Abstract: A flight data aggregation system for a plurality of aircraft includes one or more portable electronic devices in electronic communication with one or more central computers. The one or more portable electronic devices each monitor flight data from a corresponding aircraft. The one or more portable electronic devices analyze the flight data in real-time to determine an insight event indicating an incident of significance is presently occurring upon the corresponding aircraft. Each central computer includes one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The central computers are caused to receive the flight data collected during the insight event from an individual portable electronic device. The central computers determine overall flight data patterns based on the flight data collected during the insight event received from the individual portable electronic device and historical data stored in the one or more databases.

Abstract: A flight data aggregation system for a plurality of aircraft includes one or more portable electronic devices in electronic communication with one or more central computers. The one or more portable electronic devices each monitor flight data from a corresponding aircraft. The one or more portable electronic devices analyze the flight data in real-time to determine an insight event indicating an incident of significance is presently occurring upon the corresponding aircraft. Each central computer includes one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The central computers are caused to receive the flight data collected during the insight event from an individual portable electronic device. The central computers determine overall flight data patterns based on the flight data collected during the insight event received from the individual portable electronic device and historical data stored in the one or more databases.

Abstract: A host aircraft includes a flight data system, the latter including a mobile device, central data server, and transceiver. The mobile device has a processor, memory programmed with a method embodied as computer-readable instructions, and a radio frequency (RF) communications circuit, GPS receiver, and sensor suite. The sensor suite collects raw flight data. Execution of the instructions by the processor causes the mobile device to process the raw flight data into synthesized data, and filter out human-induced motion of the mobile device from the synthesized data using a filtering model, and thereby generate time-stamped filtered flight data. The central data server is in wireless communication with the RF communications circuit, and receives the time-stamped filtered flight data therefrom. The transceiver, which is communicatively coupled to the central data server, disseminates the time-stamped filtered flight data to a user located remotely from the host aircraft.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for causing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to perform a contingency landing procedure. The apparatus includes memory and processing circuitry configured to cause the apparatus to at least determine candidate safe landing zones (SLZs) within an estimated current range of the UAV. Trajectories are generated for landing the UAV in respective ones of the candidate SLZs. Risk values are calculated that quantify third-party risk associated with operation of the UAV along respective ones of the trajectories to the respective ones of the candidate SLZs. A flight termination risk value is calculated that quantifies third-party risk associated with immediately landing the UAV at the current position. The lowest of the risk values is compared with the flight termination risk value, and a sequence is executed to operate the UAV along the trajectory to the selected one of the candidate SLZs, or immediately land the UAV.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for causing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to perform a contingency landing procedure. The apparatus includes memory and processing circuitry configured to cause the apparatus to at least determine candidate safe landing zones (SLZs) within an estimated current range of the UAV. Trajectories are generated for landing the UAV in respective ones of the candidate SLZs. Risk values are calculated that quantify third-party risk associated with operation of the UAV along respective ones of the trajectories to the respective ones of the candidate SLZs. A flight termination risk value is calculated that quantifies third-party risk associated with immediately landing the UAV at the current position. The lowest of the risk values is compared with the flight termination risk value, and a sequence is executed to operate the UAV along the trajectory to the selected one of the candidate SLZs, or immediately land the UAV.