Abstract: An aerial vehicle including a housing, an outrunner motor including a stator mechanically coupled to the housing and a rotor rotationally coupled to the stator, and a propeller removably coupled to the rotor, the propeller including a hub and a plurality of propeller blades. A rotor, a propeller including a hub and a propeller blade, a radial alignment mechanism, a rotational retention mechanism, and an axial retention mechanism.

Abstract: An aerial system, including a processing system, an optical system, an actuation system and a lift mechanism, includes an autonomous photography and/or videography system 70, implemented, at least in part, by the processing system 22, the optical system 26, the actuation system 28 and the lift mechanism 32. The autonomous photograph and/or videography system performs the steps of establishing a desired flight trajectory, detecting a target, controlling the flight of the aerial system as a function of the desired flight trajectory relative to the target using the lift mechanism and controlling the camera to capture pictures and/or video.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle including a housing, an outrunner motor including a stator mechanically coupled to the housing and a rotor rotationally coupled to the stator, and a propeller removably coupled to the rotor, the propeller including a hub and a plurality of propeller blades. A rotor, a propeller including a hub and a propeller blade, a radial alignment mechanism, a rotational retention mechanism, and an axial retention mechanism.

Abstract: System and method for controlling an aerial system, without physical interaction with a separate remote device, based on sensed user expressions. User expressions may include thought, voice, facial expressions, and/gestures. User expressions may be sensed by sensors associated with the aerial device or a remote device.

Abstract: An aerial system, including a processing system, an optical system, an actuation system and a lift mechanism, includes an autonomous photography and/or videography system 70, implemented, at least in part, by the processing system 22, the optical system 26, the actuation system 28 and the lift mechanism 32. The autonomous photograph and/or videography system performs the steps of establishing a desired flight trajectory, detecting a target, controlling the flight of the aerial system as a function of the desired flight trajectory relative to the target using the lift mechanism and controlling the camera to capture pictures and/or video.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle, preferably including: a rotary wing and a protection housing enclosing the rotary wing. An aerial vehicle, preferably including: a first rotary wing module including a first rotary wing and a second rotary wing module including a second rotary wing, wherein the first rotary wing module and the second rotary wing module are preferably operable between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration. A method of aerial vehicle operation.

Abstract: An aerial system having an obstacle detection and avoidance system is described herein. The obstacle detection and avoidance system includes a pair of ultra-wide angle lens cameras orientated coaxially along an optical axis. Each ultra-wide angle lens camera includes a field-of-view lens having a vertical angle of view greater than 180 degrees. The pair of ultra-wide angle lens cameras is orientated such that a portion of each corresponding camera field-of-view overlaps to define a viewable region of interest including overlapping vertical field angle.

Abstract: A method and device for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle with a gesture are provided. A camera is arranged in the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the method includes: detecting a gesture in an image by using a gesture detection framework; judging whether the gesture is a predetermined gesture for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle; acquiring a motion trajectory of the gesture in a case that it is determined that the gesture is the predetermined gesture for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle; and controlling, based on the motion trajectory of the gesture, the unmanned aerial vehicle to perform a control operation corresponding to the motion trajectory of the gesture, where a correspondence between a motion trajectory of a gesture and a control operation is predetermined.

Abstract: An aerial system and method of operating an aerial system is provided. The aerial system includes a body, a lift mechanism, a processing system, a camera, and a sensor module. The lift mechanism is coupled to the body and configured to controllably provide lift and/or thrust. The processing system is configured to control the lift mechanism to provide flight to the aerial system. The camera is coupled to the body and is configured to obtain images of an environment proximate the aerial system. The sensor module is coupled to the body and includes an emitter and a receiver. The receiver is configured to sense data related to an ambient environment associated with the aerial system. The processing system controls a controllable parameter of the lift mechanism or the emitter as a function of the sensed data.

Abstract: System and method for controlling an aerial system to perform a selected operation using an easy-to-use release and auto-positioning process.

Abstract: A method for controlling an aerial system with a rotor enclosed by a housing, including: operating the rotor in a flight mode, detecting a grab event indicative of the aerial system being grabbed, and automatically operating the rotor in a standby mode. A method for controlling an aerial system including a central axis extending normal to a lateral plane of the aerial system, including: generating a first aerodynamic force with a set of rotors enclosed by a housing, detecting that an acute angle between the central axis and a gravity vector is greater than a threshold angle, and operating each rotor of the set of rotors to cooperatively generate a second aerodynamic force less than the first aerodynamic force with the set of rotors.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle including a set of rotors, a processor configured to configured to control the set of rotors for aerial vehicle flight, and a housing defining a plurality of cooling channels, wherein, for each rotor of the set, a projection of the processor and the cooling channels onto the respective rotor plane does not intersect the swept area of the rotor, and a distance from the rotor axis of a first rotor of the set to a cooling channel is less than 75% of a rotor diameter of the first rotor. A method for aerial vehicle operation, including providing an aerial vehicle including a rotor, a processor, and a housing, flying the aerial vehicle, and, while flying the aerial vehicle, actively cooling the processor, including, at the rotor, forcing airflow toward the processor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for a multiple degree-of-freedom (DOF) motor system with reduced number of electromagnet control phases. The motor system includes a first body that is able to move relative to a second body along multiple DOFs. The first body has at least one magnetic positioner attached. The second body has a plurality of controlled electromagnets. Control signals, the total number of phases of which is less than half the total number of electromagnets, energize at least one of the controlled electromagnets to create magnetic interaction with at least one magnetic positioner on the first body, and to control the movement of the first body relative to the second body along designated dimension(s).

Abstract: An aerial system includes a body, a lift mechanism coupled to the body, a processing system, and at least one camera. The aerial system also includes a first motor configured to rotate the at least one camera about a first axis and a second motor configured to rotate the at least one camera about a second axis. The processing system is configured to determine a direction of travel of the aerial system and to cause the first motor and the second motor to automatically orient the at least one camera about the first axis and the second axis such that the at least one camera automatically faces the direction of travel of the aerial system.

Abstract: System and method for controlling an aerial system to perform a selected operation using an easy-to-use release and auto-positioning process.

Abstract: System and method for controlling an aerial system to perform a selected operation using an easy-to-use release and auto-positioning process.

Abstract: An aerial system, including a processing system, an optical system, an actuation system and a lift mechanism, includes an autonomous photography and/or videography system 70, implemented, at least in part, by the processing system 22, the optical system 26, the actuation system 28 and the lift mechanism 32. The autonomous photograph and/or videography system performs the steps of establishing a desired flight trajectory, detecting a target, controlling the flight of the aerial system as a function of the desired flight trajectory relative to the target using the lift mechanism and controlling the camera to capture pictures and/or video.

Abstract: A foldable drone is provided to improve the portability of the drone, which includes a drone body and a rotary wing part connected to the drone body. The rotary wing part includes a first rotary wing module and a second rotary wing module with each having at least one rotary wing, and the first rotary wing module and the second rotary wing module are respectively articulated to two sides of the drone body, to allow the first rotary wing module and the second rotary wing module to rotate about their respective articulating shafts, so as to be folded or unfolded.

Abstract: An aerial system having an obstacle detection and avoidance system is described herein. The obstacle detection and avoidance system includes a pair of ultra-wide angle lens cameras orientated coaxially along an optical axis. Each ultra-wide angle lens camera includes a field-of-view lens having a vertical angle of view greater than 180 degrees. The pair of ultra-wide angle lens cameras is orientated such that a portion of each corresponding camera field-of-view overlaps to define a viewable region of interest including overlapping vertical field angle.

Abstract: A method and device for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle with a gesture are provided. A camera is arranged in the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the method includes: detecting a gesture in an image by using a gesture detection framework; judging whether the gesture is a predetermined gesture for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle; acquiring a motion trajectory of the gesture in a case that it is determined that the gesture is the predetermined gesture for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle; and controlling, based on the motion trajectory of the gesture, the unmanned aerial vehicle to perform a control operation corresponding to the motion trajectory of the gesture, where a correspondence between a motion trajectory of a gesture and a control operation is predetermined.