Aircraft control apparatus, control system and control method

• US 9,650,155 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2013
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Wang, Tao, Zhao, Tao
• Primary Examiner(s): Rephann, Justin
• Application Number:
  US14/020,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20140374541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/20 using radiated signals
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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

Abstract

An aircraft control apparatus, control system, and control method are disclosed. A control apparatus includes: a first control rod configured to have a movement in a first movement direction controlling a motion of an aircraft in a first motion direction, wherein after an external force on the first control rod in the first movement direction is removed, the first control rod automatically returns to a preset position in the first movement direction; wherein the preset position which the first control rod automatically returns to corresponds to the aircraft in the first motion direction maintaining a state of flight; wherein the maintaining state of flight depends on control signals received by the aircraft generated resulting from changes in the external force applied to the control rod in the first movement direction and state signals measured by state measurement sensors carried by the aircraft.

Claims

1. An aircraft control system, comprising:

a remote control apparatus with a first control rod, wherein the first control rod is configured to move in a first movement direction to control a motion of an aircraft in a first motion direction when an external force is applied on the first control rod in the first movement direction,

wherein the remote control apparatus operates to generate one or more control signals, when the first control rod automatically returns to the preset position along the first movement direction after a withdrawal of the external force applied to the first control rod in the first movement direction; and

a fight controller associated with the aircraft, wherein the fight controller operates to control a coupling of a motion of the aircraft and a zooming of a camera carried by the aircraft to maintain a size of an image of a target after receiving said one or more control signals indicating that the first control rod automatically returns to the preset position along the first movement direction.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the fight controller operates to control the aircraft to avoid an obstacle while adjusting the zooming of the camera carried by the aircraft to maintain the size of the image of the target after receiving said one or more control signals indicating that the first control rod automatically returns to the preset position along the first movement direction.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the remote control apparatus further comprises a second control rod configured to control at least one of a translational flight and an orientation of the aircraft, wherein the second control rod automatically returns to a preset position after an external force on the second control rod is withdrawn.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the preset position for the first control rod is a center position along the first movement direction.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the remote control apparatus further comprises a spring apparatus that is configured to drive the first control rod to automatically return to the center position after the external force is withdrawn.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first motion direction is an up and down motion direction of the aircraft.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein a movement of the first control rod in a second movement direction controls an orientation of the aircraft, and wherein the first control rod returns to a center position along the second movement direction after an external force applied on the first control rod in the second movement direction is withdrawn.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein an extent of movement of the first control rod in the first movement direction corresponds proportionally to a motion velocity of the aircraft in the first motion direction.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein a movement of the first control rod in a first movement direction controls the coupling of a motion of the aircraft and the zooming of the camera carried by the aircraft.

10. An aircraft control method, comprising:

controlling, via a fight controller associated with an aircraft, the aircraft to move in a first motion direction, when an external force is applied on a first control rod of a remote control apparatus in a first movement direction;

receiving one or more control signals from the remote control apparatus indicating a return of the first control rod to a preset position along the first movement direction after a withdrawal of the external force applied on the first control rod in the first movement direction;

controlling, via the fight controller, a coupling of a motion of the aircraft and a zooming of a camera carried by the aircraft to maintain a size of an image of a target after receiving said one or more control signals.

11. The control method of claim 10, further comprising:

controlling the aircraft to avoid an obstacle while adjusting the zooming of the camera carried by the aircraft to maintain the size of the image of the target after receiving said one or more control signals.

12. The control method of claim 10, wherein the first motion direction is an up and down motion direction of the aircraft.