Ground vehicle-like control for remote control aircraft

• US 9,360,868 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Traxxas LP (Traxxas)
• Original Assignee: Traxxas LP (Traxxas)
• Inventors: Erhart, Wesley Ronald, Schmitz, Scott Rollin Michael, Kawamura, Tom, Hohnholt, Richard Douglas, Poteet, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US14/526,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20150202540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/36 Steering-mechanisms for toy vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/38 actuated by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/00 Remote-control arrangements specially adapted for toys, e.g. for toy vehicles steering mechanisms for toy vehicles A63H17/36; for model railways A63H19/24, A63H19/28
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0808 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface

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.

Claims

1. A method for a remote control aircraft offering ground vehicle-like control, the method comprising:

receiving at least one steering angle control input from a transmitter controller;

an electronic state estimation process comprising estimating an attitude, an acceleration, and a velocity of the aircraft;

an electronic steering control process comprising;

mapping a model of a car, the model of a car including a wheel base, comprising mapping the at least one steering angle control input to steering of the model of a car; and

utilizing the mapping of the model of a car, the aircraft velocity estimate, and the at least one steering angle control input to command at least an aircraft yaw rate and an aircraft bank angle; and

an electronic flight control process comprising controlling the aircraft to the aircraft yaw rate and the aircraft bank angle commanded by the steering control process.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a throttle input to control a directional velocity or braking of the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronic flight control process further comprises controlling an altitude of the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of mapping further comprises mapping the at least one steering angle control input to match a plurality of steering angles of the model of a car.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of mapping further comprises mapping the at least one steering angle control input to match one or more turning characteristics of the model of a car.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of mapping further comprises mapping the at least one steering angle control input to match a plurality of turn radii of the model of a car.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic steering control process further comprises steering of the aircraft to match the steering angle of the model of a car that would result from the at least one steering angle control input.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic steering control process further comprises steering of the aircraft to match the turning radius of the model of a car that would result from steering the model of a car using the at least one steering angle control input.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic steering control process further comprises steering of the aircraft to match one or more steering characteristics of the model of a car that would result from the at least one steering angle control input.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic steering control process further comprises the commanded aircraft yaw rate and the commanded aircraft bank angle causing a course flown by the aircraft to match a turn of the model of a car that would result from substantially the same steering angle control input.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic steering control process further comprises the commanded aircraft yaw rate and commanded aircraft bank angle causing the aircraft to turn with a radius matching a turn radius of the model of a car that would result from substantially the same the steering angle control input.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic steering control process further comprises the commanded aircraft yaw rate and commanded aircraft bank angle causing a course flown by the aircraft to match a turn of the model of a car that would result from a steering angle commanded by substantially the same steering angle control input.