Flight control method and device, electronic equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a flight control manipulation method and device, electronic equipment and a storage medium. The method comprises the following steps: detecting manual manipulation data when the manipulation mode of the flight control system is in a manual manipulation mode; controlling the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state if the manual manipulation data is detected to be invalid; switching the manipulation mode of the flight control system to a wireless remote control manipulation mode to control the aircraft to fly based on the wireless remote control manipulation mode if a wireless control instruction is received within a first preset time length when the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state; or switching the manipulation mode of the flight control system to an automatic manipulation mode to control the aircraft to land based on the automatic manipulation mode if no wireless control instruction is received within the first preset time length when the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state. The application controls the handover of the three manipulation margin mode permissions of the flight control system, ensures the manipulability of the flight control system, and improves the safety of the aircraft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of computer technology, and more specifically, to a flight control method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of science and technology, electronic devices are being used more and more widely, and their functions are becoming increasingly diverse. For example, the application fields of aircraft are becoming more and more extensive. Among related technologies, as aircraft develop, people's requirements for aircraft safety are becoming increasingly stringent. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, this application proposes a flight control method, device, electronic device and storage medium, which can ensure the controllability of the flight control system and improve the safety of the aircraft by controlling the handover of authority in three control redundancy modes of the flight control system.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a flight control method applied to the flight control system of an aircraft. The flight control system's control modes include a manual control mode, a wireless remote control mode, and an automatic control mode. The method includes: when the flight control system is in the manual control mode, detecting manual control data; if the detected manual control data fails, controlling the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state; if a wireless control command is received within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, switching the flight control system's control mode to the wireless remote control mode to control the aircraft's flight based on the wireless remote control mode; or if no wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, switching the flight control system's control mode to the automatic control mode to control the aircraft's landing based on the automatic control mode.

[0005] Secondly, this application provides a flight control device applied to the flight control system of an aircraft. The flight control system's control modes include a manual control mode, a wireless remote control mode, and an automatic control mode. The device includes: a manual control data detection module, an autonomous hovering module, a wireless control command receiving module, and an automatic control module. The manual control data detection module detects manual control data when the flight control system is in the manual control mode. The autonomous hovering module controls the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state if the detected manual control data failure is detected. The wireless control command receiving module switches the flight control system's control mode to the wireless remote control mode if a wireless control command is received within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, thereby controlling the aircraft's flight based on the wireless remote control mode. The automatic control module switches the flight control system's control mode to the automatic control mode if no wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, thereby controlling the aircraft's landing based on the automatic control mode.

[0006] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is coupled to the processor, the memory stores instructions, and when the instructions are executed by the processor, the processor performs the above-described method.

[0007] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing program code, which can be invoked by a processor to execute the above-described method.

[0008] The flight control method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium provided in this application, when the flight control system is in manual control mode, detect manual control data; if the detected manual control data failure, the aircraft is controlled to enter an autonomous hovering state; if a wireless control command is received within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the flight control system's control mode is switched to a wireless remote control mode to control the aircraft's flight; or if no wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the flight control system's control mode is switched to an automatic control mode. By controlling the handover of authority among the three control redundancy modes of the flight control system, the operability of the flight control system is ensured, and the safety of the aircraft is improved. Attached Figure Description

[0009] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0010] Figure 1 A schematic flowchart of a flight control manipulation method provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0011] Figure 2 A structural block diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0012] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart of a flight control manipulation method provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0013] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of a flight control manipulation method provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0014] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart of a flight control manipulation method provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0015] Figure 6 A block diagram of a flight control device according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0016] Figure 7 A block diagram of an electronic device for performing a flight control method according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0017] Figure 8 An embodiment of the present application shows a storage unit for storing or carrying program code that implements the flight control method according to the embodiment of the present application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] The advent and development of fly-by-wire control systems have greatly enhanced the flight and passenger experience of aircraft. Leveraging the excellent configurability of electrical architecture, related technologies have led to the development of fly-by-wire aircraft that utilize multiple flight control algorithms running on different sub-devices within the flight control system architecture. For example, the Airbus A380's main system architecture consists of three primary flight control and guidance computers and three secondary flight control computers. Its flight control modes include normal control mode, backup control mode, direct control mode, and electrical backup mode, offering extremely high safety, but at an extremely high cost.

[0020] In related technologies, most military and consumer-grade multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems employ different levels of flight control algorithms according to different functional levels. For example, open-source flight control algorithms such as Integrated Navigation (INAV) or Automated People Mover System (APM) can be manually switched to attitude angular rate control, attitude angle control, altitude control, and velocity vector control to achieve different levels of functionality. However, these algorithms often run on a single computer, and the aircraft's control link relies on external wireless remote controller communication. Wireless communication is susceptible to electromagnetic interference, making control signals easily lost and compromising the aircraft's safety.

[0021] Therefore, with the development of aircraft, improving aircraft safety while limiting costs presents a significant challenge.

[0022] To address the aforementioned problems, the inventors, through long-term research, discovered and proposed the flight control manipulation method, device, electronic device, and storage medium provided in the embodiments of this application. By controlling the handover of authority in three control redundancy modes of the flight control system, the operability of the flight control system is ensured, and the safety of the aircraft is improved. The specific flight control manipulation method will be described in detail in the subsequent embodiments.

[0023] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a flight control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown. This flight control method ensures the controllability of the flight control system and improves aircraft safety by controlling the handover of authority between three control redundancy modes of the flight control system. In specific embodiments, this flight control method can be applied to, for example... Figure 6 The flight control device 200 and the electronic equipment 100 equipped with the flight control device 200 are shown. Figure 7 The following will use an electronic device as an example to illustrate the specific process of this embodiment. The electronic device may include the flight control system of an aircraft. The operation modes of the flight control system may include manual operation mode, wireless remote control operation mode, and automatic operation mode. Of course, it is understood that the electronic device used in this embodiment may include drones, flying cars, ships, mobile electronic devices, etc., and is not limited thereto. The following will focus on... Figure 1 The process shown will be described in detail. The flight control method may specifically include the following steps:

[0024] Step S110: When the flight control system is in the manual control mode, detect the manual control data.

[0025] In some implementations, the electronic device may be an unmanned aerial vehicle, a flying car, an aircraft, etc.; wherein the electronic device may include the flight control system of the aircraft, and the operation mode of the flight control system may include manual operation mode, wireless remote control operation mode and automatic operation mode.

[0026] In some implementations, the priority of each control mode of the flight control system can be preset in the electronic device. For example, the priority of the manual control mode is higher than that of the wireless remote control mode, and the priority of the wireless remote control mode is higher than that of the automatic control mode.

[0027] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a structural block diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. The electronic device is a flying car, which is a combination of a car and a multi-rotor aircraft. The flying car may include a flight control computer, a main navigation device, a backup navigation device, a strapdown attitude control device, a positioning and planning unit, a wireless data transmission unit, and a control system, etc.

[0028] The flight control computer can be connected via a data bus to the main navigation equipment, backup navigation equipment, strapdown attitude control equipment, wireless data transmission unit, control system, and positioning and planning unit. The positioning and planning unit can be connected via the data bus to the downward-looking radar and visual sensors, enabling it to obtain three-dimensional image information directly beneath the flying car and its relative position to the ground. Based on this information, it can also generate flight path information for the flying car's safe landing.

[0029] The wireless data transmission unit can communicate wirelessly with the flight control computer via a wireless channel; the control system can receive user control commands and transmit them to the flight control computer via a data bus connected to the flight control computer. The primary navigation, backup navigation, and strapdown attitude control systems can transmit the collected attitude, position, and other information of the flying car to the flight control computer via a data bus connected to the flight control computer.

[0030] In manual control mode, the flight control system can control the flying car based on user-input commands sent by the operating system. In wireless remote control mode, the flight control system can control the flying car based on control commands sent by the wireless data transmission unit. In automatic control mode, the flight control system can acquire route information sent by the positioning and planning unit and control the aircraft to land based on its autonomous landing procedure.

[0031] In some implementations, when the flight control system included in the electronic device is in manual control mode, the flight control system can receive manual control data sent by the control system and detect whether the manual control data is valid.

[0032] The electronic device may include a joystick, and its operating system may include a control system. This control system can acquire information from the joystick's displacement sensor to obtain manual control data input by the user moving the joystick; it can also acquire information from the joystick's pressure sensor to obtain manual control data input by the user pressing the joystick. This manual control data may include commands to control the aircraft's pitch angle, roll, yaw angle, and throttle.

[0033] In some embodiments, the control system may include a data processing unit, which can convert displacement sensing data from the joystick's displacement sensor into electrical signals, and collect pitch, roll, yaw, and throttle commands input by the user based on the control system. The control system can also determine the validity of the acquired electrical signals and user-input commands, and add a validity flag to the valid signals or commands. The validity flag includes an invalid flag or a valid flag. Further, the control system can encapsulate the electrical signals or commands including validity flags into data frames, i.e., manual control data, and send them to the flight control system according to the target cycle. The control system can determine the validity of input commands by using multiple sensors to acquire commands of the same physical property controlling the aircraft's flight. The control system can obtain the average value of the command data collected by multiple sensors and further calculate the difference between the data corresponding to each command and the average value. If the difference is greater than a preset difference, the command is considered invalid.

[0034] Furthermore, the flight control system can receive and parse the manual control data sent by the control system to obtain the period of the data packets corresponding to the manual control data sent by the control system and the validity flags included in the manual control data. Furthermore, the flight control system can detect the validity of the manual control data based on the period of the data packets corresponding to the manual control data sent by the control system and the validity flags included in the manual control data.

[0035] In some embodiments, the flight control manipulation method provided in this application may further include steps S1110-1130 before step 110.

[0036] Step S1110: If the location information of the aircraft is continuously obtained within the fifth preset time period, a fourth prompt message is generated.

[0037] Understandably, the flight control system's acquisition of information regarding the aircraft's position and speed is crucial during flight. When the flight control system loses access to the aircraft's position or speed, it can control the aircraft to enter a hold-altitude or hold-attitude mode to ensure flight safety. Simultaneously, the flight control system continuously assesses the status of the aircraft's position and speed signals. If the flight control system detects the acquisition of position and speed information, it can switch the hold-altitude or hold-attitude mode to a hold-point mode. The hold-altitude mode relies on the acquisition of the aircraft's altitude signal; the hold-point mode relies on the acquisition of the aircraft's position and speed signals.

[0038] In some implementations, if the flight control system continuously acquires the aircraft's position information within a fifth preset time period, a fourth prompt message is generated. The aircraft's position information may include its relative position to the ground, flight speed, etc. The fourth prompt message can be used to indicate that the flight control system's operating mode can be switched. The fourth prompt message can be an interface prompt, a voice prompt, or an indicator light prompt; no limitation is made here.

[0039] For example, when the flight control system loses information such as the aircraft's position or speed and controls the aircraft to enter a fixed altitude or fixed attitude mode, the flight control system can continuously judge the status of the aircraft's position and speed signals. If the flight control system detects that the aircraft's position and speed information has been acquired and has been acquired continuously within a fifth preset time period, it can determine that the flight control system's operation mode can be switched and generate a fourth prompt message.

[0040] In some embodiments, the aircraft including the flight control system may also include an alarm system. After generating a fourth prompt message, the flight control system can send the fourth prompt message to the alarm system. The alarm system then uses audio, voice, and indicator light prompts to notify the user manually controlling the aircraft or the user remotely controlling it wirelessly. In some embodiments, the fourth prompt message can be used to indicate that a high-level control mode of the flight control system is available. Furthermore, the user can set the control mode of the flight control system based on the fourth prompt message, such as setting the control mode of the flight control system to manual control mode. In some embodiments, the fourth prompt message can be used to indicate that the flight control system has the ability to acquire information such as the aircraft's altitude, position, and speed. Furthermore, the user can also use the fourth prompt message to operate the flight control system to switch the aircraft's flight mode to altitude hold mode (altitude information restored) or station hold mode (position and speed information restored).

[0041] Step S1120: Obtain the target instruction based on the input of the four prompts.

[0042] In some implementations, after the flight control system generates the fourth prompt message, it can send the fourth prompt message to the alarm system of the electronic device. Furthermore, the alarm system can use methods such as voice, screen display, or indicator light flashing to convey the content represented by the fourth prompt message, such as setting the flight control system's operating mode, to remind the user. Furthermore, the user can input a target command based on the fourth prompt message. This target command can be a command to set the flight control system's operating mode, or a command to switch the flight control system's mode for controlling the aircraft's flight.

[0043] In some implementations, the flight control system may acquire the target instruction based on the fourth prompt information by detecting the pressing status of buttons on the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the target instruction based on the fourth prompt information if a button is detected being pressed; or by detecting the pressing status of the screen on the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the target instruction based on the fourth prompt information if the screen is detected being pressed; or by analyzing the audio collected by the audio pickup device on the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the target instruction based on the fourth prompt information if an instruction to set the operation mode of the flight control system or an instruction to switch the flight mode of the aircraft is obtained based on the audio.

[0044] Step S1130: In response to the target command, the control mode of the flight control system is set to the manual control mode.

[0045] In some implementations, the priority of the flight control system's operating modes may be that the manual operating mode has a higher priority than the wireless remote control operating mode, and the wireless remote control operating mode has a higher priority than the automatic operating mode; furthermore, after receiving a target command, the flight control system may set its operating mode to manual operating mode in response to the target command.

[0046] In some embodiments, after receiving a target command, the flight control system can, in response to the target command, set its operating mode to a wireless remote control mode. In other embodiments, after receiving a target command, the flight control system can, in response to the target command, set its operating mode to a wireless remote control automatic mode.

[0047] Step S120: If the manual control data is detected to be invalid, the aircraft is controlled to enter an autonomous hovering state.

[0048] In some implementations, after receiving manual control data, the flight control system can detect the validity of the manual control data. Specifically, after receiving the manual control data sent by the control system, the flight control system can parse the manual control data to obtain the period at which the control system sends the manual control data and the identification information included in the manual control data. Furthermore, it can detect the validity of the manual control data based on the period at which the control system sends the manual control data and the identification information included in the manual control data. If the manual control data is detected to be invalid, the system controls the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state.

[0049] In some implementations, if the flight control system detects a failure in manual control data, it can receive the relative position information between the aircraft and the ground from the positioning and planning unit within the aircraft, and connect to the outer loop of the aircraft's control law. By controlling the aircraft's angular rate and velocity, the flight control system can control the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state. The autonomous hovering state can be understood as the aircraft maintaining its position within a spatial change threshold at a certain altitude.

[0050] In some implementations, step S120 may include step S121 or step S122.

[0051] Step S121: If it is detected that the manual control data is not sent according to the target cycle, the manual control data is determined to be invalid, and the aircraft is controlled to enter the autonomous hovering state.

[0052] In some implementations, after the flight control system obtains manual control data, it can parse the manual control data to obtain the transmission cycle of the manual control data; if it detects that the transmission cycle of the manual control data is not transmitted according to the target cycle, it determines that the manual control data is invalid and controls the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state.

[0053] For example, after receiving manual control data sent by the control system, the flight control system can parse the manual control data to obtain the period at which the control system sends the manual control data. If it is detected that the control system does not send the manual control data according to the target period, it is determined that the data communication between the flight control system and the control system has failed, and the manual data has failed. Then, the flight control system will control the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state.

[0054] Step S122: If the identification information included in the manual control data is detected to be invalid, the manual control data is determined to be invalid, and the aircraft is controlled to enter an autonomous hovering state.

[0055] In some implementations, after the flight control system obtains manual control data, it can parse the manual control data to obtain the identification information included in the manual control data, that is, the validity identifier; if the identification information included in the manual control data is detected to be invalid, it is determined that the manual control data is invalid and the aircraft is controlled to enter an autonomous hovering state.

[0056] For example, after receiving manual control data from the control system, the flight control system can parse the data to obtain a validity identifier. If the identifier is invalid, the system determines the data is faulty and invalid, and then controls the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state. In other words, if the flight control system detects a data communication failure with the control system or a data failure in the control system, it can receive the relative position information of the aircraft and the ground from the positioning and planning unit, and connect the flight control system to the outer loop of the control law to control the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state.

[0057] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 3 The flight control method provided in this application embodiment may further include steps S1210-1230 after step 120.

[0058] Step S1210: If valid manual operation data is continuously received within the second preset time period, a first prompt message is generated.

[0059] In some implementations, after the flight control system controls the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state, if it continuously receives valid manual operation data within a second preset time period, it generates a first prompt message.

[0060] Understandably, during the process of the flight control system guiding the aircraft into autonomous hover, if the flight control system receives valid manual control data again, and continues to receive valid manual control data for a second preset time (i.e., the communication of the flight control system is not faulty and the validity flags included in the manual control data are valid), then it can be determined that the flight control system in manual control mode is available; furthermore, the flight control system can generate a first prompt message. This first prompt message can be used to indicate that the manual control mode of the flight control system is available.

[0061] In some implementations, the flight control system can generate a first prompt message and send it to an alarm system included in the aircraft. The alarm system can then notify the user of the first prompt message's contents, such as the availability of manual control mode, through voice prompts, screen displays, flashing indicator lights, etc., so that the user can input a first switching command based on the first prompt message to switch the flight control system's control mode to manual control mode.

[0062] Understandably, the flight control system controls the aircraft's flight based on manual operation mode, which improves the user experience and also enhances the aircraft's safety.

[0063] Step S1220: Obtain the first switching instruction input based on the first prompt information.

[0064] In some implementations, after the flight control system generates a first prompt message, it can send the first prompt message to the alarm system of the electronic device. Further, the alarm system can convey the content represented by the first prompt message through voice, screen display, indicator light flashing, etc. For example, indicating that manual control mode is available can be prompted to the user through voice prompts, screen displays, indicator light flashing, etc. Furthermore, the user can input a first switching command based on the first prompt message. The first switching command can be a command to switch the flight control system's control mode to manual control mode, or a command to restore the flight control system's control mode to manual control mode.

[0065] In some implementations, the flight control system may acquire the first switching command based on the first prompt information by detecting the pressing status of buttons on the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the first switching command based on the first prompt information if a button is detected being pressed; or by detecting the pressing status of the screen on the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the first switching command based on the first prompt information if the screen is detected being pressed; or by analyzing the audio collected by the audio pickup device on the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the first switching command based on the first prompt information if an instruction to switch the flight control system's operation mode to manual operation mode or an instruction to restore the flight control system to manual operation mode is acquired based on the audio.

[0066] For example, the flight control system sends a first prompt message to the alarm system. The alarm system prompts the user that the manual control mode of the flight control system is available by flashing an indicator light. Furthermore, the user can press a button included in the aircraft to turn off the flashing of the alarm system indicator light and then input a first switching command to switch the control mode of the flight control system to manual control mode.

[0067] Step S1230: In response to the first switching command, switch the control mode of the flight control system to the manual control mode, and control the flight of the aircraft based on the manual control mode.

[0068] In some implementations, after receiving a first switching command, the flight control system can switch its operating mode to manual control mode in response to the first switching command, and control the aircraft to fly based on manual control.

[0069] The flight control system controls the flight of the aircraft based on the manual control mode by receiving valid manual control data sent by the control system. The valid manual control data may include the control commands input by the user based on the joystick. Furthermore, the system controls the flight of the aircraft based on the commands included in the valid manual control data.

[0070] Step S130: If a wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the operation mode of the flight control system is switched to the wireless remote control operation mode to control the aircraft flight based on the wireless remote control operation mode.

[0071] In some implementations, during the process of the flight control system controlling the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state, if the flight control system receives a wireless control command within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the flight control system switches its operation mode to a wireless remote control operation mode to control the aircraft's flight based on the wireless remote control operation mode.

[0072] In some implementations, the flight control system can receive valid wireless control commands obtained from the ground by a wireless data transmission unit included in the aircraft; wherein the wireless data transmission unit can be understood as a ground link control unit. The wireless data transmission unit included in the aircraft can determine the validity of the wireless control commands obtained from the ground; wherein the wireless control commands obtained from the ground may include identification information, wherein the identification information may include a valid identifier or an invalid identifier.

[0073] Furthermore, during the process of receiving wireless control commands sent from the ground, the wireless data transmission unit can parse the wireless control commands to obtain the identification information included in the wireless control commands. If the identification information is a valid identifier, the wireless control command is confirmed to be valid and can be sent to the flight control system; if the identification information is an invalid identifier, the wireless control command is confirmed to be invalid and can be deleted.

[0074] Furthermore, if the flight control system receives a valid wireless control command from the wireless data transmission unit within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, it switches the flight control system's operation mode to wireless remote control mode to control the aircraft's flight. Switching the flight control system's operation mode to wireless remote control mode also means transferring control authority from the flight control system to the wireless data transmission unit. Controlling the aircraft's flight based on wireless remote control mode can also mean controlling the aircraft's flight based on the wireless control commands received by the flight control system.

[0075] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 4 The flight control method provided in this application embodiment may further include steps S1310-1330 after step 130.

[0076] Step S1310: If valid manual operation data is continuously received within the fourth preset time period, a third prompt message is generated.

[0077] In some implementations, if the flight control system receives a wireless control command within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters an autonomous hovering state, it switches the flight control system's operation mode to a wireless remote control operation mode. If the flight control system continues to receive valid manual operation data within a fourth preset time period, it generates a third prompt message.

[0078] Understandably, during the transition from flight control system operation mode to wireless remote control mode, if the flight control system receives valid manual control data again, and continues to receive valid manual control data for a fourth preset time period, then the flight control system in manual control mode can be determined to be available; furthermore, the flight control system can generate a third prompt message. This third prompt message can be used to indicate that the manual control mode of the flight control system is available.

[0079] In some implementations, the flight control system can generate a third prompt message and send it to an alarm system included in the aircraft. The alarm system can then notify the user of the third prompt message's content, such as the availability of manual control mode, through voice prompts, screen displays, or flashing indicator lights. Based on this third prompt message, the user can input a third switching command to switch the flight control system's control mode to manual control mode.

[0080] Understandably, the flight control system controls the aircraft's flight based on manual operation mode, which improves the user experience and also enhances the aircraft's safety.

[0081] Step S1320: Obtain the third switching instruction based on the input of the third prompt information.

[0082] In some implementations, after the flight control system generates a third prompt message, it can send the message to the alarm system of the electronic device. Furthermore, the alarm system can convey the content of the third prompt message through voice, screen display, indicator light flashing, etc. For example, indicating that manual control mode is available can be prompted to the user through voice prompts, screen displays, indicator light flashing, etc. Further, the user can input a third switching command based on the third prompt message. This third switching command can be an instruction to switch the flight control system's control mode to manual control mode.

[0083] In some implementations, the flight control system may acquire the third switching command based on the third prompt information input by detecting the pressing status of buttons included in the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the third switching command based on the third prompt information input if button pressing is detected; or by detecting the pressing status of the screen included in the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the third switching command based on the third prompt information input if the screen is pressed; or by analyzing the audio collected by the audio pickup device included in the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the third switching command based on the third prompt information input if an instruction to switch the control mode of the flight control system to manual control mode is obtained based on the audio.

[0084] For example, the flight control system sends a third prompt message to the alarm system, and the alarm system stops the user's flight control system from operating in manual mode by flashing an indicator light. Furthermore, the user can press a button included in the aircraft to turn off the flashing of the alarm system indicator light and then input a third switching command to switch the flight control system's operating mode to manual mode.

[0085] Step S1330: In response to the third switching command, switch the control mode of the flight control system to the manual control mode, and control the aircraft to fly based on the manual control mode.

[0086] In some implementations, after receiving a third switching command, the flight control system can switch its operating mode to manual control mode in response to the third switching command, and control the aircraft to fly based on manual control.

[0087] Step S140: If the wireless control command is not received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the operation mode of the flight control system is switched to the automatic operation mode to control the aircraft to land based on the automatic operation mode.

[0088] In some implementations, if the flight control system does not receive a wireless control command within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state during the process of the flight control system controlling the aircraft to enter the autonomous hovering state, the flight control system will switch its operation mode to automatic operation mode in order to control the aircraft to land based on the automatic operation mode.

[0089] In some implementations, the flight control system has a pre-set autonomous landing procedure, in which the flight control system controls the landing of the aircraft based on the automatic control mode, or it can control the landing of the aircraft based on the autonomous landing procedure.

[0090] The flight control system can control the aircraft's positioning and planning unit to collect visual image information from the aircraft's downward-looking radar and visual sensors. Furthermore, based on the visual image information, the positioning and planning unit can obtain the target location with the highest flatness and fewest obstacles closest to the aircraft's current position, generate flight path information between the aircraft's current position and the target location, and send it to the flight control system. Finally, based on this flight path information, the flight control system can control the aircraft to follow the path and complete the landing.

[0091] In some implementations, if the flight control system does not receive a wireless control command for a continuous sixth preset duration while controlling the aircraft's flight in wireless remote control mode, the control mode of the flight control system will be switched to automatic control mode to control the aircraft's landing. The continuous sixth preset duration of no wireless control command can indicate a communication failure between the flight control system and the wireless data transmission unit (ground link control unit), or it can indicate that the wireless remote control mode of the flight control system is unavailable. The first preset duration and the sixth preset duration can be the same or different, and are not limited here.

[0092] In some implementations, step S140 may include step S141.

[0093] Step S141: If the wireless control command is not received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, and the manual control data is detected to be invalid, the control mode of the flight control system is switched to the automatic control mode to control the aircraft to land based on the automatic operation mode.

[0094] In some implementations, the flight control system can continuously receive manual control data and continuously detect the validity of the manual control data. Specifically, if the flight control system does not receive wireless control commands within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters autonomous hovering, and detects that the manual control data has failed, the flight control system switches its control mode to automatic control mode to control the aircraft to land based on automatic operation mode.

[0095] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 5 The flight control method provided in this application embodiment may further include steps S1410-1430 after step 140.

[0096] Step S1410: If valid manual operation data is continuously received within the third preset time period, a second prompt message is generated.

[0097] In some implementations, after the flight control system controls the aircraft to enter automatic control mode, if it continuously receives valid manual operation data within a third preset time period, it generates a second prompt message.

[0098] Understandably, during the process of the flight control system guiding the aircraft into autonomous landing based on the automatic control mode, if the flight control system receives valid manual control data again, and continues to receive valid manual control data for a third preset time period, it can be determined that the flight control system in manual control mode is available; furthermore, the flight control system can generate a second prompt message. This second prompt message can be used to indicate that the manual control mode of the flight control system is available.

[0099] In some implementations, the flight control system can generate a second prompt message and send it to an alarm system included in the aircraft. The alarm system can then notify the user of the content included in the second prompt message, such as the availability of manual control mode, through voice prompts, screen displays, flashing indicator lights, etc., so that the user can input a second switching command based on the second prompt message to switch the flight control system's control mode to manual control mode.

[0100] Understandably, the flight control system controls the aircraft's flight based on manual operation mode, which improves the user experience and also enhances the aircraft's safety.

[0101] Step S1420: Obtain the second switching instruction based on the input of the second prompt information.

[0102] In some implementations, after the flight control system generates a second prompt message, it can send the message to the alarm system of the electronic device. Further, the alarm system can convey the content of the second prompt message through voice, screen display, indicator light flashing, etc. For example, indicating that manual control mode is available can be prompted to the user through voice prompts, screen displays, indicator light flashing, etc. Furthermore, the user can input a second switching command based on the second prompt message. This second switching command can be an instruction to switch the flight control system's control mode to manual control mode.

[0103] In some implementations, the flight control system may acquire the second switching command based on the second prompt information by detecting the pressing status of buttons included in the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the second switching command based on the second prompt information if a button is detected being pressed; or by detecting the pressing status of the screen included in the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the second switching command based on the second prompt information if the screen is detected being pressed; or by analyzing the audio collected by the audio pickup device included in the aircraft including the flight control system, and confirming the acquisition of the second switching command based on the second prompt information if an instruction to switch the control mode of the flight control system to manual control mode is obtained based on the audio.

[0104] For example, the flight control system sends a second prompt message to the alarm system, and the alarm system stops the user's flight control system from operating in manual mode by flashing an indicator light. Furthermore, the user can press a button included in the aircraft to turn off the flashing of the alarm system indicator light and then input a second switching command to switch the flight control system's operating mode to manual mode.

[0105] Step S1430: In response to the second switching command, the control mode of the flight control system is switched to the manual control mode, and the aircraft is controlled to fly based on the manual control mode.

[0106] In some implementations, after receiving a second switching command, the flight control system can switch its operating mode to manual control mode in response to the second switching command, and control the aircraft to fly based on manual control.

[0107] The flight control system controls the flight of the aircraft based on the manual control mode by receiving valid manual control data sent by the control system. The valid manual control data may include the control commands input by the user based on the joystick; and further, control the flight of the aircraft based on the commands included in the valid manual control data.

[0108] In some implementations, the flight control method provided in this application may further include step S150 or step S160.

[0109] Step S150: If the battery level of the aircraft is detected to be less than the first battery threshold, a fifth prompt message is generated, wherein the fifth prompt message is used to prompt the control of the aircraft to land.

[0110] In some implementations, the aircraft can be powered by a battery, and the flight control system can continuously monitor the aircraft's battery level. If the flight control system detects that the aircraft's battery level is lower than a first battery level threshold, it generates a fifth alert message, which is used to prompt the aircraft to land; the fifth alert message can be used to indicate that the aircraft has a low battery level.

[0111] In some implementations, the flight control system can send the fifth prompt message to the warning system in the aircraft. Furthermore, the warning system can prompt the user with the content of the fifth prompt message, such as the aircraft having low battery, through voice prompts, screen displays, flashing indicator lights, etc., so that the flight control system can control the aircraft to land in manual operation mode based on the fifth prompt message, or control the aircraft to land in wireless remote control mode, or control the aircraft to land in automatic wiping mode.

[0112] It is understood that this application, based on three control redundancy modes—manual control mode, wireless remote control mode, and wireless remote control mode (i.e., ground link control mode)—transfers control authority of the flight control system between the three control redundancy modes obtained by different combinations of control methods from the control system, wireless data transmission unit, and positioning and planning unit, thereby ensuring the controllability of the aircraft and improving its safety and functional practicality.

[0113] Step S160: If the battery level of the aircraft is detected to be less than the second battery threshold, then control the aircraft to land, wherein the second battery threshold is less than the first battery threshold.

[0114] In some implementations, if the flight control system detects that the aircraft's battery level is below a second battery threshold, it controls the aircraft to land, wherein the second battery threshold is lower than a first battery threshold. The flight control system can control the downward-looking radar and visual sensors of the positioning and planning unit within the aircraft to acquire visual image information, and control the positioning and planning unit to determine the target landing position based on the visual image. The positioning and planning unit can also generate route information based on the aircraft's current position and the target position, and control the aircraft to land at a preset speed based on this route information. It is understood that controlling the aircraft's landing based on its battery level improves flight safety.

[0115] It is understood that in this application, when different signals fail, such as manual control data failure or radio control command failure, the aircraft can be controlled to run different flight control algorithms based on the integrity of external signals (e.g., identification information included in radio control commands, identification information included in manual control data, etc.) and control algorithm requirements (e.g., manual control data requiring valid identification information, radio control commands requiring valid identification information, etc.). This prevents the spread of aircraft failure and improves the safety and reliability of the flight control system.

[0116] The flight control method provided in one embodiment of this application detects manual control data when the flight control system is in manual control mode. If the detected manual control data failure, the aircraft is controlled to enter an autonomous hovering state. If a wireless control command is received within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the flight control system's control mode is switched to a wireless remote control mode to control the aircraft's flight. Alternatively, if no wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the flight control system's control mode is switched to an automatic control mode. By controlling the handover of authority among the three control redundancy modes of the flight control system, the operability of the flight control system is ensured, and the safety of the aircraft is improved.

[0117] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6 A block diagram of a flight control device according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The flight control device 200 is applied to the flight control system of the aforementioned aircraft, and the flight control system includes manual control mode, wireless remote control mode, and automatic control mode. The following will focus on... Figure 6 The process shown is described in detail. The flight control device 200 may include: a manual control data detection module 210, an autonomous hovering module 220, a wireless control command receiving module 230, and an automatic control module 240, wherein:

[0118] The manual control data detection module 210 is used to detect manual control data when the flight control system is in the manual control mode.

[0119] The autonomous hovering module 220 is used to control the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state if the manual control data is detected to be invalid.

[0120] The wireless control command receiving module 230 is used to switch the operation mode of the flight control system to the wireless remote control operation mode if a wireless control command is received within a first preset time period when the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, so as to control the flight of the aircraft based on the wireless remote control operation mode.

[0121] The automatic control module 240 is configured to switch the control mode of the flight control system to the automatic control mode if no wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, so as to control the aircraft to land based on the automatic control mode.

[0122] Furthermore, the autonomous hovering module 220 may include: a first autonomous hovering unit or a second autonomous hovering unit, wherein:

[0123] The first autonomous hovering unit is used to determine that the manual control data is invalid if it is detected that the manual control data is not sent according to the target cycle, and to control the aircraft to enter the autonomous hovering state.

[0124] The second autonomous hovering unit is used to determine that the manual control data is invalid if it detects that the identification information included in the manual control data is invalid, and to control the aircraft to enter the autonomous hovering state.

[0125] Furthermore, the automatic control module 240 may include: an automatic control unit, wherein:

[0126] An automatic control unit is configured to switch the control mode of the flight control system to the automatic control mode if it does not receive the wireless control command within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state and detects that the manual control data has failed, so as to control the aircraft to land based on the automatic operation mode.

[0127] Furthermore, after controlling the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state if the manual control data failure is detected, the flight control device 200 may further include: a first prompt information generation module, a first switching command acquisition module, and a first switching command response module, wherein:

[0128] The first prompt message generation module is used to generate a first prompt message if valid manual operation data is continuously received within a second preset time period.

[0129] The first switching instruction acquisition module is used to acquire the first switching instruction input based on the first prompt information.

[0130] The first switching command response module is used to switch the control mode of the flight control system to the manual control mode in response to the first switching command, and control the aircraft to fly based on the manual control mode.

[0131] Furthermore, after switching the flight control system's operation mode to the automatic control mode if no wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the flight control device 200 may further include: a second prompt information generation module, a second switching command acquisition module, and a second switching command response module, wherein:

[0132] The second prompt message generation module is used to generate a second prompt message if valid manual operation data is continuously received within a third preset time period.

[0133] The second switching instruction acquisition module is used to acquire the second switching instruction input based on the second prompt information.

[0134] The second switching command response module is used to switch the control mode of the flight control system to the manual control mode in response to the second switching command, and control the aircraft to fly based on the manual control mode.

[0135] Furthermore, after the flight control system switches its operating mode to the wireless remote control mode if a wireless control command is received within a first preset time period when the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the flight control device 200 may further include: a third prompt information generation module, a third switching command acquisition module, and a third switching command response module, wherein:

[0136] The third prompt message generation module is used to generate a third prompt message if valid manual operation data is continuously received within a fourth preset time period.

[0137] The third switching instruction acquisition module is used to acquire the third switching instruction input based on the third prompt information.

[0138] The third switching command response module is used to switch the control mode of the flight control system to the manual control mode in response to the third switching command, and control the aircraft to fly based on the manual control mode.

[0139] Furthermore, when the flight control system is in the manual control mode, before detecting manual control data, the flight control device 200 may further include: a fourth prompt information generation module, a target command acquisition module, and a target command response module, wherein:

[0140] The fourth prompt information generation module is used to generate a fourth prompt information if the location information of the aircraft is continuously obtained within a fifth preset time period.

[0141] The target instruction acquisition module is used to acquire the target instruction input based on the four prompt messages.

[0142] The target command response module is used to set the control mode of the flight control system to the manual control mode in response to the target command.

[0143] Furthermore, the flight control device 200 may further include: a fifth prompt information generation module or a landing control module, wherein:

[0144] The fifth prompt information generation module is used to generate a fifth prompt information if the battery level of the aircraft is detected to be less than the first battery level threshold. The fifth prompt information is used to prompt the control of the aircraft to land.

[0145] A landing control module is configured to control the aircraft to land if it is detected that the aircraft's battery level is less than a second battery threshold, wherein the second battery threshold is less than the first battery threshold.

[0146] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process of the above-described device and module can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0147] In the several embodiments provided in this application, the coupling between modules can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms of coupling.

[0148] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing module, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one module. The integrated modules described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules.

[0149] Please see Figure 7 This document illustrates a structural block diagram of an electronic device 100 provided in an embodiment of this application. The electronic device 100 can be a mobile electronic device capable of running applications, such as a drone, flying car, or ship. The electronic device 100 in this application may include one or more components: a processor 110, a memory 120, and one or more applications, wherein the one or more applications can be stored in the memory 120 and configured to be executed by one or more processors 110, and the one or more applications are configured to perform the methods described in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0150] The processor 110 may include one or more processing cores. The processor 110 connects to various parts within the electronic device 100 using various interfaces and lines, and performs various functions and processes data by running or executing instructions, programs, code sets, or instruction sets stored in the memory 120, and by calling data stored in the memory 120. Optionally, the processor 110 may be implemented using at least one hardware form of Digital Signal Processing (DSP), Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or Programmable Logic Array (PLA). The processor 110 may integrate one or a combination of several of the following: Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and modem. The CPU primarily handles the operating system, user interface, and applications; the GPU is responsible for rendering and drawing the content to be displayed; and the modem handles wireless communication. It is understood that the modem may also not be integrated into the processor 110 and may be implemented separately using a communication chip.

[0151] The memory 120 may include random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM). The memory 120 can be used to store instructions, programs, code, code sets, or instruction sets. The memory 120 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store instructions for implementing an operating system, instructions for implementing at least one function (such as touch functionality, sound playback functionality, image playback functionality, etc.), and instructions for implementing the various method embodiments described below. The data storage area may also store data created by the electronic device 100 during use (such as phonebook data, audio and video data, chat log data, etc.).

[0152] Please see Figure 8 This diagram illustrates a structural block diagram of a computer-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of this application. The computer-readable medium 300 stores program code that can be invoked by a processor to execute the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0153] The computer-readable storage medium 300 may be an electronic memory such as flash memory, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM, hard disk, or ROM. Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium 300 includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium 300 has storage space for program code 310 that performs any of the method steps described above. This program code can be read from or written to one or more computer program products. The program code 310 may be compressed, for example, in a suitable form.

[0154] In summary, the flight control method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium provided in this application, when the flight control system is in manual control mode, detect manual control data; if the detected manual control data failure, control the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state; if a wireless control command is received within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, switch the flight control system's control mode to a wireless remote control mode to control the aircraft's flight; or if no wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, switch the flight control system's control mode to an automatic control mode to control the aircraft's landing. By controlling the handover of authority between the three control redundancy modes of the flight control system, the operability of the flight control system is ensured, and the safety of the aircraft is improved.

[0155] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A flight control method, characterized in that, A flight control system for an aircraft, wherein the control system has three operating modes: manual control mode, wireless remote control mode, and automatic control mode. The manual control mode has a higher priority than the wireless remote control mode, and the wireless remote control mode has a higher priority than the automatic control mode. The method includes: When the flight control system is in the manual control mode, manual control data is detected; If the manual control data is detected to be invalid, the aircraft is controlled to enter an autonomous hovering state. If valid manual operation data is continuously received within a second preset time period, a first prompt message is generated, and a first switching command based on the first prompt message is obtained. In response to the first switching command, the control mode of the flight control system is switched to the manual control mode, and the aircraft is controlled to fly based on the manual control mode; or If a wireless control command is received within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the flight control system's operation mode is switched to the wireless remote control operation mode to control the aircraft's flight based on the wireless remote control operation mode. If valid manual operation data is continuously received within a fourth preset time period, a third prompt message is generated, and a third switching command based on the third prompt message is obtained. In response to the third switching command, the flight control system's operation mode is switched to the manual control mode, and the aircraft's flight is controlled based on the manual control mode. Or If no wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the operation mode of the flight control system is switched to the automatic operation mode to control the aircraft to land based on the automatic operation mode. If valid manual operation data is continuously received within the third preset time period, a second prompt message is generated, and a second switching command is obtained based on the second prompt message. In response to the second switching command, the operation mode of the flight control system is switched to the manual operation mode, and the aircraft is controlled to fly based on the manual operation mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the manual control data is detected to be faulty, the aircraft is controlled to enter an autonomous hovering state, including: If the manual control data is detected not to be sent according to the target cycle, the manual control data is determined to be invalid, and the aircraft is controlled to enter the autonomous hovering state; or If the identification information included in the manual control data is detected to be invalid, the manual control data is determined to be invalid, and the aircraft is controlled to enter an autonomous hovering state.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If no wireless control command is received within the first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, the flight control system's operation mode is switched to the automatic operation mode to control the aircraft's landing based on the automatic operation mode, including: If the aircraft does not receive the wireless control command within the first preset time period after entering the autonomous hovering state, and the manual control data is detected to be invalid, the control mode of the flight control system is switched to the automatic control mode to control the aircraft to land based on the automatic operation mode.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the flight control system is in the manual control mode, before detecting manual control data, the following steps are included: If the aircraft's position information is continuously acquired within the fifth preset time period, a fourth prompt message will be generated; Obtain the target instruction input based on the four prompts; In response to the target command, the flight control system is set to the manual control mode.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the aircraft's battery level is detected to be below a first battery threshold, a fifth prompt message is generated, which is used to prompt control of the aircraft to land; or If the battery level of the aircraft is detected to be less than a second battery threshold, the aircraft is controlled to land, wherein the second battery threshold is less than the first battery threshold.

6. A flight control device, characterized in that, A flight control system for an aircraft, wherein the flight control system has three operating modes: manual control mode, wireless remote control mode, and automatic control mode. The manual control mode has a higher priority than the wireless remote control mode, and the wireless remote control mode has a higher priority than the automatic control mode. The device includes: The manual control data detection module is used to detect manual control data when the flight control system is in the manual control mode. An autonomous hovering module is used to control the aircraft to enter an autonomous hovering state if the manual control data is detected to be invalid. The first switching command response module is configured to generate a first prompt message if valid manual operation data is continuously received within a second preset time period, and to obtain a first switching command input based on the first prompt message; and in response to the first switching command, to switch the control mode of the flight control system to the manual control mode, and to control the aircraft to fly based on the manual control mode; or A wireless control command receiving module is configured to, if a wireless control command is received within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, switch the operation mode of the flight control system to the wireless remote control operation mode to control the aircraft's flight based on the wireless remote control operation mode; and, if valid manual operation data is continuously received within a fourth preset time period, generate a third prompt message and obtain a third switching command input based on the third prompt message; and, in response to the third switching command, switch the operation mode of the flight control system to the manual operation mode and control the aircraft's flight based on the manual operation mode; or An automatic control module is configured to, if no wireless control command is received within a first preset time period after the aircraft enters the autonomous hovering state, switch the control mode of the flight control system to the automatic control mode to control the aircraft to land based on the automatic control mode; and, if valid manual operation data is continuously received within a third preset time period, generate a second prompt message and obtain a second switching command input based on the second prompt message; and, in response to the second switching command, switch the control mode of the flight control system to the manual control mode and control the aircraft to fly based on the manual control mode.

7. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: One or more processors; Memory; One or more applications, wherein the one or more applications are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more applications being configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-5.

8. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium contains program code that can be invoked by a processor to execute the method as described in any one of claims 1-5.

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