Method for operating an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft and an aircraft or spacecraft of this type

• US 10,607,495 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Lohmiller, Winfried, Meyer, Joerg, Heuer, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldman, Richard A
• Application Number:
  US15/638,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20180005533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

A method for operating an, at least temporarily, unmanned aircraft or spacecraft wherein a flight procedure of the aircraft or spacecraft is carried out in controlled airspace using a previously cleared flight plan, wherein a C2 link is at least temporarily unavailable, and wherein at least one sensor device of the aircraft or spacecraft identifies a dangerous and/or emergency situation which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan. To have available a method which makes it possible for an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft to react independently to particular dangerous and/or emergency situations and to avoid damaging events, a control device of the aircraft or spacecraft independently uses a wireless data link to a supervisory authority in order to agree to a changed flight plan containing at least one change.

Claims

1. A method for operating an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft,

wherein a flight procedure of the aircraft or spacecraft is carried out in controlled airspace using a previously cleared flight plan in which the aircraft or spacecraft is in communication with a pilot in command via a command and control link, and is in communication with a supervisory authority via a separate and independent wireless data link,

wherein the command and control link, via which the aircraft or spacecraft can be or is controlled, is at least temporarily unavailable, and

wherein at least one sensor device of the aircraft or spacecraft identifies a situation which is at least one of dangerous or an emergency and which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan, comprising the step of:

using the independent wireless data link to the supervisory authority by a control device of the aircraft or spacecraft to agree to a changed flight plan containing at least one change, wherein after the situation has been identified, a possible deviation from the flight plan is established by the at least one control device of the aircraft or spacecraft and at least one dialogue having the following points is carried out with the supervisory authority via the independent wireless data link;

a. transmitting a clearance request regarding the deviating flight plan by the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft;

b. assessing the clearance request by the supervisory authority and producing a positive or negative assessment result;

c. transmitting the assessment result together with the original clearance request back to the aircraft or spacecraft;

d. comparing the returned assessment result with the originally transmitted clearance request, along with a plausibility check, by the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft; and

e. changing the original flight plan based on the assessment result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the supervisory authority is formed by a control center.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the supervisory authority is formed by an air traffic control station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device transmits at least one clearance request to the supervisory authority and, following the response therefrom, reacts based on the result.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is formed by at least one sensor arranged on the aircraft or spacecraft.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is formed by a data receiving device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is formed by a telemetry system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is formed by a function monitoring device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the situation to be identified by the sensor device is at least one of the development of severe weather conditions, damage to a drive system, the failure of at least one system which is important to or necessary for the flight operation, a hailstorm, or a fuel shortage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a Very High Frequency or Ultra High Frequency wireless data link is established as the independent wireless data link.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a Very High Frequency data link is established as the wireless data link.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a Very High Frequency data link Mode 2 link is established as the wireless data link.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft comprises at least a flight management system or is itself part of such a system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft comprises at least a flight control system or is itself part of such a system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft comprises at least an autopilot system or is itself part of such a system.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one change to the flight plan comprises at least one of a change in altitude and a change of course of the aircraft or spacecraft.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the change to the original flight plan under point e., in the event of a positive assessment result, is converted to an updated flight plan of the aircraft or spacecraft as proposed.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein on account of the comparison of the returned assessment result with the plausibility check under point d., in the event of a negative assessment result, a further dialogue regarding an alternative change to the flight plan for the aircraft or spacecraft is initiated by the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft with the supervisory authority.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein on account of the change to the original flight plan under point e., in the event of a negative assessment result, the control device subsequently undertakes a measure regarding the flight plan other than seeking the clearance request regarding the deviating flight plan.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the measure comprises the original flight plan being retained.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the measure comprises the control device carrying out an unauthorized change to the flight plan.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the supervisory authority initiates a dialogue with the at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft and communicates, to the control device thereof, a deviation from the flight plan as a proposal or as a counterproposal to a clearance request.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the supervisory authority checks the change to the flight plan with a remote pilot in command via a communication path independent of the command and control link and independent of the independent wireless data link.

24. An at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft which travels through a controlled airspace in accordance with a previously cleared flight plan, in which the aircraft or spacecraft is in communication with a pilot in command via a command and control link, and is in communication with a supervisory authority via a separate and independent wireless data link, in which aircraft or spacecraft the command and control link, via which the aircraft or spacecraft can be or is controlled, is least temporarily unavailable, and which aircraft or spacecraft is provided with a sensor device which is configured to identify a situation being at least one of dangerous or an emergency, which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan, wherein the aircraft or spacecraft has a control device which is configured to independently use the independent wireless data link to the supervisory authority in order to agree to a changed flight plan containing at least one change, wherein after the situation has been identified, a possible deviation from the flight plan is established by the at least one control device of the aircraft or spacecraft and at least one dialogue having the following points is carried out with the supervisory authority via the independent wireless data link:

a. transmitting a clearance request regarding the deviating flight plan by the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft;

b. assessing the clearance request by the supervisory authority and producing a positive or negative assessment result;

c. transmitting the assessment result together with the original clearance request back to the aircraft or spacecraft;

d. comparing the returned assessment result with the originally transmitted clearance request, along with a plausibility check, by the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft; and

e. changing the original flight plan based on the assessment result.