Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for determining the runway configuration of an airport. The method may include retrieving recorded surveillance data including instances of aircraft positions at an airport; determining a plurality of three-dimensional surveillance cells at each end of one or more runways of the airport; computing a count of the number of aircraft positions within each surveillance cell; and determining a current configuration for each runway based on the count computed for the surveillance cells of the runway. The predicted runway configuration of the airport can be used for updating the flight plan of an aircraft to reduce the total flight duration and minimize fuel consumption.

Abstract: System and method to protect the privacy of ADS-B messages transmitted by aircraft. The system includes one or more ground stations with a ground station control unit and a ground ADS-B transponder for receiving an ADS-B message. The ground station control unit includes an aircraft position determination module for retrieving an aircraft position included in the ADS-B message; an operating conditions module for determining the fulfillment of operating conditions including determining if the aircraft position is an actual aircraft position; and a fake aircraft position generator for computing one or more fake aircraft positions. The ground station control unit broadcasts one or more fake ADS-B messages including the fake aircraft positions if the operating conditions are met. With this system only trusted receivers can obtain the real position of the aircraft.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for determining the runway configuration of an airport. The method may include retrieving recorded surveillance data including instances of aircraft positions at an airport; determining a plurality of three-dimensional surveillance cells at each end of one or more runways of the airport; computing a count of the number of aircraft positions within each surveillance cell; and determining a current configuration for each runway based on the count computed for the surveillance cells of the runway. The predicted runway configuration of the airport can be used for updating the flight plan of an aircraft to reduce the total flight duration and minimize fuel consumption.

Abstract: The invention proposes a new device and method that allows scanning and downloading the content of a portable storage device (i.e., USB drive) from any computer with a portable storage device plug and a browser without the risk of having the computer infected by virus or malware resident in the portable storage device. The device can be manufactured in a small and portable device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for positioning aircraft based on images of mobile targets are disclosed. An example method includes identifying, by executing first instructions via a processor, a mobile target in an image obtained by a camera mounted on a first aircraft and obtaining, by executing second instructions via the processor, current coordinates of the first aircraft. The example method includes determining, by executing third instructions via the processor, coordinates of the mobile target based on the coordinates of the first aircraft and the image. The coordinates of the mobile target are within an area of uncertainty. The example method includes determining, by executing fourth instructions via the processor, a first position for the first aircraft that reduces the area of uncertainty of the coordinates of the mobile target.

Abstract: A parking management system is described that includes a light detector, a reflector positioned within a parking space and aligned to direct received light to the light detector, and a processor receiving a signal from the light detector that indicates an amount of light detected by the light detector. The processor causes a parking space indicator to indicate that the parking space is unoccupied based on the amount of light detected by the light detector being greater than a threshold, and causes the parking space indicator to indicate that the parking space is occupied based on the amount of light detected by the light detector being less than the threshold.

Abstract: System and method to protect the privacy of ADS-B messages transmitted by aircraft. The system includes one or more ground stations with a ground station control unit and a ground ADS-B transponder for receiving an ADS-B message. The ground station control unit includes an aircraft position determination module for retrieving an aircraft position included in the ADS-B message; an operating conditions module for determining the fulfillment of operating conditions including determining if the aircraft position is an actual aircraft position; and a fake aircraft position generator for computing one or more fake aircraft positions. The ground station control unit broadcasts one or more fake ADS-B messages including the fake aircraft positions if the operating conditions are met. With this system only trusted receivers can obtain the real position of the aircraft.

Abstract: A parking management system is described that includes a light detector, a reflector positioned within a parking space and aligned to direct received light to the light detector, and a processor receiving a signal from the light detector that indicates an amount of light detected by the light detector. The processor causes a parking space indicator to indicate that the parking space is unoccupied based on the amount of light detected by the light detector being greater than a threshold, and causes the parking space indicator to indicate that the parking space is occupied based on the amount of light detected by the light detector being less than the threshold.

Abstract: And aircraft recharging station is provided for recharging an aircraft provided with a rechargeable battery. The recharging station includes a parking surface with conductive tiles selectively connected to an electrical power supply. The recharging station also includes a controller configured to determine a position of the aircraft on the parking surface by connecting, including being configured to iteratively connect a different pair of tiles to the electrical power supply to provide a circuit including positive and negative tiles connected thereto, and test an electrical circuit condition of the circuit, until a closed circuit condition is determined, thereby indicating that the aircraft is positioned on the positive and negative tiles, and that the battery is thereby rechargeable by the electrical power supply.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for positioning aircraft based on images of mobile targets are disclosed. An example method includes identifying, by executing first instructions via a processor, a mobile target in an image obtained by a camera mounted on a first aircraft and obtaining, by executing second instructions via the processor, current coordinates of the first aircraft. The example method includes determining, by executing third instructions via the processor, coordinates of the mobile target based on the coordinates of the first aircraft and the image. The coordinates of the mobile target are within an area of uncertainty. The example method includes determining, by executing fourth instructions via the processor, a first position for the first aircraft that reduces the area of uncertainty of the coordinates of the mobile target.

Abstract: A method of extending the operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed. The method comprises detecting that an energy storage device on board the UAV is depleted below a threshold level, landing the UAV at a base station, and initiating operation of the base station to cause a replacement mechanism thereof to remove the energy storage device on board the UAV from the UAV and to replace this with another energy storage device.

Abstract: An autonomous battery replacement station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided. The UAV includes a replaceable battery. The station includes (a) a landing platform configured to receive the UAV, (b) a storage location configured to store a replacement battery for the UAV, and (c) a means for swapping the replaceable battery on the UAV with a replacement battery from the storage location.

Abstract: A mobile UAV infrastructure and management system for control and management of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles including at least one landing platform to facilitate operational readiness of the unmanned aerial vehicle, radio beacons for localization of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a command and control station in communication with the unmanned aerial vehicle, and an unmanned ground vehicle for deploying the landing platform, the radio beacons and the command and control station.

Abstract: The invention proposes a new device and method that allows scanning and downloading the content of a portable storage device (i.e., USB drive) from any computer with a portable storage device plug and a browser without the risk of having the computer infected by virus or malware resident in the portable storage device. The device can be manufactured in a small and portable device.

Abstract: A mobile UAV infrastructure and management system for control and management of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles including at least one landing platform to facilitate operational readiness of the unmanned aerial vehicle, radio beacons for localization of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a command and control station in communication with the unmanned aerial vehicle, and an unmanned ground vehicle for deploying the landing platform, the radio beacons and the command and control station.

Abstract: A method includes enabling a power supply of a ground sensor device to provide power to one or more components of the ground sensor device based on one or more rotations of a rotor of the ground sensor device.

Abstract: And aircraft recharging station is provided for recharging an aircraft provided with a rechargeable battery. The recharging station includes a parking surface with conductive tiles selectively connected to an electrical power supply. The recharging station also includes a controller configured to determine a position of the aircraft on the parking surface by connecting, including being configured to iteratively connect a different pair of tiles to the electrical power supply to provide a circuit including positive and negative tiles connected thereto, and test an electrical circuit condition of the circuit, until a closed circuit condition is determined, thereby indicating that the aircraft is positioned on the positive and negative tiles, and that the battery is thereby rechargeable by the electrical power supply.

Abstract: The present invention provides a co-operative network of unmanned vehicles that participate in co-operative task allocation. Each unmanned vehicle comprises a computer system with an executive level configured to control motion of the unmanned vehicle and an automatic decision level configured to communicate with other unmanned vehicles, to receive task descriptions, to participate in task allocation, and to provide descriptions of tasks to be performed to the executive level for execution. Each unmanned vehicle submits a bid for each task it can perform, the bid reflecting an execution cost for the task. The bids are compared and the task effectively auctioned to the unmanned vehicle with a lowest execution cost. Each unmanned vehicle builds a task plan from its allocated tasks, decomposes the associated task descriptions into elementary task descriptions and forwards the elementary task descriptions in a format suitable for the executive level to execute.

Abstract: An autonomous battery replacement station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided. The UAV includes a replaceable battery. The station includes (a) a landing platform configured to receive the UAV, (b) a storage location configured to store a replacement battery for the UAV, and (c) a means for swapping the replaceable battery on the UAV with a replacement battery from the storage location.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mobile ad hoc networks, and to ad hoc networks using aircraft in particular. A method of maintaining data links to and from a source node in an ad hoc mobile network is provided. The network comprises nodes including neighbor nodes corresponding to nodes within range for direct communication with the source node. The neighbor nodes comprise active neighbor nodes and inactive neighbor nodes, the active neighbor nodes being connected to the source node via respective active data links and the inactive neighbor nodes having respective inactive data links to the source node. One or more lost neighbor nodes are identified and revised configurations of data links are considered that account for the change in neighbor nodes. A new configuration is selected based at least partly on the cost of sending messages from the source node using the revised configurations.