Abstract: A flying device includes a base, thrusters, an orientation detection unit, an abnormality detection unit, and an orientation control unit. The plurality of thrusters are provided on the base each including a propeller, a motor which drives the propeller, and a pitch change mechanism unit which changes a pitch of the propeller. The orientation detection unit detects an orientation of the base. The abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the thrusters. The orientation control unit, when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in at least one of the thrusters, changes the pitches of the propellers in the remaining thrusters to maintain an orientation of the base detected by the orientation detection unit.

Abstract: An automatic drive device includes a fusion unit recognizing travel environment of a vehicle based on an output signal of a surrounding monitoring sensor and a control planning unit generating a control plan based on a recognition result of the fusion unit. A diagnostic device includes an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality of a field recognition system from the surrounding monitoring sensor to the fusion unit by monitoring the output signal of the surrounding monitoring sensor and the recognition result of the fusion unit over time. The diagnostic device requests the control planning unit to perform MRM based on a detection of the abnormality of the recognition system by the abnormality detection unit.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a main body, a structure member, and a retroreflective member. The structure member is provided below the main body in a gravity direction. The retroreflective member is provided in the structure member and reflects a light, which is emitted from a ground facility, toward the ground facility.

Abstract: A thruster controller is used in a flying device that has at least two thrusters and a main controller that outputs an instruction value to the thruster for controlling a thrust of the thruster. The thruster controller includes an instruction value obtainer and an instruction value generator. The instruction value obtainer obtains an instruction value that is output from the main controller to the thruster based on an assumption that a propeller pitch is fixed. The instruction value generator outputs, to a pitch changing mechanism of the thruster, a propeller pitch instruction value generated from the obtained instruction value for setting the propeller pitch, and outputs, to a motor, a corrected rotation number instruction value for setting a rotation number of the motor by correcting the instruction value based on the propeller pitch instruction value.

Abstract: A flying device includes a base, thrusters, an orientation detection unit, an abnormality detection unit, and an orientation control unit. The plurality of thrusters are provided on the base each including a propeller, a motor which drives the propeller, and a pitch change mechanism unit which changes a pitch of the propeller. The orientation detection unit detects an orientation of the base. The abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the thrusters. The orientation control unit, when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in at least one of the thrusters, changes the pitches of the propellers in the remaining thrusters to maintain an orientation of the base detected by the orientation detection unit.

Abstract: In an aerial vehicle, a malfunction determiner determines whether there is a malfunction in one of thrusters of the aerial vehicle. A flight controller activates the thrusters, and controls the output of each of the thrusters. The flight controller deactivates, when it is determined that there is a malfunction in one of the thrusters as a malfunctioned thruster, the malfunctioned thruster. The flight controller deactivates a selected thruster in the thrusters; the selected thruster being paired to the malfunctioned thruster, and controls the active thrusters except for the deactivated thrusters in all the thrusters to make the flight attitude of the aerial vehicle stable. The flight controller controls the active thrusters to cause the aerial vehicle to land while maintaining the flight attitude of the aerial vehicle being stable.

Abstract: A observation device includes an aircraft and an observation unit attached to the aircraft that observes a target within a predetermined view angle. The aircraft includes a base, at least two thrusters that generate a propulsion force including lift, actuators that change a direction of the propulsion force generated by the thrusters with respect to the base, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that detects an orientation of the base with respect to a ground surface, and a controller that controls the thrusters and the actuators based on the orientation of the base detected by the IMU. The observation unit is fixedly attached to the base and the aircraft is configured to fly in any arbitrary orientation with respect to the ground surface through a combination of a magnitude of the propulsion force and the direction of the propulsion force of each of the thrusters.

Abstract: Driving wheels and non-driving wheels are installed to a lower portion of a case body. The driving wheels are driven by drive devices, respectively. A control device controls a drive operation of the drive devices. An angle sensing device senses a tilt angle of the case body about a rotational axis of the driving wheels. In a case where the tilt angle of the case body, which is sensed with the angle sensing device, is equal to or larger than a predetermined tilt angle in a state where the driving wheels contact a ground while the non-driving wheels are lifted away from the ground, the control device controls the drive devices in such a manner that the case body is held in a self-standing state with the driving wheels while keeping the non-driving wheel away from the ground.

Abstract: Driving wheels and non-driving wheels are installed to a lower portion of a case body. The driving wheels are driven by drive devices, respectively. A control device controls a drive operation of the drive devices. An angle sensing device senses a tilt angle of the case body about a rotational axis of the driving wheels. In a case where the tilt angle of the case body, which is sensed with the angle sensing device, is equal to or larger than a predetermined tilt angle in a state where the driving wheels contact a ground while the non-driving wheels are lifted away from the ground, the control device controls the drive devices in such a manner that the case body is held in a self-standing state with the driving wheels while keeping the non-driving wheel away from the ground.

Abstract: A flight guidance system is provided which includes an aerial vehicle unit and a navigation display unit. In use, the navigation display unit is placed on the ground, a wall, a ceiling, or a floor of a structural object and indicates navigation information for the aerial vehicle unit. The aerial vehicle unit optically reads the navigation information out of the navigation display unit to determine an installation position where the navigation display unit is disposed and also determine a flight position thereof based on the installation position. This enables the aerial vehicle unit to continue to fly along a given flight route without need for complicating the structure and operation thereof in an area where it is difficult for the aerial vehicle unit to receive navigation signals such as GPS signals.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle is provided which includes first thrusters with first propellers and second thrusters with second propellers. Each of the first propellers has a first rotating region in which blades thereof rotate. Similarly, each of the second propellers has a second rotating region in which blades thereof rotate. Each of the first rotating regions is located to overlap one of the second rotating regions, as viewed in a direction of a yaw axis of the aerial vehicle. The first rotating regions are located away from the second rotating regions in the direction of the yaw axis. Such layout of the first and second propellers eliminates physical interference therebetween. The overlap between the first and second propellers results in a decreased cross-sectional area of projection of the aerial vehicle from the front view in a flight direction thereof.

Abstract: In an aerial vehicle, a malfunction determiner determines whether there is a malfunction in one of thrusters of the aerial vehicle. A flight controller activates the thrusters, and controls the output of each of the thrusters. The flight controller deactivates, when it is determined that there is a malfunction in one of the thrusters as a malfunctioned thruster, the malfunctioned thruster. The flight controller deactivates a selected thruster in the thrusters; the selected thruster being paired to the malfunctioned thruster, and controls the active thrusters except for the deactivated thrusters in all the thrusters to make the flight attitude of the aerial vehicle stable. The flight controller controls the active thrusters to cause the aerial vehicle to land while maintaining the flight attitude of the aerial vehicle being stable.

Abstract: A power transmission apparatus for a vehicle is provided which is equipped with a power split device and a speed variator. The power transmission device is designed to set a speed ratio of speed of rotation of an output of a power source to speed of rotation of a driven wheel in a power circulation mode of a power split device to lie within one of a positive range in which a sign of the speed ratio is positive and a negative range in which a sign of the speed ratio is negative. This results in a decrease in degree of torque acting on the speed variator such as a continuously variable transmission, thus permitting a required degree of durability of the speed variator to be reduced.

Abstract: A observation device includes an aircraft and an observation unit attached to the aircraft that observes a target within a predetermined view angle. The aircraft includes a base, at least two thrusters that generate a propulsion force including lift, actuators that change a direction of the propulsion force generated by the thrusters with respect to the base, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that detects an orientation of the base with respect to a ground surface, and a controller that controls the thrusters and the actuators based on the orientation of the base detected by the IMU. The observation unit is fixedly attached to the base and the aircraft is configured to fly in any arbitrary orientation with respect to the ground surface through a combination of a magnitude of the propulsion force and the direction of the propulsion force of each of the thrusters.

Abstract: After an engine starts, a rotation speed of the engine is fed back to a target rotation speed that is defined in response to requested power for the engine. In addition, by operating a gear ratio of a CVT, a rotation speed of an output side of a one-way bearing is fed back to the target rotation speed.

Abstract: A power transmission apparatus for a vehicle which includes a first, a second, and a third rotor which split power among a motor-generator, an internal combustion engine, and a driven wheel of the vehicle. The apparatus also includes a torque transmission control mechanism which selectively transmits torque between the first rotor and the engine. When the torque transmission control mechanism establishes the transmission of torque between the first rotor and the engine, powers, as produced by the second and third rotors, are opposite in sign to each other. This enables the speed of the first rotor to be set to zero (0) or a very low speed. Therefore, when an initial torque is applied to the engine through the first rotor to start the engine, the mechanical vibration which usually arises from the application of initial torque and is to be exerted on the power transmission apparatus is minimized.

Abstract: A traveling body has a plurality of legs, each of which displaces angularly around a joint shaft, a base part to which the plurality of legs are fixed, wheels that are respectively disposed at one end of the legs, and an actuator that changes an angle between the leg and the base part by rotating the joint shaft. The wheel has a plurality of omni wheels disposed rotatably on an outer periphery of the wheel, the small rotary members constituting parts of the wheel that contact the floor. Each omni wheel is disposed so that a rotation vector of the omni wheel intersects with both a rotation vector of the wheel and a rotation vector around the joint shaft.

Abstract: After an engine starts, a rotation speed of the engine is fed back to a target rotation speed that is defined in response to requested power for the engine. In addition, by operating a gear ratio of a CVT, a rotation speed of an output side of a one-way bearing is fed back to the target rotation speed.

Abstract: A power transmission apparatus for a vehicle which includes a first, a second, and a third rotor which split power among a motor-generator, an internal combustion engine, and a driven wheel of the vehicle. The apparatus also includes a torque transmission control mechanism which selectively transmits torque between the first rotor and the engine. When the torque transmission control mechanism establishes the transmission of torque between the first rotor and the engine, powers, as produced by the second and third rotors, are opposite in sign to each other. This enables the speed of the first rotor to be set to zero (0) or a very low speed. Therefore, when an initial torque is applied to the engine through the first rotor to start the engine, the mechanical vibration which usually arises from the application of initial torque and is to be exerted on the power transmission apparatus is minimized.

Abstract: After an engine starts, a rotation speed of the engine is fed back to a target rotation speed that is defined in response to requested power for the engine. In addition, by operating a gear ratio of a CVT, a rotation speed of an output side of a one-way bearing is fed back to the target rotation speed.