Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle, a user input device, and ground station. The user input device is configured to generate a signal and control the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the generated signal. The ground station is coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle via a tether assembly. The ground station includes a motorized spool and a controller. The motorized spool is coupled to the tether assembly and configured to electromechanically control spooling and unspooling of a tether of the tether assembly. The controller is configured to control operation of the motorized spool based on an anticipated movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system for maintaining railway situational awareness, includes a ground station configured to be mounted to a train, a UAV including a sensor, a processor, and a memory. The sensor is configured to provide a signal indicative of condition and/or an event. The memory contains instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: selectively deploy the UAV, from the ground station mounted to the train, receive the signal from the sensor; and determine a condition and/or an event, relative to the train, based on the sensed signal.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system for maintaining UAV flight continuity, includes a ground station, a first UAV, a second UAV, a processor, and a memory. The memory contains instructions thereon, which, when executed by the processor in response to receiving a remaining battery charge signal from the first UAV, selectively deploy the second UAV from the ground station when the remaining battery charge signal indicates that a remaining battery charge of the first UAV is below a threshold value, and return the first UAV to the ground station.

Abstract: A ground station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a box assembly, a hatch assembly, and a landing pad assembly. The hatch assembly is pivotably coupled to the box assembly. The landing pad assembly is movably coupled to the box assembly and is movably coupled to the hatch assembly.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system for maintaining roadway personnel safety includes a monitoring device configured to be worn by a user and to provide a notification, a UAV including a sensor configured to sense a signal indicating a railway condition and/or a railway event, and a ground station configured to house the UAV when the UAV is not in use. The ground station is further configured to be mounted on a train or vehicle. The system further includes a processor and a memory that contains instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to selectively deploy the UAV from the ground station when the ground station is supported on the train or the vehicle, receive the signal from the sensor, detect the railway condition and/or the railway event based on the received signal, and transmit the notification to the monitoring device based on the based on the sensed signal.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle, a user input device, and ground station. The user input device is configured to generate a signal and control the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the generated signal. The ground station is coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle via a tether assembly. The ground station includes a motorized spool and a controller. The motorized spool is coupled to the tether assembly and configured to electromechanically control spooling and unspooling of a tether of the tether assembly. The controller is configured to control operation of the motorized spool based on an anticipated movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system for maintaining railway situational awareness, includes a ground station configured to be mounted to a train, a UAV including a sensor, a processor, and a memory. The sensor is configured to provide a signal indicative of condition and/or an event. The memory contains instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: selectively deploy the UAV, from the ground station mounted to the train, receive the signal from the sensor; and determine a condition and/or an event, relative to the train, based on the sensed signal.

Abstract: A ground station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a box assembly, a hatch assembly, and a landing pad assembly. The hatch assembly is pivotably coupled to the box assembly. The landing pad assembly is movably coupled to the box assembly and is movably coupled to the hatch assembly.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle, a tether assembly selectively coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle, a processor, and a memory. The memory contains instructions thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to disconnect the tether assembly from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes a tether assembly, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a processor, and a memory. The unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a housing and a slider plate supported by the housing. The memory containing instructions thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to move the slider plate relative to the housing to selectively decouple the tether assembly from the housing.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes a tether assembly, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a processor, and a memory. The unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a housing and a slider plate supported by the housing. The memory containing instructions thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to move the slider plate relative to the housing to selectively decouple the tether assembly from the housing.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes a ground station, a tether assembly coupled to the ground station, and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle having a quick release mechanism selectively coupled to the tether assembly to restrain movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The quick release mechanism is electrically actuatable to decouple the tether assembly from the unmanned aerial vehicle for enabling the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly freely.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle, a tether assembly selectively coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle, a processor, and a memory. The memory contains instructions thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to disconnect the tether assembly from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system for maintaining UAV flight continuity, includes a ground station, a first UAV, a second UAV, a processor, and a memory. The memory contains instructions thereon, which, when executed by the processor in response to receiving a remaining battery charge signal from the first UAV, selectively deploy the second UAV from the ground station when the remaining battery charge signal indicates that a remaining battery charge of the first UAV is below a threshold value, and return the first UAV to the ground station.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes a ground station, a tether assembly coupled to the ground station, and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle having a quick release mechanism selectively coupled to the tether assembly to restrain movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The quick release mechanism is electrically actuatable to decouple the tether assembly from the unmanned aerial vehicle for enabling the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly freely.

Abstract: A method for diverting communication traffic in an optical network from a first optical link extending between a first and a second locations, to a second optical link extending either directly between the first and the second locations or via a third location, which method comprises the steps of switching traffic at said first location from said first optical link to said second optical link. After determining at the second location that traffic has not been received along the first optical link for a pre-determined period of time, traffic is diverted at the second location to the second optical link.

Abstract: A dual E/O transmitter module optical transponder comprising an E/O receiver module capable of converting an ingressing optical signal from an optical signal source to an electrical signal, a pair of E/O transmitter modules connected in parallel and each capable of converting the electrical signal to an egressing optical signal, a control device for enabling one of the pair of E/O transmitter modules and disabling the other of the pair of E/O transmitter modules, and an optical coupler coupled to the pair of E/O transmitter modules for feeding the egressing optical signal from the enabled E/O transmitter module to an optical signal destination.

Abstract: A dual E/O transmitter module optical transponder comprising an O/E receiver module capable of converting an ingressing optical signal from an optical signal source to an electrical signal, a pair of E/O transmitter modules connected in parallel and each capable of converting said electrical signal to an egressing optical signal, a control device for enabling one of said pair of E/O transmitter modules and disabling the other of said pair of E/O transmitter modules and an optical coupler coupled to said pair of E/O transmitter modules for feeding said egressing optical signal from said enabled E/O transmitter module to an optical signal destination.

Abstract: A method for diverting communication traffic in an optical network from a first optical link extending between a first and a second locations, to a second optical link extending either directly between the first and the second locations or via a third location, which method comprises the steps of switching traffic at said first location from said first optical link to said second optical link. After determining at the second location that traffic has not been received along the first optical link for a pre-determined period of time, traffic is diverted at the second location to the second optical link.