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Rotorcraft autopilot control

  • US 9,868,522 B2
  • Filed: 08/21/2014
  • Issued: 01/16/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A rotorcraft autopilot system, comprising:

  • a series actuator connecting a cockpit control component to a swashplate of a rotorcraft, the series actuator to modify a control input from the cockpit control component to the swashplate through a downstream control component;

    a differential friction system connected to the cockpit control component and the downstream control component, the differential friction system comprising a variable friction device grounded to the rotorcraft proximate the downstream control component, the variable friction device configured to increase or decrease a friction on the downstream control component; and

    wherein the differential friction system is configured to selectively apply the friction on the downstream component to control the series actuator to automatically adjust a position of the cockpit control component during rotorcraft flight based, in part, on a flight mode of the rotorcraft.

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