Ground vehicle-like control for remote control aircraft
First Claim
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1. A method of remotely controlling an aircraft, comprising:
- the aircraft receiving one or more an aircraft turn radius control signals from a transmit controller, the one or more turn radius control signals determining a turn radius of the aircraft;
an electronic state estimation process comprising estimating the attitude and speed of the aircraft;
an electronic steering control process comprising commanding a yaw rate and bank angle of the aircraft based at least in part on the speed estimate and the one or more turn radius control signals;
wherein the commanded yaw rate and bank angle cause the aircraft to turn with the turn radius; and
an electronic flight control process comprising controlling the aircraft to the commanded yaw rate and bank angle.
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Abstract
A hand-held radio transmit controller for remotely controlling an aircraft, and a method for controlling a remote control aircraft offering ground vehicle-like control.
64 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of remotely controlling an aircraft, comprising:
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the aircraft receiving one or more an aircraft turn radius control signals from a transmit controller, the one or more turn radius control signals determining a turn radius of the aircraft; an electronic state estimation process comprising estimating the attitude and speed of the aircraft; an electronic steering control process comprising commanding a yaw rate and bank angle of the aircraft based at least in part on the speed estimate and the one or more turn radius control signals; wherein the commanded yaw rate and bank angle cause the aircraft to turn with the turn radius; and an electronic flight control process comprising controlling the aircraft to the commanded yaw rate and bank angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A hand-held radio transmit controller for remotely controlling an aircraft, the controller comprising:
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a trigger; and
a rotatable knob;wherein the radio transmit controller is configured to transmit one or more radio signals for controlling an aircraft, the one or more radio signals comprising; one or more trigger signals corresponding at least to actuation of the trigger; and
one or more rotatable knob signals corresponding at least to the position of the rotatable knob;wherein the one or more trigger signals when transmitted control at least forward motion of an aircraft; and wherein the one or more rotatable knob signals when transmitted control at least a turn radius of the aircraft; wherein the one or more rotatable knob signals command a turn radius of the aircraft emulating a substantially constant turn radius of a ground vehicle; wherein a plurality of the one or more rotatable knob signals command a plurality of predetermined turn radii of the aircraft, herein each of the plurality of predetermined turn radii of the aircraft corresponds to one of a plurality of rotational displacements of the rotatable knob, thereby simulating steering of a ground vehicle; and wherein the predetermined turn radius of the aircraft for each of the plurality of rotational displacements of the rotatable knob corresponds to a steering profile of a ground vehicle, the steering profile comprising each of a plurality of turn radii values corresponding to one of a plurality of different rotational displacement values of the rotatable knob. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method of remotely controlling an aircraft, comprising:
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the aircraft receiving one or more aircraft turn radius control signals from a transmit controller, the one or more turn radius control signals determining a turn radius of the aircraft; an electronic state estimation process comprising estimating the attitude and speed of the aircraft; an electronic steering control process comprising commanding a yaw rate and bank angle of the aircraft based at least in part on the speed estimate and the one or more turn radius control signals; wherein the commanded yaw rate and bank angle cause the aircraft to turn with the turn radius; and wherein the electronic steering control process comprises holding the turn radius substantially constant during variation of at least the speed of the aircraft, thereby emulating steering of a ground vehicle with steered wheels. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification