TAIL-SITTER FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20160048132A1
• Filed: 06/09/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Cherepinsky, Igor, Sane, Harshad S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,971,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G05D 1/0808 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

A system and method for controlling flight of an aircraft having a propeller, memory and a processor includes receiving one or more signals indicative of a flight plan comprising a plurality of waypoints; determining information indicative of a trajectory between the plurality of waypoints; determining information indicative of vehicle attitude commands; determining information indicative of flight control command signals; and determining an error between sensed vehicle states and the vehicle attitude commands.

Claims

1. A method for controlling flight of an aircraft, comprising:

receiving, with a processor, one or more signals indicative of a flight plan comprising a plurality of waypoints;

determining, with the processor, information indicative of a trajectory between the plurality of waypoints;

determining, with the processor, information indicative of vehicle attitude commands;

determining, with the processor, information indicative of flight control command signals; and

determining, with the processor via a sensor, signals indicative of an error between sensed vehicle states and the vehicle attitude commands.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the aircraft with an adjustment solution indicative of an adjusted flight control command signal in response to the determining of the error signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the trajectory further comprises determining at least one of an aircraft velocity, aircraft attitude, and aircraft position.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving sensor information related to a deviation of the aircraft from the trajectory; and

determining a transition trajectory in response to the receiving of the information related to a deviation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the trajectory further comprises receiving signals indicative of data from real-time terrain and obstacle sensors.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the vehicle attitude commands based on based on the trajectory and location of the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the flight control command signals further comprises determining desired vehicle attitude control commands that are configured to displace servos and linkages on the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the trajectory based on in-flight configurations or constraints of the aircraft.

9. A system for controlling flight of an aircraft, comprising a propeller comprising a plurality of blades, wherein the propeller is associated with a sensor;

a processor; and

memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to;

receive one or more signals indicative of a flight plan comprising a plurality of waypoints;

determine information indicative of a trajectory between the plurality of waypoints;

determine information indicative of vehicle attitude commands;

determine information indicative of flight control command signals; and

determine an error between sensed vehicle states and the vehicle attitude commands.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to provide the aircraft with an adjustment solution indicative of an adjusted flight control command signal in response to the determining of the error signal.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to receive sensor information related to a deviation of the aircraft from the trajectory and determine a transition trajectory in response to the receiving of the sensor information related to a deviation.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of an aircraft velocity, aircraft attitude, and aircraft position.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured receive signals indicative of data from real-time terrain and obstacle sensors.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine the vehicle attitude commands based on based on the trajectory and location of the aircraft.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine desired vehicle attitude control commands that are configured to displace servos and linkages on the aircraft.