Flight controller with generator control

• US 10,144,527 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyFront Corp.
• Original Assignee: SkyFront Corp.
• Inventors: Mestler, Troy, Stepanov, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Cass, Jean Paul
• Application Number:
  US15/080,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20160280386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/026 comprising different types of power plants, e.g. combination of a piston engine and a gas-turbine Hybrid electric aircraft B64D27/33
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/06 actuated automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/30 Supply or distribution of electrical power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A flight controller system includes an electronic speed control throttle input from which an anticipated electrical power demand is determined. The flight controller system includes a controller that determines a throttle input for a generator in order to satisfy the anticipated electrical power demand. The flight controller system includes an electronic speed control throttle output providing a delayed electronic speed control throttle signal.

Claims

1. A flight controller system, comprising:

an electronic speed control throttle input from which an anticipated electrical power demand required to satisfy the electronic speed control throttle input is determined;

a controller that determines a throttle input for a generator in order to satisfy the anticipated electrical power demand and sets the generator to the determined throttle input, wherein the generator includes an engine; and

an electronic speed control throttle output providing a modified electronic speed control throttle signal that is at least in part delayed in an associated requested power change, wherein the delay in the associated requested power change corresponds to a power output delay

of the generator in response to the setting of the generator to the determined throttle input, and

the modified electronic speed control throttle signal is provided to control an electrical motor of an aircraft, and wherein the delay in the associated requested power change of the modified electronic speed control throttle signal prevents the electronic speed control throttle input from causing a power demand to exceed a level associated with an available amount of power.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight controller system is included in a multirotor aircraft.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the throttle input for the generator is an engine throttle input.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the modified electronic speed control throttle signal is delayed with respect to the setting of the generator to the determined throttle input.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a rate of change of an electronic speed control throttle signal setting in the modified electronic speed control throttle signal has been altered to be limited by a maximum rate of change.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic speed control throttle input was determined based at least in part on a pilot control command indicating a desired flight control.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the anticipated electrical power demand was determined based at least in part using a power prediction model for the aircraft that takes into account detected states of the aircraft.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the throttle input was determined based at least in part on current engine RPM and one or more fuel system measurements of the engine of the generator.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the throttle input is limited by a maximum limit that is less than a maximum throttle of the generator.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the throttle input has been determined to be greater than a minimum throttle input required to satisfy the anticipated electrical power demand.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a motor of the modified electronic speed control throttle signal is powered without a use of a battery.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a backup battery configured to be utilized in the event the generator becomes not functional.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein engine RPM of the engine of the generator is increased and the throttle input for the generator is decreased while maintaining a substantially constant generator power output.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the throttle input for the generator is adjusted based on detected electrical output feedback.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the modified electronic speed control throttle signal was generated in response to a determination that the anticipated electrical power demand is greater than a current electrical power demand by at least a threshold amount.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the modified electronic speed control throttle signal was delayed in response to a determination that a battery is not fully functional.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein in response to a determination that additional power is not available, an altitude control power budget is reduced and an attitude control power budget is increased within a constant total power budget of power provided by the generator.

18. A method, comprising:

determining using an electronic speed control throttle input, an anticipated electrical power demand required to satisfy the electronic speed control throttle input;

determining using a flight controller a throttle input for a generator in order to satisfy the anticipated electrical power demand;

setting the generator to the determined throttle input, wherein the generator includes an engine; and

providing via the flight controller a modified electronic speed control throttle signal that is at least in part delayed in an associated requested power change, wherein the delay in the associated requested power change corresponds to a power output delay of the generator in response to the setting of the generator to the determined throttle input, and the modified electronic speed control throttle signal is provided to control an electrical motor of an aircraft, and wherein the delay in the associated requested power change of the modified electronic speed control throttle signal prevents the electronic speed control throttle input from causing a power demand to exceed a level associated with an available amount of power.

19. A flight controller system, comprising:

an electronic speed control throttle input from which an anticipated electrical power demand required to satisfy the electronic speed control throttle input is determined;

a controller that determines a throttle input for a generator in order to satisfy the anticipated electrical power demand and sets the generator to the determined throttle input, wherein the generator includes an engine; and

an electronic speed control throttle output providing a modified electronic speed control throttle signal that is at least in part delayed in an associated requested power change, wherein the delay in the associated requested power change corresponds to a power output delay of the

generator in response to the setting of the generator to the determined throttle input, a rate of

change of an electronic speed control throttle signal setting in the modified electronic speed control throttle signal has been limited by a maximum rate of change, and the modified electronic speed control throttle signal is provided to control an electrical motor of an aircraft, and wherein the delay in the associated requested power change of the modified electronic speed control throttle signal prevents the electronic speed control throttle input from causing a power demand to exceed a level associated with an available amount of power.