Method and system for controlling a hijacked aircraft

• US 20060032978A1
• Filed: 08/16/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey A. Matos
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey A. Matos
• Inventors: Matos, Jeffrey A., Milde, Karl F. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/118.500
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0034 by ground-control override
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the flight of an aircraft in the event of an in-flight emergency is disclosed. The apparatus includes: (a) a remote flight control, located separate and apart from said aircraft, for remote flight control of said aircraft by a remote human pilot; (b) an onboard manual flight control on the aircraft for manual flight control of the aircraft by an onboard human pilot; (c) an onboard autopilot on the aircraft for automatic flight control of the aircraft; (d) a device for detecting an in-flight emergency on board the aircraft, when the onboard pilot is incapable of properly manually flying said first aircraft due to an attack upon the aircraft or its occupants, including its onboard human pilots, or due to any other incapacity of the onboard human pilots, and producing an in-flight emergency signal in response thereto; and (e) an onboard remote piloting device on the aircraft for receiving the in-flight emergency control signal and control signals from said remote flight control device and allowing the control of the aircraft by the remote human pilot and preventing flight control by any person on board the aircraft.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the flight of a first aircraft in the event of an in-flight emergency, with the aid of remote manual flight control means for remote manual flight control by a remote human pilot located separate and apart from said first aircraft, said first aircraft comprising, in combination:

(1) onboard manual flight control means for manual flight control of said first aircraft by an onboard human pilot;

(2) onboard autopilot means for automatic flight control of said first aircraft, and

(3) onboard remote piloting means for allowing the control of said first aircraft by said remote human pilot with the aid of said remote flight control means;

said method comprising the steps of;

(a) detecting an in-flight emergency wherein the onboard pilot is incapable of properly manually flying said first aircraft due to an attack upon said first aircraft or its occupants, including its onboard human pilots, or due to any other incapacity of said onboard human pilots;

(b) upon detection of said in-flight emergency, controlling the flight of said first aircraft by means of said onboard autopilot to cause said first aircraft to fly in accordance with a prescribed emergency flight plan; and

thereafter

(c) manually flying said first aircraft, with the aid of said remote manual flight control means and said onboard remote piloting means, by said remote human pilot, to land said first aircraft at an airfield.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said prescribed emergency flight plan includes the step of flying said first aircraft to the vicinity of a designated airfield for landing.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield at an altitude below 10,000 feet above sea level, terrain permitting, to minimize the effect of an accidental sudden decompression of the aircraft cabin.

4. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield via a prescribed emergency flight path which avoids other aircraft and maximizes safety.

5. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield along a flight path which avoids over-flying populated areas on the ground.

6. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield along a flight path which avoids flying near to specific areas of prime concern.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said remote manual flight control means and said remote human pilot are located on the ground at a central station which is in secure two-way communication with said first aircraft.

8. The method defined in claim 7, wherein said central station is within sight of said first aircraft.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein said central station is located at the landing field selected for said first aircraft.

10. The method defined in claim 8, wherein said two-way communication is highly directional between said first and said second aircraft, to prevent unauthorized communication with said first aircraft.

11. The method defined in claim 7, wherein said first aircraft has means for reducing the sensitivity of receipt of signals from said ground station, when the first aircraft and the ground station are in close proximity.

12. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said remote manual flight control means and said remote human pilot are located on a second aircraft which is in secure two-way communication with said first aircraft.

13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein said first aircraft has means for reducing the sensitivity of receipt of signals from the second aircraft, when the first and second aircraft are in close proximity.

14. The method defined in claim 12, wherein said second aircraft is within sight of said first aircraft.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein said second aircraft follows said first aircraft in-flight.

16. The method defined in claim 12, wherein said two-way communication is highly directional between said first and said second aircraft, to prevent unauthorized communication with said first aircraft.

17. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said remote human pilot manually controls a plurality of variable parameters of said first aircraft, with the aid of said remote manual flight control means, to remotely pilot said first aircraft after detection of said in-flight emergency, said parameters being selected from the group consisting of throttles, elevator, rudder, flaps, ailerons and landing gear.

18. The method defined in claim 1, wherein, upon detection of said in-flight emergency, the response to all human operation of the onboard autopilot is inactivated, so that no person is able to affect the ability of the autopilot to automatically fly said first aircraft in accordance with said prescribed emergency flight plan.

19. The method defined in claim 18, wherein, after response to all human operation of the onboard autopilot has been inactivated, flying the aircraft to its original destination with the aid of said onboard autopilot.

20. The method defined in claim 18, wherein, after response to all human operation of the onboard autopilot has been inactivated, flying the aircraft to a designated airfield with the aid of said onboard autopilot.

21. The method defined in claim 18, wherein, after response to all human operation of the onboard autopilot has been inactivated, automatically selecting a preferred airfield, from a plurality of pre-designated airfields, depending upon the current location of the first aircraft, and then flying the aircraft to said selected airfield with the aid of said onboard autopilot.

22. The method defined in claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises the step of remotely modifying said prescribed emergency flight plan of said first aircraft and thereafter automatically flying said first aircraft, with the aid of said autopilot, in accordance with the modified prescribed emergency flight plan.

23. The method defined in claim 22, wherein, the prescribed emergency flight plan of said autopilot is modified by said remote human pilot with the aid of said remote manual flight control means.

24. The method defined in claim 22, wherein said prescribed emergency flight plan includes the step of flying said first aircraft to the vicinity of a designated airfield for landing.

25. The method defined in claim 24, wherein said designated airfield is selected by a remote human pilot.

26. The method defined in claim 25, wherein said designated airfield is selected from among a plurality of pre-designated airfields.

27. The method defined in claim 22, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield at an altitude below 10,000 feet above sea level, terrain permitting, to minimize the effect of an accidental sudden decompression of the aircraft cabin.

28. The method defined in claim 22, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield via a prescribed emergency flight path which avoids other aircraft and maximizes safety.

29. The method defined in claim 22, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield along a flight path which avoids over-flying populated areas on the ground.

30. The method defined in claim 22, wherein said first aircraft is flown to the vicinity of said designated airfield along a flight path which avoids flying near to specific areas of prime concern.

31. The method defined in claim 22, wherein said remote manual flight control means and said remote human pilot are located on the ground at a central station which is in secure two-way communication with said first aircraft.

32. The method defined in claim 31, wherein said central station is within sight of said first aircraft.

33. The method defined in claim 32, wherein said central station is located at the landing field selected for said first aircraft.

34. The method defined in claim 32, wherein said two-way communication is highly directional between said first and said second aircraft, to prevent unauthorized communication with said first aircraft.

35. The method defined in claim 31, wherein said first aircraft has means for reducing the sensitivity of receipt of signals from said ground station, when the first aircraft and the ground station are in close proximity.

36. The method defined in claim 22, wherein said remote manual flight control means and said remote human pilot are located on a second aircraft which is in secure two-way communication with said first aircraft.

37. The method defined in claim 36, wherein said first aircraft has means for reducing the sensitivity of receipt of signals from the second aircraft, when the first and second aircraft are in close proximity.

38. The method defined in claim 36, wherein said second aircraft is within sight of said first aircraft.

39. The method defined in claim 38, wherein said second aircraft follows said first aircraft in-flight.

40. The method defined in claim 38, wherein said two-way communication is highly directional between said first and said second aircraft, to prevent unauthorized communication with said first aircraft.

41. The method defined in claim 22, wherein said remote human pilot manually controls a plurality of variable parameters of said first aircraft with the aid of said remote manual flight control means to remotely pilot said first aircraft after detection of said in-flight emergency, said parameters being selected from the group consisting of throttles, elevator, rudder, flaps, ailerons and landing gear.

42. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting an in-flight emergency includes the step of determining when an authorized crew member of said first aircraft fails to perform a specified activity within a prescribed period of time.

43. The method defined in claim 42, wherein the specified activity is to press a button.

44. The method defined in claim 42, wherein the specified activity is to speak a specified word.

45. The method defined in claim 42, wherein the specified activity is to enter a specified code in a keypad.

46. The method defined in claim 42, further comprising the step of alerting an authorized crew member of the first aircraft to the termination of the prescribed period of time, shortly before the prescribed period of time has elapsed.

47. The method defined in claim 46, wherein said alerting step is performed by issuing at least one of an audible sound and a visual signal.

48. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said first aircraft further comprises:

(4) a master aircraft control on said first aircraft being operative to receive (a) a set of aircraft control inputs from each of (1) said onboard manual flight control means, (2) said onboard remote piloting means, and (3) said onboard autopilot means and to output said set of said control inputs received from (1), (2) or (3) to control the aerodynamic surfaces of said first aircraft when said control unit is in a first, a second and a third operating state, respectively, and (b) at least one control input for setting the state of the master aircraft control.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said control input sets the state of said master aircraft control to the third state when said in-flight emergency is detected on board the first aircraft.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein said control input sets the state of the master control to the second state upon transmission of a remote takeover signal from a location remote from said first aircraft.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein said control input sets the state of the master aircraft control to the second state following the receipt of a second set of master aircraft control state-setting inputs from a second aircraft.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein said second aircraft is substantially within line of sight of said first aircraft.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said second aircraft transmitter signals are high output and said first aircraft receiver is low sensitivity.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein said control input sets the state of the master aircraft control to the second state following the receipt of said second set of master aircraft control state-setting inputs from said ground-based central station.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein said control input sets the state of the master aircraft control to the second state and maintaining said third state until the arrival of said second aircraft.

56. The method of claim 49, wherein said control input sets the state of the master aircraft control to the second state when said first aircraft reaches the vicinity of said control tower at said designated airfield.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein said master aircraft control cannot return to said first state after reaching the second and third states, without intervention by authorized personnel.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein said master aircraft control cannot return to said first state after reaching the second and third states, without intervention by authorized personnel.

59. The method of claim 50, wherein, following the enabling of master control state 2 from a location remote from said first aircraft, said aircraft control inputs come from a remote pilot located at said ground-based central station.

60. The method of claim 50, wherein, following the enabling of master control state 2 from off said first aircraft, said aircraft control inputs come from said ground-based central station.

61. The method of claim 50, wherein, following the enabling of said second state from a location remote from said first aircraft, said control inputs come from said remote pilot aboard said second aircraft.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein, upon arrival of said second aircraft to a range of points which are substantially within the line of sight of said first aircraft, control of said first aircraft is transferred from said remote pilot located at said ground based central station to said remote pilot located upon said second aircraft.

63. The method of claim 48, wherein,

(1) upon detection of said in-flight emergency, said ground-based central station:

(a) causes said second aircraft containing remote pilot and piloting means to fly to the vicinity of said first aircraft, and (b) transmits said master control state setting signal to said first aircraft which causes said master aircraft control to initially enter master aircraft control state 3; and

(2) upon arrival of said second aircraft to a range of points which are substantially within the line of sight of said first aircraft, said second aircraft transmits said master control state setting signal to said first aircraft which causes said to enter master aircraft control state 2, whereby said remote pilot controls the flight of said first aircraft.

64. The method of claim 48, wherein said master aircraft control switches from state 2 to state 3 whenever said aircraft control inputs are not properly received from said onboard piloting means.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein said aircraft control inputs are not properly coded.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein said aircraft control inputs are degraded or distorted.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein said degradation or distortion is due to poor signal quality.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein said degradation or distortion is due to external interference.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein said external interference is due to hacking.

70. The method of claim 64, wherein said master aircraft control switches from state 3 back to state 2 when said aircraft control inputs are properly received.

71. The method of claim 48, wherein said master aircraft control has a fourth operating state in which none of said sets of aircraft control inputs is output to control the aerodynamic surfaces of said first aircraft, wherein said control unit is placed in said fourth operating state when said first aircraft is on the ground.

72. The method defined in claim 71, wherein the state of said control unit is changed to said fourth operating state when said first aircraft has been manually flown by said remote human pilot and landed at said airfield.

73. The method defined in claim 72, wherein the state of said control unit is changed from said fourth to said first operating state when said control unit is supplied with a security code with the aid of said remote manual flight control means and said onboard remote piloting means.

92. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

upon detection of said in-flight emergency, inactivating the response to onboard human operation of the onboard manual flight control means so that no onboard person is able to manually fly said first aircraft.

93. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

upon detection of said in-flight emergency, inactivating the response to onboard human operation of the onboard autopilot so that no onboard person is able to affect the ability of the autopilot to automatically fly said first aircraft.

95. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of manually changing the prescribed emergency flight plan in said autopilot, with the aid of said remote flight control means, by said remote human pilot.

96. The method defined in claim 95, wherein said step of manually changing the prescribed emergency flight plan in said autopilot includes changing individual autopilot parameters.

97. The method defined in claim 96, wherein said autopilot parameters include altitude and heading.

74. Apparatus for controlling the flight of a first aircraft in the event of an in-flight emergency, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) remote flight control means, located separate and apart from said first aircraft, for remote flight control of said first aircraft by a remote human pilot;

(b) onboard manual flight control means on said first aircraft for manual flight control of said first aircraft by an onboard human pilot;

(c) onboard autopilot means on said first aircraft for automatic flight control of said first aircraft;

(d) means for detecting an in-flight emergency on board the first aircraft, wherein the onboard pilot is incapable of properly manually flying said first aircraft due to an attack upon said first aircraft or its occupants, including its onboard human pilots, or due to any other incapacity of said onboard human pilots, and producing an in-flight emergency signal in response thereto; and

(e) onboard remote piloting means on said first aircraft for receiving said in-flight emergency control signal and receiving control signals from said remote flight control means and, in response thereto, allowing the control of said first aircraft by said remote human pilot.

75. The apparatus defined in claim 74, wherein said onboard remote piloting means (e) comprises a master aircraft control on said first aircraft, coupled to said means (a)-(d), which is operative to receive a set of aircraft control inputs from each of (1) said onboard manual flight control means, (2) said remote flight control means, and (3) said onboard autopilot means, and to select a set of control inputs to control the throttles and aerodynamic surfaces of said first aircraft, in response to said in-flight emergency control signal.

76. The apparatus defined in claim 75, wherein said master aircraft control has a plurality of operating states, wherein the control inputs from said onboard manual flight control means are selected when in a first state, the control inputs from said remote flight control means are selected when in a second state and the control inputs from said onboard autopilot means are selected when in a third state.

77. The apparatus defined in claim 76, wherein said master aircraft control has a fourth operating state, wherein none of said control inputs are selected when in said fourth state, said master aircraft control being set in said fourth state after said aircraft has landed following the detection of an in-flight emergency.

78. The apparatus defined in claim 74, wherein said means for detecting an in-flight emergency includes:

(1) an input device for receiving a live feed of at least one of audio and video from the flight deck and cabin of the first aircraft; and

(2) means connected to said input device for evaluating the live feed and determining therefrom if an in-flight emergency exists, and for producing said in-flight emergency signal if the content of the live feed exceeds a threshold indicating an in-flight emergency.

79. The apparatus defined in claim 78, wherein said means for detecting an in-flight emergency further comprising means for transmitting said in-flight emergency signal to a remote station.

80. The apparatus defined in claim 79, wherein said means for evaluating the live feed further produces a warning signal if the content of the live feed comes close to said threshold indicating an in-flight emergency, but does not exceed it.

81. The apparatus defined in claim 80, wherein said means for transmitting said in-flight emergency signal further comprises means for transmitting said warning signal to said remote station.

82. The apparatus defined in claim 81, wherein said means for transmitting said in-flight emergency signal further comprises means for transmitting said live feed to said remote station.

83. The apparatus defined in claim 74, further comprising a first transmitting and receiving device (T/R device) on board said first aircraft providing secure communication between said first aircraft and a remote station.

84. The apparatus defined in claim 83, wherein said first T/R device includes a highly directional first antenna for communication with a second antenna of a second transmitting and receiving (T/R) device that is coupled to said remote station.

85. The apparatus defined in claim 84, wherein said directional first antenna is oriented so as not to communicate with any ground-based antenna.

86. The apparatus defined in claim 84, wherein there are a plurality of second antennas disposed at different locations, and wherein said second T/R device further comprises means for selecting and changing the second antenna that is used for transmitting and receiving from said first antenna.

87. The apparatus defined in claim 84, wherein said first and second T/R devices communicate at an RF frequency which propagates in the atmosphere only in substantially a direct line of sight.

88. The apparatus defined in claim 84, wherein said second antenna is highly directional and is arranged adjacent an airfield on which said first aircraft is to land, after an in-flight emergency has been declared, said second antenna having means for aiming said second antenna at said first aircraft during landing.

89. The apparatus defined in claim 84, wherein said second antenna is highly directional and is arranged on a second aircraft.

90. The apparatus defined in claim 89, wherein said second antenna includes means for aiming said second antenna at said first aircraft.

91. The apparatus defined in claim 84, wherein said first antenna includes means for pointing said first antenna at said second antenna.

94. The apparatus defined in claim 74, wherein said remote piloting means includes means for preventing flight control by any person on board said first aircraft, in response to receipt of said in-flight emergency control signal.