System and method for multiple aircraft lifting a common payload

• US 8,370,003 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Justin Eichel, Linda Vu, Peter Szabo, Wilfred So
• Original Assignee: Justin Eichel, Linda Vu, Peter Szabo, Wilfred So
• Inventors: So, Wilfred, Eichel, Justin, Vu, Linda, Szabo, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHARBI, ADAM MOHAMED
• Application Number:
  US12/472,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20090299551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00

Abstract

A system and method are provided for controlling a plurality of aircraft to lift a common payload. The system comprises of multiple aircraft tethered to a common payload, where the group of said aircraft form a swarm that is controlled by a pilot station. Each said aircraft is autonomously stabilized and guided through a swarm avionics unit, which further comprises of sensor, communication, and processing hardware. At the said pilot station, a pilot remotely enters payload destinations, which is processed and communicated to each said aircraft. The method for controlling a multi-aircraft lifting system comprises of first inputting the desired location of the payload, and then determining a series of intermediary payload waypoints. Next, these payload waypoints are used by the swarm waypoint controller to generate individual waypoints for each aircraft; a flight controller for each aircraft moves the aircraft to these individual waypoints.

Claims

1. A multiple-aircraft lifting system comprising:

a plurality of aircraft attached to a payload;

a pilot station processor configured to compute a path for said payload towards a desired payload destination, configured to use said path and a current payload state to compute a desired payload state, and configured to use said current payload state and said desired payload state to compute a respective desired state for each one of said plurality of aircraft to transport said payload along said path; and

a plurality of swarm avionics processors, wherein each one of said plurality of swarm avionics processors is in communication with a flight control system of a respective one of said plurality of aircraft as well as said pilot station processor, and said each one of said plurality of swarm avionics processors in communication with a respective memory for storing a respective aircraft plant model, said each one of said plurality of swarm avionics processors configured to compute one or more actuation signals to move said respective one of said plurality aircraft based on said respective desired state and said respective plant model.

2. The system in claim 1 wherein said pilot station processor is located in any one of a ground station, an ancillary aircraft or one of said plurality of aircraft.

3. The system in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of sensor suites, wherein said each one of said plurality of sensor suites is in communication with a respective one of said plurality of said plurality of swarm avionics processors.

4. The system in claim 3 wherein said each one of said plurality of sensor suites outputs angular and translational position, velocity, and acceleration data pertaining to said respective one of said plurality of aircraft.

5. The system in claim 1 further comprising a payload avionics unit with sensors to provide position data about said payload.

6. The system in claim 5 wherein said payload avionics unit transmits said data to said pilot station processor or to at least one of said plurality of swarm avionics processors, or both.

7. The system in claim 1 wherein said each one of said plurality of aircraft is attached to said payload using a plurality of tethers.

8. The system in claim 7 wherein said plurality of tethers are attached to said payload and said plurality of aircraft using a tethering anchor and said anchor has a release mechanism for detaching said payload from at least one of said plurality of aircraft.

9. The system in claim 1 wherein said plurality of aircraft fly in formation where at least one of said plurality of aircraft is in contact with at least another of said plurality of aircraft.

10. The system in claim 7 wherein each of said plurality of tethers are attached to a tether separating structure located between said plurality of aircraft and said payload.

11. The system in claim 1 wherein said plurality of aircraft comprise one or more helicopters, or one or more airships, or combinations thereof.

12. A method for a plurality of aircraft to lift a payload comprising:

a pilot station computing a path for said payload towards a desired payload destination;

said pilot station using said path and a current payload state to compute a desired payload state;

said pilot station using said current payload state and said desired payload state to compute a respective desired state for each one of said plurality of aircraft to transport said payload along said path;

a plurality of swarm avionics processors, each one of said plurality of swarm avionics processors is in communication with a respective one of said plurality of aircraft, wherein each one of said plurality of swarm avionics processors receives said respective desired state from said pilot station; and

said each one of said plurality of swarm avionics processors computes one or more actuation signals to move said respective one of said plurality of aircraft based on said respective desired state and a respective plant model.

13. The method in claim 12 wherein a user provides said desired payload destination to said pilot station.

14. The method in claim 12 wherein said pilot station computes said path based on a spline path between a current payload state and said desired payload destination.

15. The method in claim 14 wherein said current payload state is calculated by first determining the position of at least on of said plurality of aircraft, and then determining the position of said payload relative to said at least one of said plurality of aircraft.

16. The method in claim 12 wherein said pilot station computes said respective desired state for each one of said plurality of aircraft 13 by determining a next waypoint for said each one of said plurality of aircraft, and then updating a spline for position, velocity and acceleration for said each one of said plurality of aircraft.

17. The method in claim 12 wherein a swarm waypoint controller in said pilot station computes said respective desired state for each one of said plurality of aircraft to also maintain constant relative positioning between said plurality of aircraft.

18. The method in claim 12 wherein if a one or more of said plurality of aircraft are detached from said payload, then the remaining aircraft attached to said payload continue to lift said payload.

19. The method in claim 12 wherein said plurality of aircraft comprise one or more helicopters, or one or more airships, or combinations thereof.