Embodiments described herein include a delivery system having unmanned aerial delivery vehicles and a logistics network for control and monitoring In certain embodiments, a ground station provides a location for interfacing between the delivery vehicles, packages carried by the vehicles and users In certain embodiments, the delivery vehicles autonomously navigate from one ground station to another In certain embodiments, the ground stations provide navigational aids that help the delivery vehicles locate the position of the ground station with increased accuracy

Transportation using network of unmanned aerial vehicles

Systems and methods are provided for swapping the battery on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV may be able to identify and land on an energy provision station autonomously. The UAV may take off and/or land on the energy provision station. The UAV may communicate with the energy provision station. The energy provision station may store and charge batteries for use on a UAV.

Systems and methods for uav battery exchange

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a stand for launching, landing, testing, refueling and recharging a UAV, and methods for testing, landing and launching the UAV are disclosed. Further, embodiments may include transferring a payload onto or off of the UAV, and loading flight planning and diagnostic maintenance information to the UAV.

Methods and apparatus for unmanned aerial vehicle landing and launch

A base station for automated battery pack or payload exchange and methods for using the same The base station provides a landing surface for receiving a mobile platform and includes a manipulator controlled by a manipulator compartment for accessing resource storage The base station is operable to ascertain a location of the mobile platform on the landing surface and move the manipulator to the mobile platform Thereby, the base station system advantageously accommodates low-accuracy landing of the mobile platform and further enables extended and autonomous operation of the mobile platform without the need for user intervention for exchanging battery packs and payloads

System and method for managing unmanned aerial vehicles

A multi-zone battery station is provided, comprising a plurality of landing areas configured to support a UAV. The battery station may permit battery life to be reloaded onto a UAV, which may include recharging a battery of the UAV or exchanging the UAV battery for a new battery. The different zones may accommodate different UAV types, different battery types, or operate in accordance with different energy provision rules. A marker may be provided on a landing area to aid in guiding the UAV to an appropriate landing area.

Multi-zone battery exchange system

The present invention relates to a system and method for automatic launch and landing UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). The system comprises a ground station adapted for automatic UAV launching and landing. The ground station comprises: means for communication with UAVs present within a range from the ground station; an arrangement adapted for launching UAVs and for capturing in-flight UAVs, said arrangement having at least one controllable arm; a computing unit arranged to compute a meeting point between the at least one controllable arm and one in-flight UAV based on data communicated between the UAV and the ground station by means of said means for communication; and a control unit arranged to control the at least one arm to capture an in-flight UAV at the meeting point or to launch one UAV. The system is characterized in that the control unit is arranged to control the at least one arm to move a UAV between the meeting point and at least one storage position.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LAUNCHING AND LANDING UAVs

An avionics application host system and method for simulating and/or testing a plurality of partitioned applications arranged to be periodically executed on a target system. The target system is a distributed avionics control system of an aerial vehicle. The host system includes a plurality of functional modules. The plurality of functional modules includes: an application module arranged to import the plurality of partitioned applications in un-modified form, a configuration module arranged to configure the operations of the host system, at least one communication module arranged to provide communication between the partitioned applications, a control module arranged to provide coordinated execution time to the functional modules, a service module associated to each imported partitioned application arranged to provide services to the imported partitioned applications so as to enable execution of the imported partitioned applications and to preserve the temporal order of events related to communication and execution.

Simulating and testing avionics

The invention relates to a self-propelled inspection apparatus (1) for travelling along a power line (2), comprising: 
- a body unit (10); 
- a first propulsion unit (40), which is pivotally connected to the body unit via a first joint (12) and releasably engageable with and driveable along a power line; 
- a second propulsion unit (60), which is pivotally connected to the body unit via a second joint (13) and releasably engageable with and driveable along a power line; 
- actuators for pivoting the body unit in relation to the propulsion units about the respective joint; and 
- centre of gravity displacement means (20) allowing the centre of gravity of the inspection apparatus to be moved back and forth between a first point (P1) located at or in the vicinity of said first joint and a second point (P2) located at or in the vicinity of said second joint.

A self-propelled inspection apparatus

An avionics switched Ethernet network (1), for communication of data, the network comprising: a plurality of synchronized interconnected system nodes (N1-N3) each comprising: an avionics module (Al -A3) arranged to periodically provide a set of data messages, each comprising a set of data variables related to avionics functions, a network module (E1-E3) coupling the avionics module (Al -A3) to the network (1), said network module (E1-E3) comprising a network interface unit (15A- 15C) arranged to provide means for transmissions of data packets comprising a number of said set of data messages from said avionics module (Al -A3). According to the invention the network module (E1-E3) of each system node (N1-N3) comprise a transmission control unit arranged to control the network interface unit (15A- 15C) to perform scheduled transmissions of said data packets, wherein said transmission control unit is provided with access to memory means comprising scheduling information relating to a timing table comprising a plurality of time-slots (S1-S8) of predetermined duration within at least one periodically repeating communication time frame (125-128), wherein each of said plurality of time-slots (S1-S8) is statically allocated a predetermined number of data packets, each comprising a predetermined subset of data messages from said set of data messages.

Ethernet for avionics

The present invention relates to a method for configuring synchronous table- driven operations of a distributed avionics control system comprising a plurality of processing nodes (S1-S4) interconnected in a network (2). The method comprises the steps of providing a global timing meta-data component (X4), a plurality of application meta-data components (X51-X52), and a node assignment meta-data component (X 2). The method also comprises the steps of detecting data communication paths, detecting communication requirements, generating a system schedule meta-data component, generating a system configuration data and providing the system configuration to the distributed avionics control system.

Torkel Danielsson

Papers

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LAUNCHING AND LANDING UAVs

Simulating and testing avionics

A self-propelled inspection apparatus

Ethernet for avionics

Method for configuring a distributed avionics control system