The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Charles Briggs Spinelli

Brian Jay Tillotson

Tamaira Emily Ross

Alan Eugene Bruce

Bradley James Mitchell

Kevin Yong Ung

Steven Craig Venema

Daniel A Hendricks

David B Blackwell

James T Farricker

Peter E Herley

Brenda K Carlson

Richard R Rocks

John Lyle Vian

Aaron Y Mosher

Morgan E Cook

John L McIver

Bobby D Taylor

Glenn Hanbey

Robert Pierce Lutter

George Michael Roe

Robert W Turner

Travis Stephen Reid

Daniel J Gadler

William Peck Pflug

Joshua Przybylko

Alvin L Sipe

Brad W Offer

Bradley William Offer

Paul Clark Parks

Robert Allen Lusardi

Steven Furman Cuspard

Kristina A Chinn

Daniel Dale Fuller

Jeffery D Musiak

Michael Vincent Sahag

Tamaira Ross

Steven C Venema

Tamaira E Ross

Bradley W Offer

Steven F Cuspard

Robert Lusardi

Alan E Bruce

John L Mciver

An example method includes determining, by a flight planning system, a perceived noise at a surface location based on acoustic noise emitted by an aerial vehicle at an aerial location. The aerial location corresponds to a waypoint along a proposed trajectory. Further, determining the perceived noise includes estimating propagation of the acoustic noise from the aerial location to the surface location based on environmental features of the environment or weather data. The flight planning method also includes determining, by the flight planning system using a noise-abatement function, a noise-abatement value of the proposed trajectory for the aerial vehicle based on the perceived noise at the surface location. In addition, the flight planning method includes determining, by the flight planning system, a flight plan for the aerial vehicle based on the noise-abatement value of the proposed trajectory, and outputting the flight plan for use in navigating the aerial vehicle.

Community noise abatement in dynamic environment

In general, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a detection and avoidance system for a vehicle. According to various embodiments, the detection and avoidance system comprises an imaging unit configured to obtain a first image of a field of view at a first camera channel. The first camera channel filters radiation at a wavelength, where one or more objects in the field of view do not emit radiation at the wavelength. The detection and avoidance system further comprises a processing unit configured to receive the first image from the imaging unit and to detect one or more objects therein, as well as a notifying unit configured to communicate collision hazard information determined based upon the detected one or more objects to a pilot control system of the vehicle. Accordingly, the pilot control maneuvers the vehicle to avoid the detected objects.

Automated detection and avoidance system

Systems and methods for determining, prior to deployment of a landing assist device onboard an aircraft, the positions of potential landing sites for the aircraft. The positions of the potential landing sites are determined by a computer based at least in part on respective landing assist device deployment times and current wind data. The computed positions of potential landing sites are received by another computer or processor onboard that aircraft that is configured to control operation of a cockpit display unit within the field of view of the pilot. The display unit displays a map showing the respective positions of the aircraft at the respective landing assist device deployment times and the corresponding respective positions of the potential landing sites.

System for determining potential landing sites for aircraft prior to landing assist device deployment

In an example, a drop tank for an aerial vehicle includes a body having an internal fuel reservoir configured to store fuel. The drop tank also includes an outlet coupled to the internal fuel reservoir for supplying the fuel from the internal fuel reservoir to a propulsion system of the aerial vehicle. Additionally, the drop tank includes a plurality of flight control surfaces extending outwardly from the body. The flight control surfaces are actuatable to adjust a flight attitude of the drop tank. The drop tank further includes a flight control system including a processor and configured to actuate the plurality of flight control surfaces to fly the drop tank to a target location when the drop tank is jettisoned from the aerial vehicle.

Fuel systems and methods for an aerial vehicle

In an example, a power source for an electric propulsion system of an aerial vehicle includes a body having an electrical energy storage device configured to store electrical energy. The power source also includes a plurality of terminals coupled to the electrical energy storage device for supplying the electrical energy from the electrical energy storage device to the electric propulsion system of the aerial vehicle. The power source further includes a plurality of flight control surfaces extending outwardly from the body. The flight control surfaces are actuatable to adjust a flight attitude of the power source. Additionally, the power source includes a flight control system including a processor and configured to actuate the plurality of flight control surfaces to fly the power source to a target location when the power source is jettisoned from the aerial vehicle.

Systems and method for powering an electric aerial vehicle

An example air vehicle includes a transponder to transmit a code indicative of a communications systems failure on the air vehicle. The example air vehicle includes a satellite receiver to receive, after the transponder code has been transmitted, a message from a satellite in communication with the air vehicle. The satellite receiver is to identify the message as including a command for the air vehicle and decode the message to determine the command. The example air vehicle includes a processor to execute the command.

Alternative communications for an air vehicle

Data is remotely collected from a plurality of fasteners in response to a query signal wirelessly transmitted by a reader. Each of the fasteners includes a sensor for measuring a parameter related to the stress on the fastener. A device adapted to be attached to each of the fasteners receives the query signal, activates the sensor to measure the parameter and wirelessly transmits the data including the parameter to the reader.

Wireless collection of fastener data

A forest fire real-time escape route planning system may include a processor that receives real-time Geographical Information System data. The system may include a firefighter endurance and route-planning model for determining, based on data received by the processor, one or more firefighter evacuation routes to one or more safe areas. The model may determine a rating for each evacuation route based on a degree of risk. The model may predict a rate of fire progression based on fire fuel proximate the fire. They system may include a transmitting device for communicating the one or more firefighter evacuation routes along with the rating for each evacuation route to a mobile device. The mobile device may be configured to display the one or more firefighter evacuation routes overlaid on a map depicting a current location of a firefighter relative to the fire.

System and methods for real-time escape route planning for fire fighting and natural disasters

A method and system for assessing a situation using an unmanned vehicle is disclosed. An unmanned vehicle receives a transmission indicating a situation at a designated location, and then navigates to the designated location. The unmanned vehicle may reach the designated location via air or ground travel, or a combination thereof. The unmanned vehicle receives signals from a first subset of sensors indicating information concerning an environment at the designated location and from a second subset of sensors indicating information concerning one or more objects associated with the situation. The unmanned vehicle then sends one or more transmissions based on the received signals, facilitating rapid determination of the situation.

Methods and systems for assessing an emergency situation

A dynamic image masking system for providing a filtered autonomous remote sensing image through a dynamic image masking process is provided. The dynamic image masking system has a remote sensing platform and an imaging system associated with the remote sensing platform. The imaging system has an optical system and an image sensing system. The dynamic image masking system further has a multi-level security system associated with the imaging system and one or more image alteration locations located in the imaging system and the multi-level security system, wherein alteration of one or more images takes place via the dynamic image masking process. The dynamic image masking system further has a computer system associated with the imaging system. The computer system has a gatekeeper algorithm configured to send gatekeeper commands to one or more controllers that control the one or more image alteration locations through the dynamic image masking process.

Dynamic image masking system and method

An apparatus comprises a base vehicle, a takeoff and landing system, a rack system, a refueling system associated with the base vehicle, and a controller. The rack system comprises a group of racks with slots in which the slots receive unmanned aerial vehicles, provide refueling connections that facilitate refueling of the unmanned aerial vehicles located in the slots, and provide data connections that facilitate data transmission with the unmanned aerial vehicles located in the slots. The refueling system refuels an unmanned aerial vehicle located in a slot using a refueling connection in the refueling connections. The controller communicates with the unmanned aerial vehicle using a data connection and control the refueling of the unmanned aerial vehicles by the refueling system while the unmanned aerial vehicle is in the slot, enabling exchanging data with the unmanned aerial vehicle and the refueling of the unmanned aerial vehicle simultaneously.

Aerial agricultural management system

An air vehicle comprises a satellite receiver having messaging capability. The receiver is configured to process a command and control (C) message when alternative communications are required. The air vehicle further comprises avionics for taking a course of action according to instructions in a Cmessage received by the satellite receiver.

Growing community of inventors

Bainbridge Island, WA, United States of America

Charles Briggs Spinelli