone within the work area, a transmitter base electrically connected to at least one of the boundary conductors, and a removably coupled transmitter configured to transmit a signal for directing movement of the autonomous device on the boundary conductor wire. The transmitted signal can be adjusted to optimize the power consumption of the transmitter, and a work operation can be commenced utilizing a transmitter interface, and/or utilizing an autonomous device user interface.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus to collect sensor data generated in an autonomous vehicle. Sensors of the vehicle generate a sensor data stream that is buffered, in parallel and in a cyclic way, in a first cyclic buffer and a larger second cyclic buffer respectively. An advanced driver assistance system of the vehicle generates an accident signal when detecting or predicting an accident and provides a training signal when detecting a fault in object detection, recognition, identification or classification. The accident signal causes a sensor data stream segment to be copied from the first cyclic buffer into a slot of a non-volatile memory, selected from a plurality of slots in a round robin way. The training signal causes a sensor data stream segment to be copied from the second cyclic buffer into an area of the non-volatile memory outside of the slots reserved for the first cyclic buffer.

Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] The object is to provide a device, a method and the like which, when a fault occurs, particularly when a fault occurs in an operation of some of rotary wings, can control a flight depending on the fault, or which can be at least used for control when a fault occurs, or which can detect the fault.

Abstract: Concerning a partial area image that constitutes a wide area image, to control a flying body in accordance with a flight altitude at a past point of time of image capturing, an information processing apparatus includes a wide area image generator that extracts, from a flying body video obtained when a flying body captures a ground area spreading below while moving, a plurality of video frame images and combines the video frame images, thereby generating a captured image in a wide area, an image capturing altitude acquirer that acquires a flight altitude at a point of time of image capturing by the flying body for each of the plurality of video frame images, and an image capturing altitude output unit that outputs a difference of the flight altitude for each video frame image.

Abstract: A technique relates to autonomous obstacle avoidance. A vehicle is controlled on a route to a destination, the route being a three-dimensional route. An obstruction is determined on the global route. A local route including alternate points to avoid the obstruction is autonomously determined. The local route is autonomously converged back to the global route in response to avoiding the obstruction.

Abstract: A system and method for automated vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft emergency landing is disclosed. The system receives a plurality of inputs from onboard modules including aircraft state, vehicle health, acceptable landing zone (LZ), emergency landing path, and 3D world model to prepare an emergency landing procedure when necessary. If functional onboard an unmanned VTOL aircraft, the vehicle health module determines an emergency landing requirement, the system commands a damage tolerant autopilot to perform the emergency procedure and automatically control the VTOL aircraft. If functional onboard a manned VTOL aircraft, an operator or the vehicle health module initiates the emergency landing.

Abstract: A distance image measuring device includes: a light source; an image sensor receiving a reflected light generated by reflection of a projected light from an object; a housing accommodating the light source and the image sensor; a window provided in the housing and through which the projected light and the reflected light pass; a distance calculation section calculating a distance to the object; a reflection state switching member disposed on an optical path of the projected light; and an abnormality determination section determining whether there is an abnormality in a function of detecting the object.