Safety device and safety method for an aircraft, and aircraft comprising the safety device

• US 10,538,324 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meteomatics Gmbh
• Original Assignee: Meteomatics Gmbh
• Inventors: Fengler, Martin Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Boomer, Jeffrey C
• Application Number:
  US14/838,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20160062363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/35 for science, e.g. meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements

Abstract

For reducing a risk potential of an aircraft, a safety device for the aircraft is provided, said aircraft having a flight control device for flight control of the aircraft based on global position coordinates and/or flight altitude values of the aircraft detected by a sensor apparatus of the flight control device. The safety device comprises a flight altitude detection apparatus configured to detect a current flight altitude of the aircraft independently of the sensor apparatus, a determination apparatus configured to determine whether the current flight altitude of the aircraft detected by the flight altitude detection apparatus exceeds a predetermined maximum altitude, and a rescue apparatus configured to interrupt the flight control of the aircraft when the current flight altitude of the aircraft detected by the flight altitude detection apparatus exceeds the predetermined maximum altitude.

Claims

1. A safety device for an unmanned aircraft having a flight control device for flight control of the aircraft based on global position coordinates or flight altitude values of the aircraft detected by a sensor apparatus of the flight control device, said safety device comprising computer hardware configured to cause the safety device at least to:

detect a current flight altitude of the aircraft independently of the sensor apparatus,

determine whether the current flight altitude of the aircraft exceeds a predetermined maximum altitude,

interrupt the flight control of the aircraft when the current flight altitude of the aircraft exceeds the predetermined maximum altitude, so that the aircraft returns to flying at an altitude that does not exceed the predetermined maximum altitude,

detect a current global position of the aircraft independently of the sensor apparatus,

determine whether the current global position is outside a first predetermined space that the aircraft is allowed to fly,

output an instruction to the flight control device to control the aircraft to fly back into the first predetermined space when the current global position is outside the first predetermined space,

determine whether a difference between the global position coordinates detected by the sensor apparatus of the flight control device and the current global position of the aircraft exceeds a predetermined difference value, and

interrupt the flight control of the aircraft when the difference between the global position coordinates detected by the sensor apparatus of the flight control device and the current global position of the aircraft exceeds the predetermined difference value, by controlling the aircraft to return to flying at a position in which the difference between the global position coordinates and the current global position do not exceed the predetermined difference value,

wherein the safety device and the flight control device each comprise a respective independent power supply, and

wherein the computer hardware is configured to cause the safety device to interrupt the flight control device of the aircraft by cutting off the power supply of the flight control device while maintaining power of the safety device.

2. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the computer hardware is further configured to cause the safety device to:

determine whether the current global position is outside a second predetermined space incorporating the first predetermined space; and

interrupt the flight control of the aircraft when the current global position is outside the second predetermined space.

3. The safety device according to claim 2, wherein

the first or the second predetermined space is a cylindrical airspace defined by an altitude and a diameter.

4. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein

the computer hardware is further configured to cause the safety device to use a satellite navigation system which differs from a satellite navigation system used by the sensor apparatus.

5. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein

the computer hardware is further configured to cause the safety device to interrupt the flight control of the aircraft by switching off a primary drive of the aircraft.

6. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein

the computer hardware is further configured to cause the safety device to activate a parachute of the aircraft for a controlled landing of the aircraft.

7. A safety method executed by a safety device for an unmanned aircraft having a flight control device for flight control of the aircraft based on global position coordinates or flight altitude values of the aircraft detected by a sensor apparatus of the flight control device, said safety method comprising:

detecting a current flight altitude of the aircraft independently of the sensor apparatus,

determining whether the detected current flight altitude of the aircraft exceeds a predetermined maximum altitude,

interrupting the flight control of the aircraft when the detected current flight altitude of the aircraft exceeds the predetermined maximum altitude, so that the aircraft returns to flying at an altitude that does not exceed the predetermined maximum altitude,

detecting a current global position of the aircraft independently of the sensor apparatus,

determining whether the current global position is outside a first predetermined space that the aircraft is allowed to fly,

outputting an instruction to the flight control device to control the aircraft to fly back into the first predetermined space when the current global position detected by the global position detection apparatus is outside the first predetermined space,

determining whether a difference between global position coordinates detected by the sensor apparatus and the current global position of the aircraft exceeds a predetermined difference value, and

interrupting flight control of the aircraft when the difference between the global position coordinates detected by the sensor apparatus and the current global position of the aircraft exceeds the predetermined difference value, by controlling the aircraft to return to flying at a position in which the difference between the global position coordinates and the current global position do not exceed the predetermined difference value,

wherein the safety device and the flight control device each comprise a respective independent power supply, and

wherein interrupting the flight control of the aircraft comprises cutting off the power supply of the flight control device while maintaining power of the safety device.

8. An unmanned aircraft comprising:

a safety device having a flight control device for flight control of the aircraft based on global position coordinates or flight altitude values of the aircraft detected by a sensor apparatus of the flight control device,

said safety device comprising computer hardware configured to cause the safety device at least to

detect a current flight altitude of the aircraft independently of the sensor apparatus,

determine whether the current flight altitude of the aircraft exceeds a predetermined maximum altitude,

interrupt the flight control of the aircraft when the current flight altitude of the aircraft exceeds the predetermined maximum altitude, so that the aircraft returns to flying at an altitude that does not exceed the predetermined maximum altitude,

detect a current global position of the aircraft independently of the sensor apparatus,

determine whether the current global position is outside a first predetermined space that the aircraft is allowed to fly, and

output an instruction to the flight control device to control the aircraft to fly back into the first predetermined space when the current global position is outside the first predetermined space,

determine whether a difference between the global position coordinates detected by the sensor apparatus of the flight control device and the current global position of the aircraft exceeds a predetermined difference value, and

interrupt the flight control of the aircraft when the difference between the global position coordinates detected by the sensor apparatus of the flight control device and the current global position of the aircraft exceeds the predetermined difference value, by controlling the aircraft to return to flying at a position in which the difference between the global position coordinates and the current global position do not exceed the predetermined difference value,

wherein the safety device and the flight control device each comprise a respective independent power supply, and

wherein the computer hardware is configured to cause the safety device to interrupt the flight control device of the aircraft by cutting off the power supply of the flight control device while maintaining power of the safety device.

9. A safety device for an unmanned aircraft having a flight control device, said safety device comprising:

computer hardware, the computer hardware being configured to cause the apparatus at least to;

detect a current flight altitude of an aircraft independently of an output of a sensor apparatus, wherein the sensor apparatus senses flight altitude information;

determine whether a detected current flight altitude of the aircraft exceeds a predetermined maximum altitude;

interrupt flight control of the aircraft when the detected current flight altitude of the aircraft exceeds the predetermined maximum altitude, so that the aircraft returns to flying at an altitude that does not exceed the predetermined maximum altitude;

detect a current global position of the aircraft independently of the sensor apparatus;

determine whether the current global position is outside of a first predetermined space that the aircraft is allowed to fly;

control the aircraft to fly back into the first predetermined space when the current global position detected by the global position detection apparatus is outside the first predetermined space;

determine whether a difference between global position coordinates detected by the sensor apparatus and the current global position of the aircraft exceeds a predetermined difference value; and

interrupt flight control of the aircraft when the difference between the global position coordinates detected by the sensor apparatus and the current global position of the aircraft exceeds the predetermined difference value, by controlling the aircraft to return to flying at a position in which the difference between the global position coordinates and the current global position do not exceed the predetermined difference value,

wherein the safety device and the flight control device each comprise a respective independent power supply, and

wherein interrupting the flight control of the aircraft comprises cutting off the power supply of the flight control device while maintaining power of the safety device.

10. The safety device according to claim 9, wherein the computer hardware is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

determine whether the current global position is outside a second predetermined space incorporating the first predetermined space; and

interrupt flight control of the aircraft when the current global position is determined to be outside of the second predetermined space.

11. The safety device according to claim 10, wherein the first or second predetermined space comprises a cylindrical air space defined by an altitude and a diameter.

12. The safety device according to claim 9, wherein the computer hardware uses a satellite navigation system which differs from a satellite navigation system used by the sensor apparatus.