Methods and systems for conserving power during hover flight

• US 9,205,921 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Makani Technologies LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chubb, Erik Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/135,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.17, 244/153.A, 244/154, 244/155.R, 244/155.A, 290/44, 290/55, 701/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/022 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/30 Commissioning, e.g. inspection, testing or final adjustment before releasing for production
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/026 for starting-up
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/921 kept aloft due to aerodynamic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0866 specially adapted to captive aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

An example method may include determining a drag force of an apparent wind on an aircraft that is coupled to a ground station via a tether. The method also includes determining a trajectory of the aircraft to a point downwind of the ground station such that the aircraft travelling the trajectory causes the tether to unfurl along a catenary path above ground. The method further includes determining an orientation of the aircraft to travel the trajectory in the apparent wind so that an actuator of the aircraft is configured to provide a vertical thrust in a direction substantially perpendicular to the ground. The method also includes determining a vertical thrust for the aircraft at the orientation to travel the trajectory in the apparent wind. The method also includes providing instructions to cause the actuator of the aircraft to provide the vertical thrust to move the aircraft along the trajectory.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sensing a speed of an apparent wind on an aircraft, wherein the aircraft is coupled to a ground station via a tether;

based on (i) the sensed speed of the apparent wind and (ii) a weight of the tether, determining, by one or more processors, a trajectory of the aircraft to a point downwind of the ground station such that the aircraft travelling the trajectory pulls the tether along a catenary path;

based on the trajectory and a weight of the aircraft, determining a vertical thrust for the aircraft to travel the trajectory in the apparent wind; and

providing instructions to cause an actuator of the aircraft to provide the vertical thrust to move the aircraft along the trajectory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a drag force of the apparent wind on the aircraft based on a density of air, a reference area of the aircraft, or the sensed speed of the apparent wind; and

determining the trajectory based on the drag force.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a drag force of the apparent wind on the aircraft based on a drag coefficient, wherein the drag coefficient indicates a resistance of a surface of the aircraft to air moving against the surface; and

determining the trajectory based on the drag force.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft travelling the trajectory comprises a point common to both the tether and the aircraft travelling the trajectory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the trajectory of the aircraft comprises:

determining an azimuth angle for the trajectory; and

determining an altitude corresponding to a horizontal position on the ground along a line defined by the azimuth angle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the trajectory of the aircraft comprises:

determining the trajectory such that the aircraft traveling the trajectory causes a tension of the tether to have a horizontal component substantially equal to a drag force of the apparent wind on the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the trajectory of the aircraft comprises:

determining the trajectory such that the aircraft traveling the trajectory causes a tension of the tether to have a vertical component substantially equal to a weight of the tether.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the trajectory of the aircraft comprises:

determining the trajectory such that the aircraft traveling the trajectory causes a first portion of the tether to occupy a position on the catenary path previously occupied by a second portion of the tether.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the trajectory of the aircraft comprises:

determining the catenary path based on a length of the tether and a tension of the tether, wherein the tension of the tether is about equal to a drag force of the apparent wind on the aircraft; and

determining a parameter of the catenary path so that;

the catenary path includes a point defined by the horizontal position of the ground station and the altitude of the ground station, and

a minimum altitude of the catenary path occurs within a range of horizontal position bounded by the horizontal position of the ground station and the point downwind of the ground station.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the trajectory of the aircraft further comprises:

determining the parameter of the catenary path so that the minimum altitude of the catenary path is about equal to a predetermined altitude.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the trajectory of the aircraft comprises:

determining a horizontal position corresponding to an endpoint of the trajectory based on a length of the tether, the weight of the tether, and a drag force of the apparent wind on the aircraft.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the trajectory of the aircraft comprises:

determining an altitude corresponding to an endpoint of the trajectory based on a length of the tether, the weight of the tether, and a drag force of the apparent wind on the aircraft.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an orientation of the aircraft to travel the trajectory in the apparent wind so that the actuator of the aircraft is configured to provide the vertical thrust in a direction substantially perpendicular to the ground.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the vertical thrust for the aircraft comprises:

determining the vertical thrust based on a position and a vertical velocity of the aircraft, wherein the actuator providing the vertical thrust and a drag force of the apparent wind on the aircraft pushing the aircraft horizontally cause the aircraft to follow the trajectory.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft includes a tail wing and is engaged in hover flight, and the method further comprises:

receiving data indicating an initial orientation of the aircraft, and a speed and a direction of the apparent wind;

determining a position of the tail wing relative to the direction of the apparent wind configured to cause the apparent wind to produce a rotational force about a pitch axis of the aircraft to rotate the aircraft from the initial orientation to a hover orientation; and

providing instructions to move the tail wing to provide the rotational force to rotate the aircraft to the hover orientation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing instructions to move the tail wing to provide the rotational force to rotate the aircraft to the hover orientation comprises:

providing the instructions based on receiving a notification that a speed of the apparent wind is sufficient to produce the rotational force.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage memory having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a computing device that includes one or more processors, causes the computing device to perform functions comprising:

sensing a speed of an apparent wind on an aircraft, wherein the aircraft is coupled to a ground station via a tether;

based on (i) the sensed speed of the apparent wind and (ii) a weight of the tether, determining a trajectory of the aircraft to a point downwind of the ground station such that the aircraft travelling the trajectory pulls the tether along a catenary path;

based on the trajectory and a weight of the aircraft, determining a vertical thrust for the aircraft to travel the trajectory in the apparent wind; and

providing instructions to cause an actuator of the aircraft to provide the vertical thrust to move the aircraft along the trajectory.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage memory of claim 17, wherein the aircraft travelling the trajectory comprises a point common to both the tether and the aircraft travelling the trajectory.

19. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory configured to store instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

sensing a speed of an apparent wind on an aircraft, wherein the aircraft is coupled to a ground station via a tether;

based on (i) the sensed speed of the apparent wind and (ii) a weight of the tether, determining a trajectory of the aircraft to a point downwind of the ground station such that the aircraft travelling the trajectory pulls the tether along a catenary path;

based on the trajectory and a weight of the aircraft, determining a vertical thrust for the aircraft to travel the trajectory in the apparent wind; and

providing instructions to cause an actuator of the aircraft to provide the vertical thrust to move the aircraft along the trajectory.

20. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the aircraft travelling the trajectory comprises a point common to both the tether and the aircraft travelling the trajectory.