Rotorcraft autopilot and methods
First Claim
1. An autopilot system for a helicopter, said autopilot system comprising:
- an inner loop that is configured at least for providing a true attitude estimate for the flight of the helicopter including a given level of redundancy applied to the inner loop; and
an outer, autopilot loop that is configured for providing at least one navigation function with respect to the flight of the helicopter including a different level of redundancy than the inner loop.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A helicopter autopilot system includes an inner loop for attitude hold for the flight of the helicopter including a given level of redundancy applied to the inner loop. An outer loop is configured for providing a navigation function with respect to the flight of the helicopter including a different level of redundancy than the inner loop. An actuator provides a braking force on a linkage that serves to stabilize the flight of the helicopter during a power failure. The actuator is electromechanical and receives electrical drive signals to provide automatic flight control of the helicopter without requiring a hydraulic assistance system in the helicopter. The autopilot can operate the helicopter in a failed mode of the hydraulic assistance system. A number of flight modes are described with associated sensor inputs including rate based and true attitude modes.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An autopilot system for a helicopter, said autopilot system comprising:
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an inner loop that is configured at least for providing a true attitude estimate for the flight of the helicopter including a given level of redundancy applied to the inner loop; and an outer, autopilot loop that is configured for providing at least one navigation function with respect to the flight of the helicopter including a different level of redundancy than the inner loop. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. In an autopilot system for a helicopter, a method comprising:
configuring an inner loop to at least for providing attitude hold for the flight of the helicopter including a given level of redundancy applied to the inner loop and an outer, autopilot loop to provide at least one navigation function with respect to the flight of the helicopter including a different level of redundancy than the inner loop.
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21. An autopilot system for a helicopter, said helicopter including a GPS unit that provides a GPS output, said autopilot system comprising:
a sensor arrangement that is dedicated to the autopilot and that produces a set of sensor outputs to characterize the flight of the helicopter; a control arrangement that receives the GPS output and the sensor outputs and generates electrical drive signals in response thereto, said control arrangement including an outer control loop that is configured to provide at least one navigation function with respect to the flight of the helicopter and an inner control loop that is configured at least for providing attitude hold for the flight of the helicopter, said inner loop including a set of three triplex processors to provide triple redundancy in the generation of said electrical drive signals with each triplex processor generating roll control signals and pitch control signals; and an actuator that is electromechanical and receives said electrical drive signals to generate mechanical control outputs responsive thereto that are mechanically coupled to the helicopter to provide automatic flight control of the helicopter without requiring a hydraulic system in the helicopter. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
Specification