Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/PI4qPrVDZWs As most boaters know, if you don’t want to run aground, you have to keep your vessel between navigation channel buoys. Navigable channels are marked thanks to someone’s bathymetry, or, in other words, surveying of underwater topography. Bathymetry is a mundane and repetitive task, so send in […]
Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/CF4TBfaOpcY A typical drone has to tilt into the direction of flight, but why not just tilt its engines? What if you need the drone to remain oriented to the horizontal plane during flight? This invention proposes a solution. Aerbots has patented a system of omnidirectional propeller housings […]
Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/LN5DTkB7cow Some might scoff at the idea of a Design Patent. “It only protects the aesthetic shape, and very narrowly too” they may say. “A competitor can change the shape beyond a certain threshold (which is low), and they go around the Patent, so why bother?” Why bother? […]
Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/VABnM8SmEnM The sea can be a perilous place. Unpredictable, cruel, and relentless. But the world must go on, and for ship operations, sometimes you need to get a rope across. For example, resupplying a ship with fuel or fresh water can be done offshore, as long as you […]
Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/pu1Ys8k4kVU As they say, ‘a thing designed to do two functions does neither well’. The ideal aircraft that can land on a dime yet cruise like a plane hasn’t been invented yet, or at least hasn’t been perfected yet. This invention acknowledges the trials and errors of past […]
Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/N3pIsNzCf6I The US Navy has an interesting patent for an unmanned underwater vehicle (or UUV) platform that can be easily tailored to any mission. The UUV platform has components that fit together either mechanically or with magnets, and these components allow the user to create a mission-specific UUV. […]
Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/BGqo9yEl-Z4 University of Colorado’s Adaptive Robotics Lab has filed for an interesting structure based on tensegrity. The geometry of the structure can be changed, allowing it to be used for driving or for swimming robots. As a wheel, the structure can be completely two-dimensional, or spherical. For swimming […]
Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/wIHeDh74kZ0 The FVR platform is certainly an impressive accomplishment. According to its maker, “The FVR is designed for long endurance, 12 to 18 hours, with an 8 to 22 pound payload capacity.”(https://www.l3harris.com/all-capabilities/fvr-90-airframe) According to the patent, large quad platforms are great at their VTOL thing, but have little […]
Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/DW-j5B29RBA When the electronics of your drone overheat, it could spell the end of your flight. The folks at DJI thought “well, the propeller is moving a lot of air down, what if we captured just a bit of it and ported it over the hot stuff?” There […]
Have this article read to you at https://youtu.be/v1AFbP7w4V8 When something is very popular, it’s safe to assume that it is very good. CubePilot is widely considered a top-tier option for autopilot systems in the drone industry. However, this is not what this patent is about, it’s about something that made life easier for CubePilot, and […]