Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for autonomously estimating the position and orientation (“pose”) of an aircraft relative to a target site are disclosed herein, including a system including a plurality of beacons arranged about the target site, wherein the plurality of beacons collectively comprise at least one electromagnetic radiation source and at least one beacon ranging radio, a sensor system coupled to the aircraft including an electromagnetic radiation sensor and a ranging radio configured to determine a range of the aircraft relative to the target site, and a processor configured to determine an estimated pose of the aircraft based on at least: (i) detected electromagnetic radiation, and (ii) time-stamped range data for the aircraft relative to the target site.

Abstract: Piloted or autonomous rotorcraft includes a rotor safety system. The rotor safety system comprises a lidar scanner toward a rotor of the rotorcraft, e.g., the tail rotor, that scans the 3D space in the vicinity of the rotor. Objects in the vicinity of the rotor are detected from the lidar point data. In a piloted rotorcraft, predictive warnings can be provided to the helicopter's flight crew when a detected object presents a hazard to the rotor of the rotorcraft.

Abstract: A computerized, on-board flight system for an aircraft has a landing-zone evaluation system for evaluating a landing zone for the aircraft based on sensory data from numerous sensing systems, including lidar, radar, and/or various cameras, to identify potential, suitable landing sites in the landing zone. Based on data from these sensory systems, the landing-zone evaluation system geometrically and semantically evaluates the landing zone's terrain, as well as identifies moving and stationary objects in the landing zone to identify the suitable landing sites for the aircraft.

Abstract: Navigation systems and methods communicate a landing location to an aircraft. The method comprises collecting data from multiple sensor systems of the aircraft over time while the aircraft is above the terrain. The method also comprises determining on-going pose estimates of the aircraft over time based on input data from the multiple sensor systems. The method further comprises detecting a non-natural marker in the image data from the camera system, with the non-natural marker being physically located on the terrain at a desired landing location for the aircraft. The method further comprises determining a bearing of the non-natural marker relative to the aircraft from the image data captured by the camera system. The method comprises determining a location of the non-natural marker in a global coordinate frame based on a 3D mapping of terrain below the aircraft and the determined bearing for the marker.

Abstract: A putting training device includes a base having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface for placing on a putting surface. The top surface is a tapered surface tapering to the putting surface. A ball receiving recess can be defined on the top surface. The device also includes a ball positioning sensor positioned adjacent to the ball receiving recess and a light source for transmitting light visible from the top surface of the base. The light source is in operable communication with the ball positioning sensor to respond to a signal from the ball positioning sensor that a ball has been impacted from the ball receiving recess. When the light source receives the signal from the ball positioning sensor, the light source will transmit light for a finite predetermined period of time after the ball is impacted from the ball receiving recess.