Abstract: Described are systems and methods for monitoring and detecting thermal conditions associated with individual cells of a battery. Embodiments of the present disclosure may monitor, detect, and protect against thermal anomalies that may be experienced at individual cells of a battery, without employing the use of thermal sensors (e.g., a thermocouple, thermistor, etc.). The exemplary systems and methods may be implemented in connection with a battery and/or battery pack having cells arranged in a serial configuration that may be employed in an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The described systems and methods detect thermal conditions associated with the individual cells of a battery by modeling each cell as an RC circuit and determining the resistance of each cell based on voltage and current measurements. The determined resistance can approximate and/or be representative of the temperature of the respective cell.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for monitoring, detecting, and/or protecting various systems of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Embodiments of the present disclosure can provide a multi-tiered system to provide monitoring, detection, and/or initiation of protection protocols in response to detected faults in connection with the electronics associated with UAV systems, such as the motor drive and/or control systems that may drive the propulsion systems of the UAV.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sensorless motor control may include a back EMF (electromotive force) observer, an adaptive EMF filter, magnitude compensation, hybrid rotor position and speed determination, rotor position and speed blending, and angle compensation. In order to provide accurate and reliable rotor position and speed estimations for a motor over a wide and varied range of speeds, at low speeds, during speed reversals, and/or in the presence of external forces, loads, or torques, the sensorless motor control may utilize a hybrid rotor position and speed determination that leverages both angle-based and magnitude-based methods. Further, the outputs of the two methods may be blended based on a shaping function to generate a final estimated rotor position and speed. Then, the motor may be more accurately and reliably controlled based on the final estimated rotor position and speed.