Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. By modulating a rate of descent of a package, a package sway may mitigated. The lowering mechanism includes wrapping a tether in various directions around the package such that the package rotates in a first and second direction as the package descends. Additionally, a rip-strip lowering mechanism that separates under tension to lower the package and a rappel mechanism that slides the package down a tether may be used. Accordingly, the tether can control a descent of the package assembly.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will facilitate extended flight duration. The UAV may have any number of lifting motors. For example, the UAV may include four lifting motors (also known as a quad-copter), eight lifting motors (octo-copter), etc. Likewise, to improve the efficiency of horizontal flight, the UAV also includes a pushing motor and propeller assembly that is oriented at approximately ninety degrees to one or more of the lifting motors. When the UAV is moving horizontally, the pushing motor may be engaged and the pushing propeller will aid in the horizontal propulsion of the UAV.

Abstract: Described are apparatus and processes for reconfiguring aerial vehicles, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) during navigation of the aerial vehicle between a maneuverability configuration and an efficiency configuration. When an aerial vehicle needs to be able to quickly maneuver in any direction (vertical, horizontal, pitch, roll, yaw) it is operating in a maneuverability configuration. When configured to operate in the maneuverability configuration, the primary function of the aerial vehicle configuration is to increase maneuverability of the aerial vehicle. When the aerial vehicle is navigating in a direction that is substantially horizontal, for example when navigating between locations, it may be configured to operate in an efficiency configuration. When configured to operate in the efficiency configuration, the primary function of the aerial vehicle configuration is to increase efficiency of the aerial vehicle and reduce power consumption.

Abstract: Described is an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), that includes a plurality of sensors, such as stereo cameras, mounted along a perimeter frame of the aerial vehicle and arranged to generate a scene that surrounds the aerial vehicle. The sensors may be mounted in or on winglets of the perimeter frame. Each of the plurality of sensors has a field of view and the plurality of optical sensors are arranged and/or oriented such that their fields of view overlap with one another throughout a continuous space that surrounds the perimeter frame. The fields of view may also include a portion of the perimeter frame or space that is adjacent to the perimeter frame.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle and system for automatically detecting an object (e.g., human, pet, or other animal) approaching the aerial vehicle is described. When an approaching object is detected by an object detection component, a safety profile may be executed to reduce or avoid any potential harm to the object and/or the aerial vehicle. For example, if the object is detected entering a safety perimeter of the aerial vehicle, the rotation of a propeller closest to the object may be stopped to avoid harming the object and rotations of remaining propellers may be modified to maintain control and flight of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: Moments of inertia for an object, such as an aerial vehicle, may be determined by suspending the object from at least two filars, or cables, that are aligned in parallel and of equal length. After imparting a rotation upon the object about a vertical axis, data regarding oscillations of the object may be captured using an inertial measurement unit associated with the object. The captured data may be used to calculate a moment of inertia about the vertical axis, and to determine a vector corresponding to the vertical axis. After suspending the object, imparting rotations to the object and capturing data with the object in a number of orientations, a moment of inertia tensor may be calculated about the object's principal axes based on the moments of inertia about vertical axes in such orientations and the vectors.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle and system for automatically detecting an object (e.g., human, pet, or other animal) approaching the aerial vehicle is described. When an approaching object is detected by an object detection component, a safety profile may be executed to reduce or avoid any potential harm to the object and/or the aerial vehicle. For example, if the object is detected entering a safety perimeter of the aerial vehicle, the rotation of a propeller closest to the object may be stopped to avoid harming the object and rotations of remaining propellers may be modified to maintain control and flight of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that includes a substantially polygonal perimeter frame and a central frame. The perimeter frame includes a front wing, a lower rear wing, and an upper rear wing. The wings provide lift to the UAV when the UAV is moving in a direction that includes a horizontal component. The UAV may have any number of lifting motors. For example, the UAV may include four lifting motors (also known as a quad-copter), eight lifting motors (octo-copter), etc. Likewise, to improve the efficiency of horizontal flight, the UAV may also include one or more thrusting motors and corresponding thrusting propellers. When the UAV is moving horizontally, the thrusting motor(s) may be engaged and the thrusting propeller(s) will aid in the horizontal propulsion of the UAV.

Abstract: This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.

Abstract: Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.

Abstract: Systems and methods to control aerial vehicles in degraded operational states are described. For example, for an aerial vehicle having six propulsion mechanisms arranged around a fuselage, one or more modified control schemes may be implemented to maintain control and navigation of the aerial vehicle responsive to a motor out situation, such as a failure of one propulsion mechanism. The modified control schemes may seek to emulate normal operation of a quadcopter, and/or may seek to utilize all remaining propulsion mechanisms to maintain controllability of the aerial vehicle in all six degrees of freedom of movement.

Abstract: An energy-efficient launch system that utilizes the principles of whip dynamics to launch payloads at high speeds is described. The launch system may include a marine vehicle having an onboard power source. A tapered, superconducting cable may be retractably connected to the marine vehicle via a winch and electrically connected to the power source. One or more aerial vehicles may be coupled to and receive power via the cable. To launch a payload at the end of the cable, the marine vehicle, winch, and/or aerial vehicles may be operated in coordination to create, propagate, and accelerate a whip waveform along the cable toward the payload.

Abstract: Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.

Abstract: Stabilized delivery using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is described. In one embodiment, the UAV includes a flight controller configured to control a flight path of the UAV, a winch mechanism secured to an underside of the UAV, a platform tethered to and extendable from the winch mechanism, and a ballast system configured to stabilize the platform. The winch mechanism may be relied upon to drop an item for delivery without landing the UAV. The winch mechanism can include a first winch mechanism secured to the UAV at a first orientation and a second winch mechanism secured to the UAV at a second orientation. Because the winch mechanism may give rise to certain design and operating considerations, various active and passive flight and/or ballast control systems are described. These systems maintain an orientation of the UAV, the platform, and/or the item during one or more stages of airborne drop delivery.

Abstract: This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.

Abstract: This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.

Abstract: Systems and methods to form distributed and reconfigurable aerial vehicle configurations are described. An aerial vehicle configuration may include a plurality of aerial vehicles that are connected to a payload via respective tethers in order to complete a task, e.g., delivery of the payload to a location. The plurality of aerial vehicles selected as part of the aerial vehicle configuration may be of various types and may form a particular initial configuration. During operation, the aerial vehicle configuration may be modified based on changes to various operating parameters associated with aerial vehicles, the aerial vehicle configuration, the task, and/or the environment. The modifications may include changing positions, altitudes, and/or orientations of aerial vehicles with respect to each other and/or the payload, releasing aerial vehicles from the configuration, or adding new aerial vehicles to the configuration.

Abstract: Described is an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), that includes a plurality of sensors, such as stereo cameras, mounted along a perimeter frame of the aerial vehicle and arranged to generate a scene that surrounds the aerial vehicle. The sensors may be mounted in or on winglets of the perimeter frame. Each of the plurality of sensors has a field of view and the plurality of optical sensors are arranged and/or oriented such that their fields of view overlap with one another throughout a continuous space that surrounds the perimeter frame. The fields of view may also include a portion of the perimeter frame or space that is adjacent to the perimeter frame.

Abstract: Described is a force sensor stack configured to measure incident force. Data from the force sensor stack may be used to determine a weight of an object, determine a force distribution of the object resting on the force sensor stack, and so forth. The force sensor stack may comprise a plurality of force sensor layers. Each of the force sensor layers may be responsive to a different range of applied forces. The combined force sensor stacks may thus provide a wide dynamic range. A pressure concentrator layer may be configured to direct the incident force to particular portions of the force sensor layers.

Abstract: A virtual user interface is provided which may be used in conjunction with furniture such as shelves, tables, carts, and so forth. The furniture itself may have no active input/output mechanisms such as processors or onboard sensors. Visual output for the user interface may be projected from an overhead projector onto a plurality of projection surfaces on the furniture. Input, such as a user gesturing towards or touching the projected location of a control element, may be detected remotely.