Multi-mode unmanned and manned vehicle systems and methods

• US 7,624,943 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Cerchie, Dino A., Dockter, Gregory E., Hardesty, William Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen; Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): KREINER, MICHAEL B
• Application Number:
  US11/388,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20070221782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 244/190, 244/189, 244/76.R, 244/194, 244/196, 244/17.11, 244/17.13, 244/197
• US Class Current: 244/17.11
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/22 readily revertible to personal control
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/341 having duplication or stand-by provisions
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/343 overriding of personal controls; with automatic return to inoperative position
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/505 having duplication or stand-by provisions
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/506 overriding of personal controls; with automatic return to inoperative position
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/507 with artificial feel
• 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 10/17 Helicopters flying platforms B64U10/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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

An apparatus for converting a manned aircraft for unmanned flight, the aircraft including at least one pilot control capable of manipulation to affect operation of the aircraft, the apparatus comprising a first actuator and a second actuator each configured to selectively provide movement or resistance to movement in a first manner including linear or rotational motion, a first clutch and a second clutch each configured to selectively couple movement of the associated actuator to the pilot control, and a vehicle controller capable of being selectively enabled to operate the pilot control actuators and clutches providing unmanned operation of the aircraft or disabled providing manned operation of the aircraft. The first actuator has a first scope describing a first amount of allowable movement, while the second actuator has a second scope larger than the first scope.

Claims

1. An apparatus for converting a manned aircraft for unmanned flight, the aircraft including a pilot control capable of manipulation by a human pilot to affect operation of the aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

a first actuator configured to selectively provide at least one of movement and resistance to movement of the pilot control in a first manner including at least one of linear and rotational motion and having a first scope describing a first amount of allowable movement;

a first actuator clutch configured to selectively couple and decouple movement of the first actuator to and from the pilot control;

a second actuator configured to selectively provide at least one of movement and resistance to movement of the pilot control in the first manner and having a second scope larger than the first scope;

a second actuator clutch operatively coupled to the pilot control and configured to selectively couple and decouple movement of the second actuator to and from the pilot control independently of the first actuator; and

,

a vehicle controller configured to operate the first actuator, the first clutch, the second actuator, and the second clutch to selectively manipulate the pilot control, the vehicle controller capable of being selectively enabled to operate the actuators and clutches to provide unmanned operation of the aircraft and disabled during flight to provide for manned operation of the aircraft by the human pilot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the aircraft comprises a helicopter or a fixed wing aircraft;

and,

wherein the pilot control effects at least one of yaw, pitch, roll, and throttle control of the aircraft.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller is configured to receive command information from at least one of a computer in the aircraft and a remote operator separated from the aircraft.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the aircraft comprises a flight control computer and the apparatus further comprising at least one sensor for providing a measurement signal of a property of the aircraft during flight, the signal not being utilized by the flight control computer and being utilized by the vehicle controller to affect operation of the at least one actuator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first interface element configured to communicate movement from the first actuator to the first clutch; and

,

a second interface element configured to communicate movement from the second actuator to the second clutch, each interface element includes at least one of a pushrod, a lever, a gear, a pulley, and a belt,

wherein the first actuator comprises a higher-bandwidth electromechanical actuator (HB-EMA) and the second actuator comprises a lower-bandwidth electromechanical actuator (LB-EMA), the HB-EMA having at least one of a faster response time to operation by the vehicle controller and a quicker movement through a particular range of motion.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the LB-EMA and HB-EMA are operatively coupled in series.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the smaller scope of the HB-EMA defines a partial authority for pilot control movement having a first center of travel when the HB-EMA is engaged with the pilot control, the HB-EMA being capable of readjustment to a second center of travel different from the first center of travel when the HB-EMA is disengaged from the pilot control.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller further comprises:

a flight control computer configured to execute a mission program for operating the actuators and clutches to pilot the aircraft according to the mission program.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein an actuation speed of the first and second actuator clutches is such that the first and second actuators can be operatively coupled to or decoupled from the pilot control in less than about 1 second, thereby providing the aircraft with a quick disconnect capability enabling a rapid transition of aircraft command between the vehicle controller and the human pilot.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuators are independently coupled to the pilot control via the clutches in such a way as to enable the pilot control to be manipulated by the human pilot and the vehicle controller simultaneously and in accordance with respective control authorities assigned thereto.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor configured to measure at least one aircraft property and provide a measurement signal to the vehicle controller, the operation of the aircraft by the vehicle controller being affected by the measurement signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the first actuator and the second actuator is present in the aircraft prior to the converting of the aircraft.

13. A helicopter, comprising:

a plurality of pilot controls configured for operation of the helicopter by a human pilot for manned operation, the pilot controls being capable of manipulation by the human pilot to affect operation of the helicopter;

a plurality of dual pilot control actuators, each dual pilot control actuator being configured for operation of an associated one of the pilot controls and including a first actuator, a first clutch, a second actuator, and a second clutch, the first actuator being configured to selectively provide at least one of movement and resistance to movement of the associated pilot control in a first manner including at least one of linear and rotational motion and having a first scope describing a first amount of allowable movement, the first clutch being configured to selectively couple and decouple movement of the first actuator to and from the associated pilot control independently of the second actuator, the second actuator being configured to selectively provide at least one of movement and resistance to movement of the associated pilot control in the first manner and having a second scope larger than the first scope, the second clutch being operatively coupled to the associated pilot control and configured to selectively couple and decouple movement of the second actuator to and from the pilot control independently of the first actuator;

a vehicle controller configured to operate each dual pilot control actuator, the vehicle controller being selectively enabled to provide unmanned operation of the helicopter and disabled during flight to provide manned operation of the helicopter, the vehicle controller being configured to receive command information from at least one of a computer in the helicopter and a remote operator separated from the helicopter; and

,

a pilot selector configured to at least one of enable and disable the vehicle controller.

14. The helicopter of claim 13, wherein at least one of the at least one computer in the helicopter and the remote operator is operable to detect conditions respectively corresponding to at least one of an incapacity of the human pilot of the helicopter, a failure of a helicopter system potentially leading to a hazardous condition, a piloting of the helicopter by an unauthorized person, and a situation of the helicopter requiring extraordinary piloting skills and to generate a command enabling the vehicle controller in response to the detection of one or more of such conditions.

15. The helicopter of claim 13, wherein the dual pilot control actuators include

at least one of a lateral actuator configured to manipulate a helicopter cyclic,

a longitudinal actuator configured to manipulate the helicopter cyclic,

a collective actuator configured to manipulate a helicopter collective,

a throttle actuator configured to manipulate a helicopter throttle, and

a directional series actuator configured to manipulate at least one yaw pedal.

16. The helicopter of claim 13, wherein a transition time required for the dual pilot control actuators and the vehicle controller to be switched between the unmanned operation of the helicopter by the vehicle controller and the manned operation of the helicopter by the human pilot is less than about one second.

17. The helicopter of claim 13, wherein each dual pilot control actuator comprises a lower-bandwidth electromechanical actuator (LB-EMA) in series with a higher-bandwidth electromechanical actuator (HB-EMA).

18. The helicopter of claim 13, further comprising a flight control computer including a processor and a processor memory,

the processor being configured to fetch, decode, and execute computer instructions,

the processor memory being configured to store and retrieve a mission program, and

the flight control computer being configured to operate the pilot control actuators according to the mission program.

19. The helicopter of claim 18, further comprising:

an intra vehicle communications unit configured to send and receive messages within the helicopter;

an external communications unit configured to send and receive messages outside the helicopter, at least one of the intra vehicle communications unit and the external communications unit being configured to send command messages to and receive status messages from the vehicle controller; and

,

a secure communications unit configured to encrypt and decrypt messages through at least one of the intra vehicle communications unit and the external communications unit.

20. A helicopter, comprising:

a plurality of controls for manually controlling the operation of the helicopter by a human pilot;

a plurality of actuator pairs respectively associated with each control, each actuator pair comprising first and second actuators connected in series with each other, the first actuator having partial authority and the second actuator having a full authority, the bandwidth of the first actuator being higher than the bandwidth of the second actuator to provide an enhanced bandwidth capability;

an electromechanical clutch associated with each actuator pair for selectively engaging each of the first and second actuators of the actuator pair with its associated control and disengaging it therefrom independently of the other actuator of the actuator pair; and

,

means for operating each actuator pair and associated clutch, the operating means being selectively enabled to provide unmanned operation of the helicopter and disabled during flight to provide manned operation of the helicopter by the human pilot.