System and method for fuselage stabilization in free-wing aircraft

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to controlling aircraft elevons to stabilize a free-wing aircraft fuselage. In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and a memory storing machine-readable instructions. These instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: 1) measure a fuselage pitch property of the aircraft wherein the fuselage and wing assemblies of the aircraft are free to rotate independently of each other about a pitch axis of the aircraft; 2) measuring a wing pitch angle of the wing assembly; and 3) controlling the angle of the lifting aileron of the wing assembly based on the fuselage pitch attribute and the wing pitch angle.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The subject matter described herein relates generally to a free wing aircraft, and more particularly, to stabilizing a fuselage of a free wing aircraft in a vertical flight mode. BACKGROUND

[0002] In an airplane, air flows over the wings to create lift as the airplane moves forward. Therefore, the airplane must move in the horizontal direction to stay in the air. In a helicopter, lift is created by horizontally rotating propellers. Therefore, a helicopter has the ability to take off and land vertically (VTOL) and can hover in the air. However, a helicopter does not fly as fast in the horizontal direction as an airplane. A free wing aircraft combines the forward flight characteristics of a fixed wing aircraft (i.e., an airplane) with the VTOL and hovering capabilities of a helicopter.

[0003] A free wing aircraft has a wing that can be pivoted independently of the fuselage about a pitch axis of the aircraft. This is achieved by connecting the wing and the fuselage via bearings or bushings that can freely (i.e., with minimal mechanical friction or damping) pivot in the pitch direction. Between the fuselage and the wing, all other degrees of freedom (roll, yaw, heave, sway, surge) are rigidly connected. A propeller can be attached to the wing to drive the free wing aircraft. When the wing is in a horizontal state, the propeller pushes the free wing aircraft forward for horizontal flight. When the wing is in a vertical state, the propeller enables vertical flight. The combination of vertical and horizontal flight modes creates an aircraft that has the low infrastructure requirements of a helicopter with the efficiency of an airplane. Overall, enhanced VTOL free wing operation can make the application of such an aircraft more efficient and more widespread. SUMMARY

[0004] In one embodiment, example systems and methods relate to a way to improve the stability of a fuselage of an aircraft that has a fuselage and a wing independently pivoted about a pitch axis (i.e., a free wing aircraft).

[0005] In one embodiment, a control system for enhancing free wing fuselage stability is disclosed. An elevon is a movable device mounted on the trailing edge of a wing. The elevon combines the operation of an airplane elevator for pitch control and an airplane aileron for roll control. The elevon control system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to measure a fuselage pitch property of an aircraft. The fuselage and wing assembly of the aircraft are free to rotate independently of each other about a pitch axis of the aircraft. The memory also stores machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to measure a wing pitch angle of the wing assembly and control an angle of an elevon of the wing assembly based on the fuselage pitch property and the wing pitch angle.

[0006] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions that control the angle of the elevons stabilize the fuselage when the aircraft is in the vertical flight mode.

[0007] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions further include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine when the aircraft is in the horizontal flight mode, and the machine-readable instructions that control the angle of the elevons include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the angle of the elevons based on the wing pitch angle rather than the fuselage pitch attribute when the aircraft is in the horizontal flight mode.

[0008] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions that determine when the aircraft is in the horizontal flight mode include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine that the aircraft is in the horizontal flight mode when the airspeed of the aircraft is greater than a predetermined value.

[0009] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions that determine when the aircraft is in the horizontal flight mode include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine that the aircraft is in the horizontal flight mode when the wing pitch angle of the wing assembly is less than a predetermined value.

[0010] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions further include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to gradually decrease the weight of the fuselage pitch attribute in the elevon control as the aircraft transitions from the vertical flight mode to the horizontal flight mode.

[0011] In one embodiment, the fuselage pitch attribute is a fuselage pitch rate, and the machine-readable instructions that control the angle of the elevons of the wing assembly counteract the oscillation of the fuselage when the aircraft is in the vertical flight mode.

[0012] In one embodiment, the fuselage pitch attribute is a fuselage pitch angle, and the machine-readable instructions that control the angle of the elevons of the wing position the fuselage at a predetermined pitch angle.

[0013] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions that control the angle of the elevons include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to set the angle of the elevons such that the wing pitch angle decreases to counteract the pitch of the fuselage when the pitch of the fuselage places the center of mass of the fuselage forward of the pivot point of the wing assembly.

[0014] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions that control the angle of the elevons include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to set the angle of the elevons such that the wing pitch angle increases to counteract the pitch of the fuselage when the pitch of the fuselage places the center of mass of the fuselage rearward of the pivot point of the wing assembly.

[0015] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions further include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive wing attitude commands, and the machine-readable instructions for controlling the angle of the elevons further include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the angle of the elevons based on the wing attitude commands.

[0016] In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium for enhancing the stability of a free-wing fuselage is disclosed. The non-transitory computer-readable medium contains instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform one or more functions. The instructions include instructions to measure the fuselage pitch rate or angle of the aircraft when the aircraft is in vertical flight mode. The fuselage and wing assembly of the aircraft rotate freely about the aircraft's pitch axis independently of each other. The instructions include measuring the wing pitch angle of the wing assembly and instructions to adjust the pitch of the wing assembly by controlling the angle of the elevons of the wing assembly based on the fuselage pitch attributes and the wing pitch angle. The adjustment of the wing assembly pitch suppresses the fuselage pitch rate.

[0017] In one embodiment, the machine-readable command controlling the angle of the elliptic stabilizes the fuselage when the aircraft is in vertical flight mode.

[0018] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions further include, when executed by the processor, instructions that cause the processor to determine when the aircraft is in a level flight mode, and the machine-readable instructions for controlling the angle of the elevons include, when executed by the processor, instructions that cause the processor to control the angle of the elevons based on the wing pitch angle rather than the fuselage pitch attribute when the aircraft is in a level flight mode.

[0019] In one embodiment, the machine-readable instructions further include, when executed by the processor, instructions that cause the processor to gradually reduce the weight of the fuselage pitch attribute in the elliptic control as the aircraft transitions from a vertical flight mode to a horizontal flight mode.

[0020] In one embodiment, a method for controlling an elevon to stabilize a free-wing fuselage is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes measuring the fuselage pitch properties of the aircraft. The fuselage and wing assembly of the aircraft rotate independently of each other about the aircraft's pitch axis. The method further includes measuring the wing pitch angle of the wing assembly and controlling the angle of the elevon of the wing assembly based on the fuselage pitch properties and the wing pitch angle. This control stabilizes the wing and fuselage when the aircraft is in vertical flight mode.

[0021] In one embodiment, measuring fuselage pitch attributes includes measuring fuselage pitch rate, and the control of the elliptic angle counteracts fuselage sway when the aircraft is in vertical flight mode.

[0022] In one embodiment, the method further includes determining when the aircraft is in a level flight mode, and controlling the angle of the elevons includes controlling the angle of the elevons based on the wing pitch angle rather than the fuselage pitch attribute when the aircraft is in a level flight mode.

[0023] In one embodiment, when the center of gravity of the fuselage is in front of the pivot point of the wing assembly, the angle of the elevon is controlled to reduce the wing pitch angle, and when the center of gravity of the fuselage is behind the pivot point of the wing assembly, the angle of the elevon is controlled to increase the wing pitch angle.

[0024] In one embodiment, the method further includes receiving a wing attitude command for the wing assembly, and controlling the angle of the elevons based on the wing attitude command. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various systems, methods, and other embodiments of this disclosure. It should be appreciated that the element boundaries illustrated in the drawings (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) represent one embodiment of a boundary. In some embodiments, one element may be designed as multiple elements, or multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some embodiments, an element representing an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component, and vice versa. Furthermore, the individual elements may not be drawn to scale.

[0026] Figure 1A and Figure 1B The illustration shows an embodiment of a free-wing aircraft in which the systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented.

[0027] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates an embodiment of an elevator control system associated with the fuselage of a stabilized free-wing aircraft.

[0028] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates an embodiment of elevator control for stabilizing the fuselage of a free-wing aircraft.

[0029] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates an embodiment of elevator control for stabilizing the fuselage of a free-wing aircraft.

[0030] Figure 5 This illustration shows an embodiment of elevator control for stabilizing the fuselage of a free-wing aircraft.

[0031] Figure 6 The diagram illustrates a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for associating with the fuselage of a stable free-wing aircraft.

[0032] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates the control loop of the elevator control system associated with the fuselage of a stabilized free-wing aircraft. Detailed Implementation

[0033] This document discloses systems, methods, and other embodiments related to improving the operation of free-wing aircraft. As previously mentioned, helicopters and airplanes are aircraft with different functions. Some aircraft attempt to combine the functions of helicopters and airplanes into a single aircraft. For example, some hovering aircraft add components or actuators to achieve forward flight. Tiltrotors and tiltrotor aircraft drive the thrust lines of two rotors from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction. Other aircraft add horizontal thrusters separate from the vertical rotor. Multi-rotor aircraft with six or more rotors are another example; they can tolerate partial power unit failure. Some aircraft combine some or all of the above features into VTOL aircraft with many thrusters. The above methods increase the number of components, generally increase the weight and drag of the aircraft, and may sacrifice system reliability.

[0034] A free-wing aircraft is an example of an aircraft that combines the functions of both a helicopter and an airplane (i.e., it is a VTOL aircraft capable of both horizontal and vertical flight), with fewer parts and a lighter weight compared to other solutions. A free-wing aircraft is an aircraft in which the wings and fuselage rotate and pivot independently about a pitch axis. The wings and fuselage are connected via bearings or bushings. The wings and fuselage pivot freely relative to each other and relative to the ground on the pitch axis.

[0035] In contrast, tilt-wing aircraft use actuators to precisely control the angle between the wing and fuselage. As described in this article, free-wing aircraft do not include wing actuators, thus reducing weight and eliminating a critical point of failure. Tail-sitting aircraft have wings and fuselage permanently attached at a fixed angle; therefore, actuators are not required. In tail-sitting aircraft, the fuselage is oriented almost vertically during takeoff and landing. As described in this article, the fuselage of a free-wing aircraft typically remains level throughout all phases of flight.

[0036] Compared to tilt-wing and tail-sitting aircraft, free-wing aircraft achieve flight control through wing attitude independent of the fuselage's pitch attitude. This independence of the wing reduces inertia on the pitch axis by 80-90%, allowing for extremely rapid pitch control. This reduction in inertia is attributed to the proportional relationship between inertia, mass, and the square of the distance of mass from the axis (I=md). 2The mass in the laterally extending (left and right) wings tends to be closer to the pitch axis. In contrast, the mass in the longitudinally extending (front and rear) fuselage tends to be farther from the pitch axis. Furthermore, the wings of a free-wing aircraft can be very lightweight, consisting only of the fuselage, four actuators (electric motors and control surfaces), and an inertial measurement unit. Heavy loads such as payload, batteries and / or fuel, and electronic systems can be attached to the fuselage.

[0037] While providing aircraft capable of level flight and hovering expands their capabilities, achieving this remains challenging for several reasons. For instance, during forward level flight, the fuselage of a free-wing aircraft is passively stabilized on the pitch axis as airflow passes over the horizontal stabilizer on the tail assembly. However, during hovering or vertical flight, there is no airflow over the horizontal stabilizer; therefore, the fuselage cannot be passively stabilized on the pitch axis. The fuselage motion during vertical / hovering flight has an impact on mission performance ranging from minor disturbance to severe impediment. In some cases, fuselage pitch can change upward or downward in an unrestricted manner. Changes in pitch angle negatively affect flight control. That is, controlling the aircraft becomes difficult when the aircraft's mass (i.e., the fuselage) is constantly changing position and altering the aircraft's response to pilot commands.

[0038] Changes in pitch attitude can also affect sensor performance. That is, free-wing aircraft may be equipped with various sensors and / or cameras. Airframe swaying can negatively impact the performance and output of these various sensors and / or cameras. For example, the airframe may contain a laser altimeter or any other type of altimeter that records the aircraft's precise altitude. The altimeter's measurements are used for various functions, such as aircraft landing and vertical navigation. Changes in sensor position caused by airframe swaying, such as those described above, make certain operations difficult, such as accurately and smoothly landing the aircraft without damaging it or any payload.

[0039] For example, cameras on free-wing aircraft can be used to capture high-resolution images and / or videos of the area beneath the aircraft, such as locating injured persons during search and rescue missions. The swaying of the aircraft reduces the camera's ability to provide clear and focused images and / or videos.

[0040] Therefore, this specification describes an aircraft capable of hovering and vertical flight like a helicopter, and also capable of forward flight like an airplane. This aircraft has fewer components and actuators, resulting in reduced aerodynamic drag, and provides fuselage stability during flight. Specifically, this specification describes an elevator control system that stabilizes the aircraft in vertical flight mode by using a closed wing control loop via a fuselage pitch sensor. Any pitch movement of the fuselage can be counteracted by rotating the wing forward or backward.

[0041] As described above, the wing is stabilized by adjusting the elevons on its trailing edge, which are located within the range of the blower airflow generated by the propeller. Wing stabilization is achieved through closed-loop control of the wing's pitch attitude. The wing's high maneuverability can also be used to stabilize the fuselage. This is achieved by introducing a fuselage pitch rate or attitude error term into the wing control loop. Thus, fuselage stabilization is added to the wing stabilization task.

[0042] Although the systems and methods described in this paper assume that the fuselage center of gravity is located at a certain vertical distance from the wing pivot to avoid the tendency of natural rollover, these systems and methods can also stabilize aircraft with a high center of gravity.

[0043] Thus, compared to other configurations, the disclosed systems, methods, and other embodiments improve the airframe stability of free-wing aircraft while reducing the number of components, weight, and drag. Specifically, the wing pitch attitude is controlled using actuated control surfaces (e.g., elevons) immersed in the propeller airflow. The airframe requires no active stabilization equipment and can hang freely. Therefore, the free-wing aircraft described herein achieves hovering control and forward flight while maintaining a minimum of four actuators: two electric motors and two control surfaces.

[0044] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term "vertical flight mode" refers to a mode in which the pitch angle of the wing assembly of an aircraft is generally perpendicular to the horizon. Vertical flight modes include VTOL, vertical flight (i.e., up-and-down flight), and hovering.

[0045] Furthermore, the term "horizontal flight mode" as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to a mode in which the pitch angle of the wing assembly of an aircraft is generally parallel to the horizon.

[0046] Furthermore, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the term "elephant" refers to a movable device mounted on the trailing edge of the wing. An elephant combines the functions of an aircraft elevator for pitch control and an aircraft aileron for roll control.

[0047] See Figure 1A and Figure 1B The diagram illustrates an example of an aircraft 100 in which the systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented. Aircraft 100 is a free-wing aircraft in which the wing assembly (comprising two wings 102) rotates independently of the fuselage 106. Some possible components of aircraft 100 are shown in... Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe figures below, together with the accompanying drawings, will be described. It should also be appreciated that, for the sake of simplicity and clarity of illustration, reference numerals are repeated where appropriate between different figures to indicate corresponding or similar elements. Furthermore, numerous specific details are outlined in the discussion to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described herein can be practiced using various combinations of these elements. In any case, the aircraft 100 includes an elliptical control system 112 implemented for carrying out the methods and other functions disclosed herein related to improving fuselage stability during vertical flight and / or hovering flight.

[0048] Aircraft 100 includes a fuselage 106, or body, which houses mechanical, electrical, and / or control systems. As described above, aircraft 100 can have various uses, and flight control components, as well as use-specific components, can be housed within the fuselage 106. As a specific example, aircraft 100 can be unmanned. In this case, fuselage 106 houses a communication system for receiving and executing commands from a remote operator. In another example, aircraft 100 is locally operated by a pilot on board aircraft 100. In this example, fuselage 106 includes a cockpit where the pilot sits to control aircraft 100.

[0049] The aircraft 100 also includes wings 102 pivotally coupled to the fuselage 106. The wings 102, when combined, are referred to as a wing assembly. As described above, the wings 102 rotate or pivot independently of the fuselage 106 about the pitch axis 110 of the aircraft 100. Therefore, the wings 102 and the fuselage 106 are coupled together via bearings or bushings that can pivot freely in the pitch direction (i.e., with minimal mechanical friction or damping). In one example, the wings 102 are rigidly coupled to each other, such that the entire wing assembly rotates as a single unit independently of the fuselage 106. In another example, each wing 102 can rotate independently relative to the other wing and the fuselage 106 about the pitch axis 110.

[0050] Wing pitch is controlled by elevons 104. Elevons 104 are attached to the wing 102 and act as control surfaces in the airflow scouring the propeller driving the aircraft 100. By adjusting the pitch of the elevons 104 relative to the length dimension of the wing 102, the airfoil of the wing 102 is changed. The length dimension of the wing as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to the dimension extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing 102. Changing the airfoil of the wing 102 alters the airflow over the wing 102, generating a pitching moment and changing the pitch angle of the wing assembly. As described above, the aircraft 100 is capable of performing actions such as... Figure 1A The horizontal or forward flight shown, and asFigure 1B The vertical / hovering flight is shown. Switching between these two modes is achieved by altering the airflow dynamics above wing 102, specifically by changing the angle of the elevon 104 relative to the length dimension of wing 102.

[0051] The aircraft 100 also includes a horizontal stabilizer 108 for stabilizing the fuselage 106 during level or forward flight. However, as described above, when... Figure 1B As shown, in vertical flight mode (e.g., during VTOL, vertical flight, and hovering), there is no airflow above the horizontal stabilizer 108, making it impossible for the fuselage 106 to be passively stabilized during vertical flight. Therefore, the aircraft 100 includes an elevon control system 112, which controls and stabilizes the wing 102 not only during forward and vertical flight but also controls the elevons 104 to stabilize the fuselage 106 during vertical flight. That is, the elevons 104 of the aircraft 100 can be positioned to counteract the swaying of the fuselage 106. Figures 3-5 The image depicts an example of the control of the elevons 104 to counteract or cancel the swaying of the fuselage 106.

[0052] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates one embodiment of an elevon control system 112 for a stabilized free-wing aircraft fuselage 106. The elevon control system 112 is shown including a processor 218. In one or more embodiments, the processor 218 may be the main processor / centralized processor of the aircraft 100, or it may represent multiple distributed processing units. For example, the processor 218 may be an electronic control unit (ECU). Alternatively or additionally, the processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microcontroller, a system-on-a-chip (SoC), and / or other electronic processing units that support the operation of the aircraft 100.

[0053] Processor 218 may be part of elevon control system 112, which may include a processor separate from processor 218 of aircraft 100, or elevon control system 112 may access processor 218 via a data bus or other communication path separate from aircraft 100. In one embodiment, elevon control system 112 includes memory 220 storing detection module 222 and command module 224. Memory 220 is random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), hard disk drive, flash memory, or other suitable memory for storing modules 222 and 224. Modules 222 and 224 are, for example, computer-readable instructions that, when executed by processor 218, cause processor 218 to perform the various functions disclosed herein. Alternatively, modules 222 and 224 are elements independent of memory 220, such as being composed of hardware elements. Thus, modules 222 and 224 may be ASICs, hardware-based controllers, combinations of logic gates, or other hardware-based solutions.

[0054] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the elliptical aileron control system 112 includes a data storage repository 214. The data storage repository 214 may consist of volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. Examples of memory constituting the data storage repository 214 include RAM (Random Access Memory), flash memory, ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), registers, disks, optical disks, hard disks, solid-state drives (SSDs), and / or other non-transitory electronic storage media. In one configuration, the data storage repository 214 is a component of the processor 218. Typically, the data storage repository 214 is operatively connected to the processor 218 for use by the processor 218. The term "operatively connected" as used throughout this specification can include direct or indirect connections, including connections without direct physical contact.

[0055] In one embodiment, data repository 214 is an electronic data structure stored in memory 220 or other data storage device, configured with routines executable by processor 218 to analyze, provide, organize, etc., the stored data. Thus, in one embodiment, data repository 214 stores data used by modules 222 and 224 in performing various functions. In one embodiment, data repository 214 stores sensor data 216 and, for example, metadata characterizing various aspects of the sensor data 216. In one or more embodiments, one or more data repositories 214 contain various data elements to support the functions of aircraft 100, such as vertical and horizontal flight. Therefore, data repository 214 may store map data and / or sensor data 216. In at least one method, the map data includes maps of one or more geographic areas.

[0056] Sensor data 216 is data provided by one or more sensors from sensor system 228 of aircraft 100. Therefore, sensor data 216 may include observations of the environment surrounding aircraft 100 and / or information about aircraft 100 itself. As described herein, "sensor" means an electronic and / or mechanical device that generates an output (e.g., an electrical signal) in response to physical phenomena such as electromagnetic radiation (EMR) or sound. Sensor system 228 and / or one or more sensors may be operatively connected to processor 218, data repository 214, and / or other elements of aircraft 100. In some cases, one or more data repositories 214 located on aircraft 100 store at least a portion of map data and / or sensor data 216. Alternatively or additionally, at least a portion of map data and / or sensor data 216 may be located in one or more data repositories 214 located remotely from aircraft 100.

[0057] This document will describe various examples of different types of sensors. However, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the specific sensors described. In various configurations, sensor system 228 includes one or more aircraft sensors and / or one or more environmental sensors. The aircraft sensors are used to sense information about the aircraft 100 itself. In one or more embodiments, the aircraft sensors include one or more pitch sensors, accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, inertial measurement units (IMUs), global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), global positioning systems (GPS), and / or other sensors for monitoring various aspects of the aircraft 100.

[0058] As described above, sensor system 228 may include one or more environmental sensors that sense the surrounding environment (e.g., external environment) of aircraft 100. For example, one or more environmental sensors sense objects in the surrounding environment of aircraft 100. Such obstacles may be stationary objects and / or moving objects. Various examples of sensors for sensor system 228 will be described herein. Example sensors may be part of one or more environmental sensors and / or one or more vehicle sensors. However, it should be understood that embodiments are not limited to the specific sensors described. For example, in one or more embodiments, sensor system 228 includes one or more fuselage pitch attribute sensors and wing pitch attribute sensors.

[0059] Sensor data 216 contains the output of the fuselage pitch sensor and indicates various fuselage pitch attributes. For example, the fuselage pitch sensor may output the pitch angle of the fuselage 106, which is the angle of the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 106 relative to the horizon. In one example, the fuselage pitch sensor outputs the pitch rate of the fuselage 106, which is the rate of change of the pitch angle over time. In another example, the fuselage pitch sensor outputs both the pitch angle and the pitch rate of the fuselage 106. In either case, the output of the fuselage pitch sensor is stored in sensor data 216 and used by command module 224 to control the elevons 104 of the aircraft 100.

[0060] Sensor data 216 also includes the output of the wing pitch sensor. Similar to the fuselage pitch sensor, the wing pitch sensor outputs at least one of the wing pitch angle and wing pitch rate. In either case, the output of the wing pitch sensor is stored in sensor data 216 and used by command module 224 to control the elevons 104 of the aircraft 100. In other words, command module 224 relies on both wing pitch attributes and fuselage pitch attributes when controlling the elevons 104. Therefore, when the aircraft 100 is in vertical flight mode, elevon control stabilizes the wing and fuselage.

[0061] As previously described, the aircraft 100 may include one or more modules, at least some of which are described herein. In at least one embodiment, these modules are implemented, when executed by the processor 218, as non-transitory computer-readable instructions to perform one or more of the various functions described herein. In various embodiments, one or more of these modules are components of the processor 218, or one or more of these modules execute on and / or are distributed among other processing systems to which the processor 218 is operatively connected. Alternatively or additionally, one or more modules are at least partially implemented in hardware. For example, one or more modules may consist of a combination of logic gates (e.g., metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs)) arranged to implement the described functions, an ASIC, a programmable logic array (PLA), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and / or other electronic hardware-based implementations implementing the described functions. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, one or more of these modules may be distributed among a plurality of modules described herein. In one or more embodiments, two or more of the modules described herein may be combined into a single module.

[0062] In one embodiment, the detection module 222 includes instructions to cause the processor 218 to measure the fuselage pitch attributes of the aircraft 100 and to measure the wing pitch angle of the wing assembly. Specifically, the detection module 222 typically includes instructions to control the processor 218 to receive data input from one or more sensors of the aircraft 100. In one embodiment, these inputs are fuselage pitch attributes and wing pitch attributes. In different embodiments, the detection module 222 may receive different types of fuselage pitch attributes and wing pitch attributes or combinations thereof. For example, a fuselage pitch attribute may be a fuselage pitch angle, which is the absolute angle of the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 106 relative to the horizon. In this example, control of the angle of the elevons 104 of the wing 102 positions the fuselage 106 at a predetermined pitch angle. For example, it may be desirable to keep the fuselage 106 in 0 degrees pitch, i.e., parallel to the horizon. In this example, the elevons 104 move to keep the fuselage 106 in 0 degrees pitch.

[0063] In another example, the fuselage pitch attribute is the fuselage pitch rate, or the rate of change of the orientation of fuselage 106 relative to a reference frame such as the horizon. In this example, when the aircraft 100 is in vertical flight mode, control of the angle of the elevons 104 of wing 102 can counteract the sway of fuselage 106. That is, the elevons 104 suppress the pitch rate of fuselage 106, thereby shortening the time it takes for fuselage 106 to reach its equilibrium position. In this case, the fuselage pitch attitude is omitted in the elevon control loop, so that the absolute pitch angle of fuselage 106 may vary depending on factors such as payload. That is, for various reasons, it may be desirable for the stable position of fuselage 106 to be not horizontal (e.g., some degree of nose-up or nose-down). When the fuselage pitch attribute is the fuselage pitch rate rather than the fuselage pitch angle, fuselage 106 can maintain this non-horizontal stable pitch attitude. Similarly, the wing pitch attribute can be the wing pitch attitude, the wing pitch rate, or a combination thereof.

[0064] In one embodiment, the detection module 222 is also configured to perform tasks other than controlling the corresponding pitch sensor to acquire and provide sensor data 216. For example, the detection module 222 determines the flight mode of the aircraft 100. As described above, the aircraft 100 can be in a horizontal flight mode in which the wing assembly has a relatively horizontal pitch angle. The aircraft 100 can also operate in a vertical flight mode, which includes situations where the aircraft flies vertically (e.g., up or down) or hovers at a constant altitude. Typically, when the aircraft 100 is in a vertical flight mode, fuselage stabilization is achieved through elevon control. That is, when the aircraft 100 is in a vertical flight mode, the angle control of the elevon 104 stabilizes the fuselage 106, while it does not when the aircraft 100 is in a horizontal flight mode. This is because in a horizontal flight mode, fuselage stabilization via elevon control is unnecessary, as fuselage stabilization is generated by the airflow above the horizontal stabilizer 108. Furthermore, feeding fuselage pitch attribute information to the command module 224 during horizontal flight may introduce noise into the control of the elevon 104.

[0065] Therefore, the detection module 222 relies on sensor data 216 from the sensor system 228 of the aircraft 100 to determine when the aircraft 100 is in level flight mode. In level flight mode, the angle control of the elevons 104 is based on the wing pitch angle rather than the fuselage pitch attribute. In other words, when in vertical flight mode (e.g., hovering or vertical motion), elevon control is based on three inputs: 1) fuselage pitch attribute, 2) wing pitch attribute, and 3) wing attitude command. In contrast, when in level flight mode, elevon control is based on two inputs: 1) wing pitch attribute and 2) wing attitude command.

[0066] Determining whether aircraft 100 is in level flight mode can be accomplished in several ways. In one example, the determination is based on the airspeed of aircraft 100. That is, the airspeed during level flight is generally higher than the airspeed during vertical flight. Therefore, when the airspeed of aircraft 100 is greater than a predetermined value, detection module 222 can determine that aircraft 100 is in level flight mode and take appropriate measures to ensure that elevon control is not based on fuselage pitch attributes. Such appropriate measures may include blocking / interrupting the transmission path between the fuselage pitch sensor and command module 224, or modifying the operation of command module 224 to ignore or not retrieve fuselage pitch attribute information from sensor data 216. To determine the airspeed of aircraft 100, sensor system 228 may include an airspeed sensor, such as a pitot tube connected to a pressure transducer, GPS, or any other sensor used to determine aircraft airspeed. In this example, sensor data 216 may also include a threshold for comparison with airspeed to determine whether to implement fuselage stabilization based on elevons.

[0067] In one example, the determination is based on the pitch angle of the wing assembly of the aircraft 100. The wing assembly pitch angle during level flight is typically smaller than that during vertical flight. Therefore, when the wing assembly pitch angle is less than a predetermined value, the detection module 222 can determine that the aircraft 100 is in level flight mode and take appropriate measures to ensure that the elevon control is not based on the fuselage pitch attribute. Such appropriate measures may include blocking / interrupting the transmission path between the fuselage pitch sensor and the command module 224, or modifying the operation of the command module 224 to ignore or not retrieve fuselage pitch attribute information from the sensor data 216. In this example, the sensor data 216 may also include a threshold for comparison with the wing pitch angle to determine whether to implement fuselage stabilization based on the elevon.

[0068] Both of the aforementioned examples describe the discrete disabling of fuselage stability functions by the elevons 104 once level flight is achieved. In another example, fuselage stability functions may be gradually deactivated as the wing 102 transitions from vertical to horizontal mode and / or as airspeed increases. For example, as... Figure 6 As shown, the fuselage stability gain can be multiplied by the trigonometric sine of the wing's angle relative to the horizon, thus varying from a value of 1 in the vertical attitude to a value of 0 in the horizontal attitude. In another example, Figure 6 The gain can be multiplied by a term proportional to the airspeed, or by a power of the airspeed, so that the gain becomes 0 when the airspeed exceeds a predetermined airspeed.

[0069] As specified herein, in one embodiment, detection module 222 acquires sensor data 216, including pitch sensor data. In another embodiment, detection module 222 acquires sensor data 216 from other sensors, such as airspeed indicators and input command sensors, as well as other sensors that may be applicable to controlling the elevator 104 to achieve stable flight.

[0070] Therefore, in one embodiment, the detection module 222 controls the corresponding sensors to provide data input in the form of sensor data 216. Additionally, although the detection module 222 is discussed as controlling individual sensors to provide sensor data 216, in one or more embodiments, the detection module 222 may employ other techniques to acquire the sensor data 216, which may be active or passive. For example, the detection module 222 may passively sniff out sensor data 216 from the electronic information streams provided by the individual sensors to other components within the aircraft 100. Furthermore, the detection module 222 may employ various methods to fuse data from multiple sensors when providing sensor data 216. Thus, in one embodiment, sensor data 216 represents a combination of perceptions acquired from multiple sensors.

[0071] In one embodiment, command module 224 includes instructions that cause processor 218 to control the angle of elevon 104 of the wing assembly based on fuselage pitch attributes and wing pitch angle. Command module 224 includes hardware and software components that generate electrical signals for physically moving elevon 104 based on sensor data 216. The following is in conjunction with… Figures 3-5 A specific example of the control of the elliptic 104 by the command module 224 is provided.

[0072] In one example, command module 224 provides control signals to elevon 104 based on other information. For example, elevon 104 changes the pitch and yaw angles of aircraft 100 during hovering flight. Such changes are based on pilot input, whether the pilot is inside or away from aircraft 100. Therefore, elevon control system 112 receives wing attitude commands for the wing assembly from the pilot and controls the angle of elevon 104 based on the received wing attitude commands. In another example, wing attitude commands can be generated autonomously on aircraft 100 without pilot-commanded angles. As part of an autonomous flight control system, wing angles can be autonomously controlled to achieve specific flight speeds, aircraft positions, or other maneuvers.

[0073] Furthermore, the elevon control system 112, located within the aircraft 100, works in conjunction with the communication system 226. Via the communication system 226, the elevon control system 112 receives sensor data 216 from the sensor system 228 according to the principles described herein. Additionally, via the communication system 226, control signals are transmitted to the elevon 104 according to the principles described herein.

[0074] In one example, communication system 226 includes one or more physical buses for transmitting information between connected components. In another example, communication system 226 is a wireless system that communicates with associated components according to one or more wireless communication standards. For example, communication system 226 may include multiple different antennas / transceivers and / or other hardware elements for communicating at different frequencies and according to appropriate protocols. In one embodiment, communication system 226 communicates via a communication protocol, such as WiFi, DSRC, or other suitable protocols for communication between elevon control system 112 and other entities in aircraft 100. Regardless, elevon control system 112 can fully utilize various wireless communication technologies to provide communication with other components of aircraft 100.

[0075] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates an embodiment of elevon control for stabilizing the fuselage 106 of a free-wing aircraft 100. As described above, in horizontal or forward flight, the fuselage 106 is stabilized by the airflow passing through the horizontal stabilizer 108. However, in vertical flight mode, such as Figure 3 As shown, there is no airflow on the horizontal stabilizer 108 to stabilize the fuselage 106. Instead, the fuselage 106 is in a free-suspension state and is prone to swinging back and forth around the pivot point 330. Figure 3 The center of mass 332 of the fuselage 106, the pivot point 330 of the wing 102, and the length dimension 336 of the wing 102 are depicted. Figure 3 The pitch angle 334 of the given aircraft is also described, defined as the angle between the aircraft's longitudinal axis and the horizon. Figure 3 In the example depicted, fuselage 106 has a pitch angle of 0; that is, fuselage 106 is parallel to the horizon.

[0076] Figure 4This diagram illustrates an embodiment of elevon control for stabilizing the fuselage 106 of a free-wing aircraft 100. As described above, the fuselage 106 can freely rotate or pivot about the aircraft's pitch axis 110. For various reasons, including pilot pitch commands, the center of mass 332 of the fuselage 106 may shift forward. When the pitch of the fuselage 106 causes its center of mass 332 to be in front of the pivot point 330 of the wing assembly, the fuselage 106 will yaw to a nose-up position, as indicated by arrow 438. As described above, the yaw motion of the fuselage 106 can be determined by a fuselage pitch angle sensor or a pitch gyroscope sensor.

[0077] In response to the detected oscillation, the elevon control system 112 sets the angle 440 of the elevon 104 to reduce the wing pitch angle, as indicated by arrow 442, to counteract the pitch of the fuselage 106. That is, when the fuselage 106 is in a nose-up position, the elevon control system 112 will operate to move the pivot point 330 forward, thereby counteracting the nose-up movement of the fuselage 106. The elevon control system 112 changes the angle 440 of the elevon 104 relative to the wing 102, as... Figure 4 As shown, this causes the wing assembly to rotate forward, as indicated by arrow 442. The forward orientation of the wing assembly also rotates the propeller thrust in the forward direction, thereby moving the wing pivot point 330 forward. Therefore, the elevon control system 112 suppresses the fuselage pitch rate, thus achieving fuselage stability faster compared to an aircraft whose fuselage pitch rate is not suppressed. In another example, the elevon control system 112 stabilizes the fuselage pitch angle, thus achieving fuselage stability faster compared to an aircraft whose fuselage pitch angle is not stabilized.

[0078] Figure 5 The diagram illustrates an embodiment of elevon control for stabilizing the fuselage 106 of a free-wing aircraft 100. Figure 5 At the point in time shown, the center of mass 332 of fuselage 106 has moved backward. When the pitch of fuselage 106 causes the center of mass 332 of fuselage 106 to be behind the pivot point 330 of the wing assembly, fuselage 106 will swing to a nose-down position, as shown by arrow 544.

[0079] In response to the detected oscillation, the elevon control system 112 sets the angle 440 of the elevon 104, increasing the wing pitch angle, as shown by arrow 546, to counteract the pitch of the fuselage 106. That is, when the fuselage 106 is in a nose-down position, the elevon control system 112 will operate to move the pivot point 330 backward, thereby counteracting the nose-down movement of the fuselage 106. The elevon control system 112 changes the angle 440 of the elevon 104 relative to the wing 102, as shown by arrow 546. Figure 5As shown, this causes the wing assembly to rotate rearward, as indicated by arrow 546. The rearward orientation of the wing assembly also rotates the propeller thrust in the rearward direction, thereby moving the wing pivot point 330 rearward. Therefore, the elevon control system 112 suppresses the fuselage pitch rate, thus achieving fuselage stability faster compared to an aircraft whose fuselage pitch rate is not suppressed. In another example, the elevon control system 112 stabilizes the fuselage pitch angle, thus achieving fuselage stability faster compared to an aircraft whose fuselage pitch angle is not stabilized.

[0080] When the aircraft 100 oscillates around its pitch axis, it can repeat... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The operation described herein enables the elevator aileron control to suppress, counteract, or cancel the natural swaying motion of the fuselage 106, thereby allowing the fuselage 106 to reach the equilibrium position more quickly compared to when the fuselage pitch is not suppressed.

[0081] Combining Figure 6 Other aspects of fuselage stability will be discussed. Figure 6 The diagram illustrates a flowchart of a method 600 related to the control of the elevons 104 to stabilize the fuselage 106 in vertical flight mode. Method 600 is from... Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 2 This discussion is from the perspective of the elevon control system 112. Although method 600 is discussed in conjunction with the elevon control system 112, it should be understood that method 600 is not limited to implementation within the elevon control system 112, but is an example of a system in which method 600 can be implemented. For example, method 600 can be implemented using an analog control system (whether mechanical or electrical) to control fuselage stability by means of wing pitch control.

[0082] At 610, detection module 222 controls sensor system 228 to measure the fuselage pitch attributes of aircraft 100, whereby the wing assembly and fuselage 106 rotate independently about the pitch axis for aircraft 100. At 620, detection module 222 controls sensor system 228 to measure the wing pitch angle of the wing assembly. Detection module 222 controls sensor system 228 to acquire sensor data 216. In one embodiment, detection module 222 controls fuselage pitch sensors and wing pitch sensors of aircraft 100 to observe fuselage pitch attributes (e.g., fuselage pitch angle, fuselage pitch rate) and wing pitch attributes (e.g., wing pitch angle, wing pitch rate), respectively. Therefore, in one embodiment, detection module 222 controls sensors to acquire sensor data 216 of the surrounding environment and aircraft 100.

[0083] Furthermore, in other embodiments, the detection module 222 controls the sensor to acquire sensor data 216 in a continuous iterative or time-step manner. Thus, in one embodiment, the elliptical control system 112 iteratively performs the functions discussed in blocks 610-630 to acquire sensor data 216 and provide information based on the sensor data 216. Additionally, in one embodiment, the detection module 222 performs one or more of the above functions in parallel for independent observations to maintain updated perception.

[0084] At 630, the elevon control system 112, more specifically, the command module 224 controls the angle of the elevon 104 of the wing assembly based on the fuselage pitch attributes and wing pitch attributes. That is, the elevon control system 112 receives the fuselage pitch attributes, wing pitch attributes, and any wing attitude commands as input, and combines them as described above. Figure 4 and Figure 5 The adjusted elevons 104 counteract, offset, and / or suppress the relevant pitch attributes of the fuselage 106 when the aircraft 100 is in vertical flight mode, which includes vertical flight and hovering. When in horizontal wing mode, elevon control based on fuselage pitch can be disengaged, allowing elevon control to be based solely on wing pitch attributes and wing attitude commands to stabilize the wing and perform any intended flight maneuvers during forward flight, while fuselage stability is provided by the horizontal stabilizer 108 on the fuselage 106.

[0085] Figure 7 The diagram illustrates the control loop 746 of the elevon control system 112 associated with the fuselage 106 of a stabilized free-wing aircraft. As described above, wing attitude commands are received from the pilot, whether an onboard pilot or a remote pilot, for example, if the aircraft 100 is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In level flight mode, the wing attitude command is combined with a wing attitude error term derived from wing pitch attributes measured from wing pitch sensors. These two values ​​are combined and processed to generate an elevon command, which is transmitted to the elevon 104 to control the physical angle of the elevon 104 relative to the length dimension 336 of the wing 102.

[0086] In vertical flight mode, the aircraft pitch attribute, i.e., the aircraft pitch attitude or pitch rate, is received and multiplied by a certain gain factor. For example... Figure 7As shown, the processed fuselage pitch attribute signal is combined or added with the wing attitude command and wing attitude measurements to generate the elevon command. Therefore, the elevon command not only considers the pilot's wing attitude command and stabilizes the wing 102 through the wing attitude term, but also stabilizes the fuselage 106 through the fuselage pitch term. Fuselage-stabilized elevon control requires an additional term in the processing loop, namely, the fuselage pitch attribute term. Despite this addition, the workload of the elevon 104 is actually reduced because considering the undamped sway of the fuselage 106 would generate a greater workload for the elevon 104 compared to processing the fuselage pitch attribute command.

[0087] Thus, compared to other configurations, the disclosed systems, methods, and other embodiments improve the airframe stability of free-wing aircraft while reducing the number of components, lowering weight, reducing drag, and simplifying operational complexity. Specifically, controlling the elevons 104 stabilizes not only the wing assembly but also the fuselage 106, while simultaneously reducing the overall workload of the elevons 104 compared to an undamped or unstable fuselage.

[0088] Detailed embodiments are disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended only as examples. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but rather serve merely as the basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to employ the various aspects herein differently in substantially any reasonably detailed structure. Furthermore, the terms and phrases used herein are not limiting, but rather provide an understandable description of various possible implementations. Figure 1- Figure 7 Various embodiments are shown, but the embodiments are not limited to the illustrated structures or applications.

[0089] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or code portion containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions described in the blocks may not occur in the order shown in the drawings. For example, in fact, two blocks shown successively may be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved.

[0090] The systems, components, and / or processes described above can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software, and can be implemented centrally in a single processing system or distributed, in the case of a distributed implementation where different components are distributed across several interconnected processing systems. The systems, components, and / or processes can also be embedded in machine-readable computer-readable storage devices, such as computer program products or other data program storage devices, which tangibly contain machine-executable instructions for performing the methods and processes described herein. These components can also be embedded in application products that include features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein and are capable of executing these methods when loaded into a processing system.

[0091] Furthermore, the solutions described herein can take the form of a computer program product contained in one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program code contained thereon, for example, stored thereon. Any combination of one or more computer-readable media can be utilized. The phrase "computer-readable storage medium" means a non-transitory storage medium. Computer-readable storage media can be, for example, but not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of computer-readable storage media may include the following: portable computer floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc (DVD), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or combinations thereof. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium is, for example, a tangible medium that stores a program for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0092] The program code contained on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, fiber optic, cable, radio frequency (RF), or any suitable combination thereof. The computer program code used to perform the operations of various aspects of this solution may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java™, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0093] The terms “one” and “an” as used herein are defined as one or more. The term “multiple” as used herein is defined as two or more. The term “another” as used herein is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and / or “having” as used herein are defined as including (i.e., open-ended language). The phrase “at least one of… and…” as used herein refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. For example, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” includes only A, only B, only C, or any combination thereof (e.g., AB, AC, BC, or ABC).

[0094] Various aspects herein may be embodied in other forms without departing from their spirit or essential attributes. Therefore, reference should be made to the following claims rather than the foregoing description to indicate its scope.

Claims

1. A system comprising: processor; and The memory stores machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: The aircraft's fuselage pitch properties are measured, in which the fuselage and wing assembly rotate independently of each other around the aircraft's pitch axis. Measure the wing pitch angle of the wing assembly; and The angle of the elevons in the wing assembly is controlled based on the fuselage pitch properties and the wing pitch angle.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the machine-readable command for controlling the angle of the elevator stabilizes the fuselage when the aircraft is in vertical flight mode.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The machine-readable instructions also include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine when the aircraft is in a level flight mode; Furthermore, the machine-readable instructions for controlling the angle of the elevons include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the angle of the elevons based on the wing pitch angle rather than the fuselage pitch attribute when the aircraft is in level flight mode.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the machine-readable instruction for determining when the aircraft is in a level flight mode includes, when executed by the processor, an instruction that causes the processor to determine that the aircraft is in a level flight mode when the airspeed of the aircraft is greater than a predetermined value.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the machine-readable instruction for determining when the aircraft is in a level flight mode includes, when executed by the processor, an instruction that causes the processor to determine that the aircraft is in a level flight mode when the wing pitch angle of the wing assembly is less than a predetermined value.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the machine-readable instructions further include, when executed by the processor, instructions that cause the processor to gradually reduce the weight of the fuselage pitch attribute in the elliptic control as the aircraft transitions from a vertical flight mode to a horizontal flight mode.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The fuselage pitch attribute is the fuselage pitch rate; and The machine-readable command controlling the angle of the elevons of the wing assembly counteracts fuselage sway when the aircraft is in vertical flight mode.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The fuselage pitch attribute is the fuselage pitch angle; and The machine-readable command that controls the angle of the elevons of the wing positions the fuselage at a predetermined pitch angle.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the machine-readable instruction for controlling the angle of the elevon includes an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to set the angle of the elevon when the pitch of the fuselage causes the center of mass of the fuselage to be in front of the pivot point of the wing assembly, such that the wing pitch angle is reduced to counteract the pitch of the fuselage.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the machine-readable instruction for controlling the angle of the elevon includes an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to set the angle of the elevon such that the wing pitch angle increases to counteract the pitch of the fuselage when the fuselage pitch is such that the center of mass of the fuselage is located behind the pivot point of the wing assembly.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The machine-readable instructions also include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive wing attitude commands; and The machine-readable instructions for controlling the angle of the elevons also include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the angle of the elevons based on wing attitude commands.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: When the aircraft is in vertical flight mode, the aircraft's fuselage pitch rate is measured, in which the fuselage and wing assembly of the aircraft rotate independently of each other around the aircraft's pitch axis. Measure the wing pitch angle of the wing assembly; and The pitch of the wing assembly is adjusted by controlling the angle of the elevons of the wing assembly based on the fuselage pitch attributes and the wing pitch angle, wherein the adjustment of the wing assembly pitch suppresses the fuselage pitch rate.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein the machine-readable command for controlling the angle of the elliptic stabilizes the fuselage when the aircraft is in vertical flight mode.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein: The machine-readable instructions also include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine when the aircraft is in level flight mode; and The machine-readable instructions for controlling the angle of the elevons include, when executed by the processor, instructions that cause the processor to control the angle of the elevons based on the wing pitch angle rather than the fuselage pitch attribute when the aircraft is in level flight mode.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein the machine-readable instructions further include, when executed by the processor, instructions that cause the processor to gradually reduce the weight of the fuselage pitch attribute in the elliptic control as the aircraft transitions from a vertical flight mode to a horizontal flight mode.

16. A method comprising: The aircraft's fuselage pitch properties are measured, in which the fuselage and wing assembly rotate independently of each other around the aircraft's pitch axis. Measure the wing pitch angle of the wing assembly; and The angle of the elevons of the wing assembly is controlled based on the fuselage pitch properties and the wing pitch angle, wherein the control stabilizes the wing and fuselage when the aircraft is in vertical flight mode.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: Measuring fuselage pitch attributes includes measuring fuselage pitch rate; and The angle control of the elliptical ailerons counteracts fuselage sway when the aircraft is in vertical flight mode.

18. The method according to claim 16: This also includes determining when the aircraft is in level flight mode; and The control of the elevon angle includes controlling the elevon angle based on the wing pitch angle rather than the fuselage pitch attribute when the aircraft is in level flight mode.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: When the center of gravity of the fuselage is located in front of the pivot point of the wing assembly, control the angle of the elevons to reduce the pitch angle of the wing; as well as When the fuselage's center of gravity is located behind the pivot point of the wing assembly, the angle of the elevons is controlled to increase the wing's pitch angle.

20. The method according to claim 16: It also includes receiving wing attitude commands for the wing assembly; and The angle of the elevons is controlled based on the wing attitude command.

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