Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation

Seegrid Corporation

The Boeing Company

Aurora Flight Services Corp., a Subsidiary of the Boeing Company

Auror Flight Scienes Corporation

William Robert Bosworth

Devin Richard Jensen

Margaret Reagan

Mitchell Weiss

James Donald Paduano

Jeffery Saunders

Jae-Woo Choi

Andrew Mark Heafitz

Riley C Griffin

Jessica Edmonds Duda

Amanda Kaufman

Andrew Kehlenbeck

Konstantine Fetfatsidis

Eugene H Nahm

Thomas Needham

Zarrin Khiang-Huey Chua

Matthew G Hutchison

Carter Durno

James Mcdaniel Snider, Ii

Sachin Jain

Daniel Hurwit

Timothy Holifield

James Mcdaniel Snider Ii

Thomas Richard Needham

Konstantine A Fetfatsidis

A method is provided for detecting and avoiding conflict along a current route of a robot. The method includes accessing a trajectory of the robot on the current route of the robot, and a predicted trajectory of a nearby moving object, and from the trajectory and predicted trajectory, detecting a conflict between the robot and the nearby moving object. Alternate routes for the robot are determined, each of which includes an alternative route segment offset from the current route, and a transition segment from the current route to the alternative route segment. Routes including the current and alternative routes are evaluated according to a cost metric, and a route from the routes is selected for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot to avoid the conflict.

Conflict detection and avoidance along a current route of a robot

A method is provided for supporting a robot in response to a contingency event. The method includes detecting the contingency event during travel of the robot on a route to a destination. In response, the method includes determining a position of the robot, and accessing information about alternate destinations associated with the route. The method includes selecting an alternate destination from the alternate destinations based on a time to travel from the position of the robot to the alternate destination, and the information. And the method includes outputting an indication of the alternate destination for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot to the alternate destination.

Selection of an alternate destination in response to a contingency event

A method for controlling an aerial vehicle including a compliant arm mechanism is disclosed. A propulsion system of the aerial vehicle is controlled to fly the aerial vehicle to an area proximate to a surface. One or more of the propulsion system and the compliant arm mechanism are controlled such that the compliant arm mechanism contacts the surface. The compliant arm mechanism is configured to extend laterally beyond a perimeter of the propulsion system. One or more sensor signals indicating contact of the compliant arm mechanism against the surface are received via a sensor. A force at which the aerial vehicle presses against the surface is determined based on the one or more sensor signals.

Aerial vehicle comprising compliant arm

An example system for flying to a target location is provided, comprising a parent aerial vehicle and at least one child vehicle releasably coupled to the parent vehicle. The parent vehicle is configured to transport the at least one child aerial vehicle to a region containing a target location, uncouple from the at least one child aerial vehicle, and transmit information to the at least one child aerial vehicle relevant to operation of the child aerial vehicle. The child aerial vehicle comprises at least one sensor for surveillance at the target location.

Systems and methods for surveillance

An aircrew automation system may comprise an actuation system and a computer system having a processor and one or more interfaces. The computer system can be communicatively coupled with a flight control system of an aircraft and configured to generate control commands based at least in part on flight situation data. The actuation system is operatively coupled with the computer system and comprises a robotic arm, a force sensor, and a controller. The robotic arm can be configured to engage a cockpit instrument among a plurality of cockpit instruments. The force sensor is operably coupled to the robotic arm and configured to measure a force when the robotic arm makes contact with the cockpit instrument. The controller is operably coupled with the robotic arm and the force sensor.

Aircrew automation system and method with integrated imaging and force sensing modalities

A flexible landing gear system for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is disclosed. The flexible landing gear system may comprise a mounting bracket, a plurality of flexible supports, and plurality of surface contactors. The mounting bracket may be configured to couple to the VTOL aircraft. Each of the plurality of flexible supports comprising a proximal end and a distal end. The plurality of flexible supports may be coupled to the mounting bracket at a proximal end. A surface contactor may be positioned at the distal end of each of the plurality of flexible supports. The low-friction contactor may be a lightweight spherical ball, while the flexible support may be a flexible semi-rigid wire comprising a tempered high-carbon steel.

Multi-point contact, flexed landing gear

A method of operating a facility includes identifying, by a controller, a ground vehicle approaching a restricted access area, and determining, by the controller, if the identified ground vehicle is authorized to enter the restricted access area. The controller permits the identified ground vehicle to enter the restricted access area when the controller determines that the identified ground vehicle is authorized to enter the restricted access area. The controller determines if an object other than the identified ground vehicle is approaching the restricted access area with the identified ground vehicle, and activates protective action when the controller determines that the identified ground vehicle is not authorized to enter the restricted access area or that an object other than the permitted ground vehicle is approaching to enter the restricted access area with the permitted ground vehicle.

Access control system and method

An aircraft based object acquisition system includes an airframe capable of flight. The system includes one or more sensors configured to identify a physical characteristic of an object or an environment. An object acquisition mechanism is coupled to the airframe and configured to manipulate and secure the object to the airframe. A ground based movement system may be configured to position the airframe such that the object is accessible to the object acquisition mechanism. A processor is communicatively configured to control operation of the ground based movement system to approach the object based at least in part on information from the one or more sensors, and to control the object acquisition mechanism to pick up the object based at least in part on information from the one or more sensors.

Ground operations for autonomous object pickup

A vehicle includes a fuselage having a longitudinal axis and a propulsion system that is coupled to the fuselage. The vehicle also includes a pair of articulated appendages that is coupled to the fuselage. Each one of the articulated appendages includes a plurality of airfoil segments and is moveable between a ground configuration, in which each one of the pair of articulated appendages supports the vehicle during takeoff or landing of the vehicle, and a flight configuration, in which each one of the pair of articulated appendages produces lift during flight of the vehicle.

Combination flight and ground apparatus for a vehicle

A manufacturing monitoring system is disclosed. The manufacturing monitoring system comprises a manufacturing workspace. Technicians wearing force sensor and/or motion capture marker equipped gloves may work within the manufacturing workspace. Motion capture cameras may ring the manufacturing workspace. Motion data from the cameras and/or force data from the gloves may be sent to a remote workstation where they may be processed and analyzed. The workstation may produce quality assessment and/or training outputs based on the motion and/or force data.

Manufacturing monitoring system

A workpiece manipulation system to provide high-precision manipulation of a workpiece by an aircraft. The workpiece manipulation system comprises a lifting mechanism to couple with the aircraft, an end-effector, and a processor. The lifting mechanism includes one or more joint actuators to extend or retract the lifting mechanism relative to the aircraft. The end-effector includes an end-effector actuator to control an operation of the end-effector to manipulate the workpiece. The processor is communicatively coupled with the aircraft processor and configured to control operation of the end-effector actuator and the one or more joint actuators. In operation, the processor provides feedback to the aircraft.

Manipulation system and method for an aircraft

An aircraft, system, and method for sensing and/or releasing chemical agents by an aircraft is disclosed. The aircraft, system, and method may employ a chemical sensor, a wind sensor, an imaging device for capturing environmental features, and/or a processor operably coupled therewith. The processor may be used for collecting data from the chemical sensor, the wind sensor, and the imaging device to identify a navigational waypoint and to provide commands to the chemical sensor or to the aircraft based at least in part on collected data.

Chemosensing autonomy system for a vehicle

Disclosed herein are aircraft and landing gear systems configured to fix an aircraft to the ground. For example, the aircraft and aircraft systems configured for ground manipulation. In one aspect, an aircraft with an arm and end-effector may be fixed a ground surface to facilitate ground-based robotic manipulation tasks.

Ground manipulation system and method for fixing an aircraft

A method of operating a manipulation system of the type having a movable arm with a proximal end connected to a base and a distal end that is movable relative to the base and is coupled to an end-effector. The method comprises moving the distal end of the movable arm towards a target object and into contact with a stabilization object proximate to the target object, maintaining contact between the distal end of the movable arm and the stabilization object while operating the end-effector to perform a desired operation at the target object, and upon completing the desired operation at the target object, disengaging the distal end of the movable arm from contact with the stabilization object.

Method of robot manipulation in a vibration environment

An actuation system to manipulate an interface in an aircraft having an actuation controller, a vision system, a robotic arm, and a housing. Each of the vision system and the robotic arm assembly may be operatively coupled to the actuation controller. The vision system may be configured to optically image a display device of the preexisting interface, while the robotic arm assembly may be configured to engage a user-actuable device of the preexisting interface. The housing can be configured to affix to a surface adjacent the preexisting interface, where each of the vision system and the robotic arm assembly are coupled to the housing. In operation, the actuation controller may be configured to instruct the robotic arm assembly based at least in part on data from the vision system.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

William Robert Bosworth