Semiautonomous flight director

Abstract

A device for programming industry standard autopilots by unskilled pilots. The effect of the invention is such that when the invention is employed in a flying body comprising an industry standard autopilot with a digital flight control system, the invention provides for the safe operation of any aircraft by an unskilled pilot. The device additionally affords skilled pilots a more rapid and simplified means of programming autopilots while in flight thus reducing a skilled pilot's cockpit workload for all aircraft flight and directional steering, way points, and aircraft flight functions reducing the possibility of pilot error so as to effect safer flight operations of an aircraft by affording a skilled pilot to direct aircraft steering and function while under continuous autopilot control.

Description

[0001] This is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 709,488, filed Sep. 6, 1996, and which has been issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,441 on Apr. 6, 1999.BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART[0002] With regard to the prior art apparatuses in contrast to the Semiautonomous Flight Director (SFD) device disclosed herein which supplants pilot's skill in flying an aircraft employing an autopilot; all of the prior art apparatuses require a skilled pilot's knowledge and abilities for safe and / or effective operation of an aircraft employing an autopilot whether manned or unmanned. To one degree or another each prior art apparatus either augments, on a limited basis or assists on a limited basis, a skilled pilot's direct operation of an aircraft's flight controls or they afford a skilled pilot a means by which to better utilize an autopilot while in flight. However, none of the prior art apparatuses supplant's the pilot's skill in flying an aircraft whether manned ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0046] In the case of manned aircraft applications the SFD can significantly reduce a skilled pilots' workload in piloting operations where the aircraft piloted is likewise so equipped with an autopilot having a digital flight control system.

Problems solved by technology

However, none of the prior art apparatuses supplant's the pilot's skill in flying an aircraft whether manned or unmanned.

The SFD on the other hand does not allow direct control of an aircraft's flight controls in order to effect safe flight when the SFD is employed with an autopilot.

As of the date of this application, over eighty-five percent of all UAVs currently being flown in the world today will crash as a result of a UAV pilot's lack of situational awareness and the resulting loss of flight control over the UAV flown regardless of any given UAV pilot's skill and / or experience level.

If the pilot was unskilled in flying the aircraft a crash could occur as a result of placing too much or too little displacement in the control stick or yoke.

This is to say that, in the application of the prior art of U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,880, if an unskilled pilot were to place the control stick into a position and to such a degree that it would cause a negative or dangerous flight maneuver the flight controls of the aircraft flown under autopilot command employing the prior art would likewise place said aircraft in a negative or dangerous flight regime.

This could result in the loss of aerodynamic control of the aircraft if it were not for the prior art's requirement for a trained pilot's skill being necessary in precluding the placing of the control stick in such a position as to cause a dangerous or negative flight regime.

A disadvantage of this prior art device is that it is not applicable to aircraft having flight control systems other than fly by light or fly by wire flight control systems and the system requires operation only by a skilled pilot while overriding an active autopilot.

The system does not however, supplant the skill normally required to pilot a remotely controlled aircraft or helicopter.

The apparatus can not preclude a pilot's placing the aircraft in a negative flight regime however.

It does not however compensate for pilot skill in flying an aircraft or helicopter.

The device cannot be employed by a unskilled pilot safely but rather, is a device that aids a skilled pilot in landing an aircraft or helicopter in inclement weather.

The device cannot be employed to totally fly an aircraft by an unskilled pilot, but rather, can only be employed by a skilled pilot in assisting the skilled pilot in landing an aircraft in the event of wind shear during a land based ILS glide slope assisted landing.

The device does not allow for the autopilot heading changes to be effected safely by an unskilled pilot.

As the pilot's controls effect proportionate linear changes in terms of magnitude in the flight controls the magnitude component of the pilots control over the aircraft flown by the system would, therefore, preclude safe operation of an aircraft employing the system by an unskilled pilot.

As of the date of this application, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policy regarding commercial use of UAVs is very restricted.

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