Automated self-testing

• US 10,640,231 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
• Inventors: Selwa, Alexander David, Cutler, Mark Johnson
• Primary Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewandroski, Sara J
• Application Number:
  US16/355,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20190389595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0816 to ensure stability
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A flight-time variable associated with an aircraft is determined including by determining the flight-time variable while the aircraft is flying. It is determined whether the aircraft is airworthy based at least in part on the flight-time variable. In response to determining that the aircraft is not airworthy, the aircraft is automatically landed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

determine a flight-time variable associated with an aircraft, including by determining the flight-time variable while the aircraft is performing a takeoff, wherein the flight-time variable includes at least one of;

a payload-inclusive weight and a payload-inclusive center of gravity;

determine whether the aircraft is airworthy based at least in part on the flight-time variable including by;

comparing the flight-time variable to a first threshold; and

comparing the flight-time variable to a second threshold;

determining that the aircraft is marginally airworthy in response to a determination that the flight-time variable exceeds the first threshold and does not exceed the second threshold; and

in response to determining that the aircraft is marginally airworthy, configure the aircraft with a set of one or more constrained settings.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the flight-time variable further includes one or more of the following:

a center of mass of the aircraft when occupied, environmental information, weather information, an amount of precipitation, a temperature, a wind speed, or an air density.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the memory is further configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:

determine that the aircraft is not airworthy in response to determining that the flight-time variable exceeds the second threshold; and

restrict pilot control of the aircraft in response to determining that the aircraft is not airworthy including by automatically landing the aircraft.

4. The system recited in claim 3, wherein:

the flight-time variable includes the payload-inclusive weight;

determining the payload-inclusive weight includes;

obtaining a thrust associated with a rotor while the aircraft is flying; and

determining the payload-inclusive weight based at least in part on the thrust;

determining whether the aircraft is airworthy includes comparing the payload-inclusive weight to a weight threshold; and

restricting pilot control of the aircraft in response to determining that the aircraft is not airworthy includes automatically landing the aircraft in response to determining that the payload-inclusive weight exceeds the weight threshold.

5. The system recited in claim 3, wherein:

the flight-time variable includes the payload-inclusive center of gravity;

determining the payload-inclusive center of gravity includes;

obtaining a thrust associated with a rotor while the aircraft is flying; and

determining the payload-inclusive center of gravity based at least in part on the thrust;

determining whether the aircraft is airworthy includes comparing the payload-inclusive center of gravity to a center of gravity threshold represented by a three-dimensional (3D) shape; and

restricting pilot control of the aircraft in response to determining that the aircraft is not airworthy includes automatically landing the aircraft in response to determining that the payload-inclusive center of gravity exceeds the center of gravity threshold represented by the 3D shape.

6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein:

the flight-time variable includes environmental information; and

determining the environmental information includes communicating over a wireless channel with a local weather station.

7. The system recited in claim 1, wherein:

the flight-time variable includes environmental information; and

determining the environmental information includes sending, via a wireless channel to a remote server, location information of the aircraft and receiving, via the wireless channel from the remote server, the environmental information in response to the location information.

8. A method, comprising:

determining a flight-time variable associated with an aircraft, including by determining the flight-time variable while the aircraft is performing a takeoff, wherein the flight-time variable includes at least one of;

a payload-inclusive weight and a payload-inclusive center of gravity;

determining whether the aircraft is airworthy based at least in part on the flight-time variable including by;

comparing the flight-time variable to a first threshold; and

comparing the flight-time variable to a second threshold;

determining that the aircraft is marginally airworthy in response to a determination that the flight-time variable exceeds the first threshold and does not exceed the second threshold; and

in response to determining that the aircraft is marginally airworthy, configure the aircraft with a set of one or more constrained settings.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein:

the flight-time variable includes environmental information; and

determining the environmental information includes communicating over a wireless channel with a local weather station.

10. The method recited in claim 8, wherein:

the flight-time variable includes environmental information; and

determining the environmental information includes sending, via a wireless channel to a remote server, location information of the aircraft and receiving, via the wireless channel from the remote server, the environmental information in response to the location information.

11. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the flight-time variable further includes one or more of the following:

a center of mass of the aircraft when occupied, environmental information, weather information, an amount of precipitation, a temperature, a wind speed, or an air density.

12. The method recited in claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the aircraft is not airworthy in response to determining that the flight-time variable exceeds the second threshold; and

restricting pilot control of the aircraft in response to determining that the aircraft is not airworthy including by automatically landing the aircraft.

13. The method recited in claim 12, wherein:

the flight-time variable includes the payload-inclusive weight;

determining the payload-inclusive weight includes;

obtaining a thrust associated with a rotor while the aircraft is flying; and

determining the payload-inclusive weight based at least in part on the thrust;

determining whether the aircraft is airworthy includes comparing the payload-inclusive weight to a weight threshold; and

restricting pilot control of the aircraft in response to determining that the aircraft is not airworthy includes automatically landing the aircraft in response to determining that the payload-inclusive weight exceeds the weight threshold.

14. The method recited in claim 12, wherein:

the flight-time variable includes the payload-inclusive center of gravity;

determining the payload-inclusive center of gravity includes;

obtaining a thrust associated with a rotor while the aircraft is flying; and

determining the payload-inclusive center of gravity based at least in part on the thrust;

determining whether the aircraft is airworthy includes comparing the payload-inclusive center of gravity to a center of gravity threshold represented by a three-dimensional (3D) shape; and

restricting pilot control of the aircraft in response to determining that the aircraft is not airworthy includes automatically landing the aircraft in response to determining that the payload-inclusive center of gravity exceeds the center of gravity threshold represented by the 3D shape.

15. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

determining a flight-time variable associated with an aircraft, including by determining the flight-time variable while the aircraft is performing a takeoff, wherein the flight-time variable includes at least one of;

a payload-inclusive weight and a payload-inclusive center of gravity;

determining whether the aircraft is airworthy based at least in part on the flight-time variable including by;

comparing the flight-time variable to a first threshold; and

comparing the flight-time variable to a second threshold;

determining that the aircraft is marginally airworthy in response to a determination that the flight-time variable exceeds the first threshold and does not exceed the second threshold; and

in response to determining that the aircraft is marginally airworthy, configure the aircraft with a set of one or more constrained settings.