Abstract: A remotely controlled vehicle includes a vehicle propulsion system having a receiver for receiving speed and direction commands, speed control circuitry coupled to the receiver for converting the speed and direction commands to motor drive signals, a plurality of drive wheel assemblies driven by the motor drive signals, and a first power source coupled to the receiver and speed control circuitry, a sensor and data collection system having one or more environmental sensors, a memory for storing data from the one or more environmental sensors, a microcontroller for controlling the one or more environmental sensors and the memory, a second power source coupled to the one or more environmental sensors, the memory and the microcontroller, and at least one platform on which the vehicle propulsion system and the sensor and data collection system are mounted.

Abstract: Embodiments may provide a “aeromechanical line climber” device that uses aerodynamic forces and moments to alternatively ascend and descend a line, or tether, fixed to an airborne platform, such as a kite, a balloon, a blimp, an aircraft, etc. In various embodiments, an aeromechanical line climber may alternatively ascend and descend a line, or tether, fixed to an airborne platform, such as a kite, a balloon, a blimp, an aircraft, etc., without use of energy provided from an energy storage and/or generation system, such as without electrical and/or kinetic energy storage and/or generation system, and the aeromechanical line climber may alternatively ascend and descend the line, or tether, fixed to the airborne platform without use of an active control system to effect a change in lift of the aeromechanical line climber.

Abstract: Embodiments may provide a kite system that incorporates a highly efficient lifting surface combined with aerodynamic control surfaces while using only a single tether. Such a kite having a lifting surface combined with aerodynamic control surfaces while using only a single tether may be referred to as a “controllable kite”. Embodiments may include a controllable kite configured to operate aloft connected to only a single tether, the kite including a lifting surface that is heavier-than-air, an aerodynamic surface control system configured to adjust an attitude of the lifting surface while the kite is aloft, and an attachment point connecting the single tether to the kite.