Abstract: Rescue parachute deployment systems (RPDSs) and related techniques are provided to improve the safety and operational flexibility of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An RPDS includes a canopy assembly, a rotor guard disposed at least partially about the canopy assembly and configured to protect the canopy assembly from rotor strike damage as the canopy assembly is launched through a rotor plane of the UAV, and an ejector assembly configured to deploy the rotor guard into and the canopy assembly through a rotor plane of the UAV. The RPDS may also include a logic device coupled to and/or integrated with the ejector assembly and/or the UAV that is configured to determine a rescue parachute launch condition is active and to control the ejector assembly to deploy the canopy assembly through the rotor plane of the UAV.

Abstract: Techniques for cooling electric motors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system is provided. The system may include a cooling ring configured to couple to an electric motor of a UAV. The cooling ring may have a circular structure comprising a plurality of air ducts disposed therein. The structure may define an interior cavity. The air ducts may be configured to pass heated air from the interior cavity to an external environment to cool the electric motor. Additional systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to skid and roll along an environmental surface. A rollable UAV includes an airframe assembly, a propulsion system, and a logic device configured to communicate with the propulsion system. The airframe assembly includes a cylindrical rolling guard configured to allow the UAV to roll along an environmental surface in contact with the cylindrical rolling guard. The logic device is configured to determine a rolling orientation for the UAV corresponding to the environmental surface, maneuver the UAV to place the cylindrical rolling guard of the airframe assembly in contact with the environmental surface, and roll the airframe assembly of the UAV along the environmental surface at approximately the determined rolling orientation while the cylindrical rolling guard is in contact with the environmental surface.

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.