EVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method based on hybrid power and related device

By connecting a turbine generator system and a power battery pack in parallel on an eVTOL drone, and combining them with an intelligent power supply strategy, the problems of limited range and high risk of mechanical failure have been solved, thereby achieving extended range and improved safety performance.

CN120986722AActive Publication Date: 2025-11-21SHANGHAI YUFENG FUTURE AVIATION TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202511222232.6
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-08-29
Publication Date
2025-11-21
Estimated Expiration
2045-08-29

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The range of existing eVTOL drones is limited by battery energy density, and the complex mechanical transmission components result in a high risk of mechanical failure and insufficient system reliability and safety.

Method used

The system employs a turbine generator system connected in parallel with a power battery pack. The power supply strategy is switched according to different flight phases by the flight control computer, enabling coordinated power supply between the turbine generator system and the power battery pack. Combined with a multi-level redundancy architecture and intelligent power distribution strategy, a stable power supply is ensured.

Benefits of technology

It has extended the flight range, reduced overall energy consumption, improved the safety and reliability of the system, reduced the risk of mechanical failure, and enhanced the airworthiness and overall performance of the aircraft.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention discloses an eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method based on hybrid power and a related device, and the method comprises the steps that a flight control computer obtains the current flight stage of an eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle based on a flight control instruction, and the flight stage comprises a vertical take-off and landing stage, an excessive mode stage, a cruising stage and an emergency mode stage; the flight control computer indexes a flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight stage of the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle; and the flight control computer controls the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to N cruise electric drive units and M vertical electric drive units on the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle based on the flight control strategy. In the embodiment of the invention, the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack are connected in parallel to supply power to the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle, and meanwhile, a redundancy flight control system is fused, so that optimization in the aspects of voyage expansion and safety performance improvement is achieved.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control technology, and more particularly to a hybrid power-based eVTOL UAV control method and related apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) is a new type of aircraft, originating from the demand for efficient, convenient, and environmentally friendly air transportation. Currently, most domestic eVTOL manufacturers adopt multi-rotor or tiltrotor technology. The compound wing configuration mainly consists of a fixed wing and independent power systems for vertical take-off and landing and cruise, respectively. It eliminates the need for complex tilting mechanisms to change the direction of the rotor or wing, reducing a large number of mechanical transmission components, joint bearings, and related hydraulic or electric control systems, thereby reducing the risk of mechanical failure and improving the reliability and maintainability of the system.

[0003] The mainstream battery energy density in the eVTOL industry is at the level of 250-400Wh / kg, which still needs to be improved for commercial applications. Although many OEMs and battery suppliers are actively investing in solid-state battery research and development, attempting to meet commercial needs with its advantages such as high energy density, the research and development progress is slow and no substantial breakthroughs have been achieved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. This invention provides a hybrid power-based eVTOL drone control method and related devices, which realizes the parallel connection of the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack to power the eVTOL drone, thereby achieving optimization in terms of range extension and safety performance improvement.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this embodiment provides a hybrid-powered eVTOL drone control method, applied to an eVTOL drone. The eVTOL drone is equipped with a turbine generator system and a power battery pack, and is a compound-wing drone. The method includes:

[0006] The flight control computer obtains the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands. The flight phase includes the vertical takeoff and landing phase, the transition mode phase, the cruise phase, and the emergency mode phase.

[0007] The flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV;

[0008] The flight control computer controls the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the flight control strategy. The M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are divided into 4 symmetrical control quadrants, and the resultant torque balance is maintained to keep the attitude of the eVTOL UAV stable while the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are running.

[0009] Optionally, the flight control computer obtains the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands, including:

[0010] The flight control computer obtains the current flight status information of the eVTOL UAV;

[0011] The flight control computer simulates obtaining the simulated flight state information of the eVTOL UAV after executing the flight control command;

[0012] The current flight status information and the simulated flight status information are used to determine the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV.

[0013] Optionally, the flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV, including:

[0014] The flight control computer uses the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV to index the flight control strategy corresponding to the flight phase in the flight control strategy library;

[0015] The flight control strategy library stores flight control strategies corresponding to different flight phases.

[0016] Optionally, the flight control strategies corresponding to the different flight phases include:

[0017] When the flight phase is the vertical takeoff and landing phase, the flight control strategy is to invoke the power battery pack to implement a peak power priority power supply strategy;

[0018] During the transitional mode phase of the flight, the power battery pack prioritizes power supply, and the turbine power generation system dynamically supplements the required additional power.

[0019] When the flight phase is the cruise phase, the flight control strategy is for the turbine power generation system to operate at a constant efficiency and optimal operating point to provide full power, and to use the remaining power to charge the power battery pack.

[0020] When the flight phase is in emergency mode, the flight control strategy is to execute derating output to meet the minimum power requirements for safe flight, and the flight control computer coordinates power supply control based on the status of the power battery pack, turbine generator system and fault codes.

[0021] Optionally, the turbine power generation system consists of a turbine engine mechanically driven turbine generator; the electrical energy generated by the turbine power generation system is rectified and then connected to an 800V high-voltage DC bus; the power battery pack is connected to the 800V high-voltage DC bus.

[0022] Optionally, the flight control computer, based on the flight control strategy, controls the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical takeoff and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV, including:

[0023] The flight control computer obtains the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack as set in the flight control strategy.

[0024] The flight control computer supplies power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical takeoff electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack set in the flight control strategy.

[0025] Optionally, the balance of the resultant torque maintaining the attitude stability of the eVTOL UAV during the operation of the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units includes:

[0026] When the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are running, the flight control computer detects the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV in real time based on high-frequency sampling and obtains the detection results.

[0027] If any vertical electric drive unit in the detection results shows a decrease or loss of lift output, the first control quadrant in which the vertical electric drive unit that shows a decrease or loss of lift output is located is obtained.

[0028] The flight control computer controls at least one remaining normally operating vertical takeoff and landing electric drive unit in the first control quadrant to perform dynamic lift compensation processing by proportionally increasing the torque, so as to maintain the balance of the resultant lift torque in the four control quadrants of the eVTOL UAV, and maintain the total lift vector greater than a preset value.

[0029] In addition, this invention also provides a hybrid-powered eVTOL drone control device, applied to an eVTOL drone. The eVTOL drone is equipped with a turbine power generation system and a power battery pack, and the eVTOL drone is a compound-wing drone. The device includes:

[0030] The acquisition module is used by the flight control computer to obtain the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands. The flight phase includes the vertical takeoff and landing phase, the transition mode phase, the cruise phase, and the emergency mode phase.

[0031] Index module: used by the flight control computer to index the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV;

[0032] Control module: Used by the flight control computer to control the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to N cruise electric drive units and M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the flight control strategy, wherein the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are evenly divided into 4 symmetrical control quadrants, and the resultant torque balance is maintained to keep the attitude of the eVTOL UAV stable during the operation of the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units.

[0033] In addition, embodiments of the present invention also provide an electronic device, including a processor and a memory, wherein the processor runs a computer program or code stored in the memory to implement the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method as described in any of the above.

[0034] In addition, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program or code, which, when executed by a processor, implements the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method as described above.

[0035] In this embodiment of the invention, a turbine power generation system and a power battery pack are installed on the eVTOL UAV, and the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack are connected in series and parallel on an 800V high-voltage DC bus. Then, different flight control strategies are executed according to different flight stages to perform power supply processing, so that the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack are connected in series and parallel to power the eVTOL UAV, thereby achieving optimization in terms of range extension and safety performance improvement. At the same time, the weight of the eVTOL UAV can be significantly reduced, and the overall energy consumption can be significantly reduced, while the range can be greatly increased. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method based on hybrid power in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a hybrid-powered eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control device based on hybrid power in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of the electronic device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 Front view of the eVTOL drone in this embodiment of the invention;

[0042] Figure 6 Top view of the eVTOL UAV in this embodiment of the invention;

[0043] Figure 7 An isometric view of the eVTOL UAV in this embodiment of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] Example 1, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method based on hybrid power according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, a hybrid-powered eVTOL drone control method is applied to an eVTOL drone, which is equipped with a turbine power generation system and a power battery pack. The eVTOL drone is a compound-wing drone. The method includes:

[0047] S101: The flight control computer obtains the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands. The flight phase includes the vertical takeoff and landing phase, the transition mode phase, the cruise phase, and the emergency mode phase.

[0048] In a specific implementation of the present invention, the flight control computer obtains the current flight stage of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands, including: the flight control computer obtaining the current flight status information of the eVTOL UAV; the flight control computer simulating the execution of the flight control commands and obtaining the simulated flight status information of the eVTOL UAV; and obtaining the current flight stage of the eVTOL UAV based on the current flight status information and the simulated flight status information.

[0049] For details, please refer to Figures 5-7 The eVTOL UAV includes a fuselage, tail, wings, a power battery pack, a cruise electric drive unit, and a blow-off electric drive unit. The turbine power generation system is located inside the fuselage (not shown in the figure). In this embodiment, the eVTOL UAV adopts a one-piece molded fuselage and composite wing configuration made entirely of composite materials, combined with a hybrid electric power system to achieve vertical takeoff and landing and efficient cruise. In terms of power configuration, it is equipped with 16 high-power electric drive units to provide vertical lift and 4 cruise electric drive units to generate cruise thrust. During cruise, the wings improve aerodynamic efficiency. The electrical energy output from the turbine power generation system is rectified and then fed into the system. An 800V high-voltage DC busbar is connected in parallel with the power battery pack to power the electric propulsion system, or it can be connected in series to charge the power battery pack. During vertical takeoff and landing, the power battery prioritizes responding to peak power demand, while during cruise, the turbine system operates with optimal fuel efficiency, providing baseline power and recharging the battery. This achieves a balance between performance and energy efficiency and enhances system safety redundancy. Through the above structure, the eVTOL UAV can eliminate the mechanical tilting mechanism to avoid transmission failure risks, reduce maintenance complexity, and improve lift during cruise by combining the wing-fuselage integrated design.

[0050] When controlling an eVTOL drone, the first step is to obtain flight control commands. This means that the flight control computer receives flight control commands, which are either sent by the control terminal or generated autonomously by the eVTOL drone based on its own situation. Upon receiving the flight control commands, the flight control computer will use them to determine the current flight phase of the eVTOL drone. Flight phases include vertical takeoff and landing phase, transition mode phase, cruise phase, and emergency mode phase.

[0051] That is, the flight control computer will first obtain the current flight status information of the eVTOL UAV; then, by simulating the execution of flight control commands, it will obtain the simulated flight status information of the eVTOL UAV; and based on the changes between the current flight status information and the simulated flight status information, it will determine the current flight stage of the eVTOL UAV, where the current flight stage of the eVTOL UAV is the flight stage corresponding to the execution of the flight control commands.

[0052] S102: The flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV;

[0053] In a specific implementation of this invention, the flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV, including: the flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV in the flight control strategy library; the flight control strategy library stores flight control strategies corresponding to different flight phases.

[0054] Furthermore, the flight control strategies corresponding to different flight phases include: when the flight phase is the vertical takeoff and landing phase, the flight control strategy is to call the power battery pack to implement a peak power priority power supply strategy; when the flight phase is the transition mode phase, the flight control strategy is to prioritize power supply to the power battery pack, with the turbine power generation system dynamically supplementing the required additional power; when the flight phase is the cruise phase, the flight control strategy is for the turbine power generation system to perform full power supply at constant efficiency and optimal operating point, and to use the remaining power to charge the power battery pack; when the flight phase is the emergency mode phase, the flight control strategy is to perform derating output to meet the minimum power requirements for safe flight, and the flight control computer coordinates power supply control based on the status of the power battery pack, the turbine power generation system, and fault codes.

[0055] Furthermore, the turbine power generation system is formed by a turbine engine mechanically driving a turbine generator; the electrical energy generated by the turbine power generation system is rectified and then connected to an 800V high-voltage DC bus; the power battery pack is connected to the 800V high-voltage DC bus.

[0056] Specifically, the flight control computer will use the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV to index the flight control strategy corresponding to the flight phase in the flight control strategy library; the flight control strategy library stores the flight control strategies corresponding to different flight phases.

[0057] Different flight phases employ corresponding flight control strategies. For example, during vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), the power system actively utilizes the high-rate battery pack to implement a peak power priority supply strategy, ensuring the electric drive system achieves millisecond-level dynamic response performance with a torque response time of <10ms, meeting the transient response requirements of the propulsion system. During the transition mode, a smooth switch to a turbine generator system and battery co-operation mode is implemented. Upon entering the cruise phase, the turbine generator system continuously supplies full power at optimal fuel efficiency and charges the battery, maintaining a constant efficiency optimized operating state. In the emergency mode, derating output meets the minimum power requirements for safe flight, and the flight control computer coordinates the power supply relationship between the two based on factors such as battery SOC, turbine generator status, and fault codes.

[0058] In this technical solution, by combining a multi-level redundant architecture with an intelligent power distribution strategy, the probability of catastrophic system failure is effectively reduced, thereby significantly improving the airworthiness of the aircraft. In an emergency, the battery can independently output 70% of the power to ensure that the aircraft can maintain safe flight. This design achieves global optimization of range and energy efficiency, improving the overall performance and reliability of the aircraft.

[0059] Meanwhile, the turbine power generation system is formed by the mechanical direct drive of the turbine generator by the turbine engine; when the turbine power generation system is generating electricity, the generated electricity is rectified and connected to the 800V high-voltage DC bus; the power battery pack is connected to the 800V high-voltage DC bus; among them, the 800V high-voltage DC bus is connected to the cruise electric drive unit and the vertical take-off electric drive unit of the eVTOL UAV, and provides power to the cruise electric drive unit and the vertical take-off electric drive unit.

[0060] S103: The flight control computer controls the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the flight control strategy. The M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are divided into 4 symmetrical control quadrants, and the resultant torque balance is maintained to keep the attitude of the eVTOL UAV stable while the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are running.

[0061] In a specific implementation of this invention, the flight control computer controls the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical takeoff and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the flight control strategy. This includes: the flight control computer obtaining the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack set in the flight control strategy; and the flight control computer supplying power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical takeoff and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack set in the flight control strategy.

[0062] Furthermore, the method of maintaining the resultant torque balance for attitude stability of the eVTOL UAV during the operation of the M VTOL electric drive units includes: during the operation of the M VTOL electric drive units, the flight control computer detects the M VTOL electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV in real time based on high-frequency sampling and obtains the detection results; when any VTOL electric drive unit in the detection results shows a decrease or loss of lift output, the first control quadrant in which the VTOL electric drive unit with decreased or lost lift output is located is obtained; the flight control computer controls at least one remaining normally operating VTOL electric drive unit in the first control quadrant to perform dynamic lift compensation processing by proportionally increasing the torque, so as to maintain the resultant torque balance of the four control quadrants of the eVTOL UAV, and the total lift vector is maintained greater than a preset value.

[0063] Specifically, the flight control computer will obtain the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the battery pack as set in the flight control strategy; then the flight control computer will supply power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical take-off electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the battery pack as set in the flight control strategy.

[0064] Specifically, to achieve safe control of the eVTOL UAV, the M vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) units on the eVTOL UAV are divided into four control quadrants. Since the eVTOL UAV has 16 VTOL units, each control quadrant contains four VTOL units. During flight, the flight control computer monitors the M VTOL units in real-time using high-frequency sampling. If any VTOL unit exhibits lift output attenuation or loss, the first control quadrant containing that unit is identified. The flight control computer then dynamically compensates for the remaining at least one normally functioning VTOL unit in the first control quadrant by proportionally increasing its torque. This maintains the balance of the total lift torque across the four control quadrants of the eVTOL UAV, ensuring the total lift vector is greater than a preset value, which can be 1.2 times the weight of the eVTOL UAV.

[0065] That is, the flight control computer monitors the propulsion system status in real time through high-frequency sampling. For single power unit failure conditions, the system dynamically redistributes thrust based on a redundancy control algorithm as follows: For example, if the lift output of the vertical take-off and landing electric drive unit 1 in the fault diagnosis detection control quadrant 1 is reduced or lost, the flight control computer controls the vertical take-off and landing electric drives 2, 3 and 4 to increase torque proportionally to dynamically compensate for lift. In addition, it is necessary to maintain the balance of the resultant lift torque between control quadrant 1 and the other three control quadrants, reduce the rolling torque, and ensure that the total lift vector is always greater than 1.2 times the weight of the entire aircraft to ensure attitude stability and safe flight.

[0066] The torque requirement of the aircraft can be expressed as a function of the thrust of each blade, assuming the thrust of each blade is T. i (i = 1, 2, ..., 20), the following constraints are established during the hovering phase.

[0067] Overall lift equation: (m is the mass of the UAV, g is the acceleration due to gravity); while maintaining the normal pull force greater than gravity, establish constraints on pitch moment, roll moment, and yaw moment to control the pitch M. {pitch} , roll M {roll} Yaw M {yaw} The torque requires that the normal acceleration, pitch, roll and other attitude values ​​not be lower than the threshold.

[0068] When the single power unit failure handling algorithm detects a failure in the i-drive unit through sensors such as speed and current, it determines the tension F. i ≈0 or uncontrollable, quickly identify the failed unit i by the electric drive unit ID number and lock its status as "failed" (F). i=0 or a small value close to 0; remove the failed unit and update the control efficiency matrix B, directly constructing a new B matrix only for the remaining 19 healthy units; adjust according to the attitude deviation fed back by the sensor to resist the disturbance caused by the failure, and ensure that the resultant torque generated by the remaining units can accurately offset the unbalanced torque caused by the failure.

[0069] While retaining core eVTOL technologies such as fly-by-wire flight control computers and distributed propulsion systems, this architecture integrates a turbine generator system to build a hybrid power system. During vertical takeoff and landing, the system is powered by batteries, while during cruise, the turbine generator system continuously provides power to the electric drive unit and onboard equipment, breaking through the range limitations of pure electric aircraft.

[0070] In this embodiment of the invention, a turbine power generation system and a power battery pack are installed on the eVTOL UAV, and the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack are connected in series and parallel on an 800V high-voltage DC bus. Then, different flight control strategies are executed according to different flight stages to perform power supply processing, so that the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack are connected in series and parallel to power the eVTOL UAV. At the same time, a redundant flight control system is integrated, thereby achieving optimization in terms of range extension and safety performance improvement. At the same time, the weight of the eVTOL UAV can be significantly reduced, and the overall energy consumption can be significantly reduced and the range can be greatly increased.

[0071] Example 2, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a hybrid-powered eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] like Figure 2 As shown, a hybrid-powered eVTOL drone control method is applied to an eVTOL drone, which is equipped with a turbine power generation system and a power battery pack. The eVTOL drone is a compound-wing drone. The method includes:

[0073] S201: The flight control computer obtains the current flight status information of the eVTOL UAV;

[0074] S202: After executing the flight control command, the flight control computer simulation obtains the simulated flight state information of the eVTOL UAV;

[0075] S203: Based on the current flight status information and the simulated flight status information, obtain the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV;

[0076] S204: The flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV;

[0077] S205: The flight control computer obtains the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack as set in the flight control strategy;

[0078] S206: The flight control computer supplies power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack set in the flight control strategy. The M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are evenly divided into 4 symmetrical control quadrants, and the resultant torque balance that maintains the attitude stability of the eVTOL UAV is maintained when the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are running.

[0079] The specific implementation method of Example 2 can be found in Example 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0080] Example 3, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control device based on hybrid power in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0081] like Figure 3 As shown, a hybrid-powered eVTOL drone control device is applied to an eVTOL drone. The eVTOL drone is equipped with a turbine generator system and a power battery pack, and the eVTOL drone is a compound-wing drone. The device includes:

[0082] Module 301: Used by the flight control computer to obtain the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands. The flight phase includes the vertical take-off and landing phase, the transition mode phase, the cruise phase, and the emergency mode phase.

[0083] In a specific implementation of the present invention, the flight control computer obtains the current flight stage of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands, including: the flight control computer obtaining the current flight status information of the eVTOL UAV; the flight control computer simulating the execution of the flight control commands and obtaining the simulated flight status information of the eVTOL UAV; and obtaining the current flight stage of the eVTOL UAV based on the current flight status information and the simulated flight status information.

[0084] For details, please refer to Figures 5-7The eVTOL UAV includes a fuselage, tail, wings, a power battery pack, a cruise electric drive unit, and a vertical takeoff and landing electric drive unit. The turbine power generation system is located inside the fuselage (not shown in the figure). In this embodiment, the eVTOL UAV adopts a one-piece molded fuselage and compound wing configuration made entirely of composite materials, combined with a hybrid electric power system to achieve vertical takeoff and landing and efficient cruise. In terms of power configuration, it is equipped with 16 high-power electric drive units to provide vertical lift and 4 cruise electric drive units to generate cruise thrust. During cruise, the wings improve aerodynamic efficiency. The electrical energy output from the turbine power generation system is rectified and then fed into the system. An 800V high-voltage DC busbar is connected in parallel with the power battery pack to power the electric propulsion system, or it can be connected in series to charge the power battery pack. During vertical takeoff and landing, the power battery prioritizes responding to peak power demand, while during cruise, the turbine system operates with optimal fuel efficiency, providing baseline power and recharging the battery. This achieves a balance between performance and energy efficiency and enhances system safety redundancy. Through the above structure, the eVTOL UAV can eliminate the mechanical tilting mechanism to avoid transmission failure risks, reduce maintenance complexity, and improve lift during cruise by combining the wing-fuselage integrated design.

[0085] When controlling an eVTOL drone, the first step is to obtain flight control commands. This means that the flight control computer receives flight control commands, which are either sent by the control terminal or generated autonomously by the eVTOL drone based on its own situation. Upon receiving the flight control commands, the flight control computer will use them to determine the current flight phase of the eVTOL drone. Flight phases include vertical takeoff and landing phase, transition mode phase, cruise phase, and emergency mode phase.

[0086] That is, the flight control computer will first obtain the current flight status information of the eVTOL UAV; then, by simulating the execution of flight control commands, it will obtain the simulated flight status information of the eVTOL UAV; and based on the changes between the current flight status information and the simulated flight status information, it will determine the current flight stage of the eVTOL UAV, where the current flight stage of the eVTOL UAV is the flight stage corresponding to the execution of the flight control commands.

[0087] Index module 302: used by the flight control computer to index the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV;

[0088] In a specific implementation of this invention, the flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV, including: the flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV in the flight control strategy library; the flight control strategy library stores flight control strategies corresponding to different flight phases.

[0089] Furthermore, the flight control strategies corresponding to different flight phases include: when the flight phase is the vertical takeoff and landing phase, the flight control strategy is to invoke the power battery pack to implement a peak power priority supply strategy; when the flight phase is the transition mode phase, the flight control strategy is to smoothly switch to a coordinated power supply strategy of the turbine generator system and the power battery pack, with the turbine generator system continuously providing baseline power at optimal fuel efficiency, and the power battery pack dynamically supplementing the additional power required by the peak aerodynamic load; when the flight phase is the cruise phase, the flight control strategy is for the turbine generator system to perform full power supply at constant efficiency and optimal operating point, and to use the remaining power to charge the power battery pack; when the flight phase is the emergency mode phase, the flight control strategy is to perform derating output to meet the minimum power requirements for safe flight, and the flight control computer performs coordinated power supply control based on the status of the power battery pack, the turbine generator system, and fault codes.

[0090] Furthermore, the turbine power generation system is formed by a turbine engine mechanically driving a turbine generator; the electrical energy generated by the turbine power generation system is rectified and then connected to an 800V high-voltage DC bus; the power battery pack is connected to the 800V high-voltage DC bus.

[0091] Specifically, the flight control computer will use the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV to index the flight control strategy corresponding to the flight phase in the flight control strategy library; the flight control strategy library stores the flight control strategies corresponding to different flight phases.

[0092] Different flight phases employ corresponding flight control strategies. For example, during vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), the power system actively utilizes the high-rate battery pack to implement a peak power priority supply strategy, ensuring the electric drive system achieves millisecond-level dynamic response performance with a torque response time of <10ms, meeting the transient response requirements of the propulsion system. During the transition mode, a smooth switch to a turbine generator system and battery co-operation mode is implemented, where the turbine generator system continuously provides baseline power with optimal fuel efficiency, while the battery pack dynamically supplements the additional power required for peak aerodynamic loads. Upon entering the cruise phase, the turbine generator system provides full power and charges the battery, maintaining a constant-efficiency optimized operating state. In the emergency mode, derating output meets the minimum power requirements for safe flight, and the flight control computer coordinates the power supply relationship between the two based on factors such as battery SOC, turbine generator status, and fault codes.

[0093] In this technical solution, by combining a multi-level redundant architecture with an intelligent power distribution strategy, the probability of catastrophic system failure is effectively reduced, thereby significantly improving the airworthiness of the aircraft. In an emergency, the battery can independently output 70% of the power to ensure that the aircraft can maintain safe flight. This design achieves global optimization of range and energy efficiency, improving the overall performance and reliability of the aircraft.

[0094] Meanwhile, the turbine power generation system is formed by the mechanical direct drive of the turbine generator by the turbine engine; when the turbine power generation system is generating electricity, the generated electricity is rectified and connected to the 800V high-voltage DC bus; the power battery pack is connected to the 800V high-voltage DC bus; among them, the 800V high-voltage DC bus is connected to the cruise electric drive unit and the vertical take-off electric drive unit of the eVTOL UAV, and provides power to the cruise electric drive unit and the vertical take-off electric drive unit.

[0095] Control module 303: is used by the flight control computer to control the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to N cruise electric drive units and M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the flight control strategy, wherein the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are evenly divided into 4 symmetrical control quadrants, and the resultant torque balance is maintained to keep the attitude of the eVTOL UAV stable during the operation of the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units.

[0096] In a specific implementation of this invention, the flight control computer controls the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical takeoff and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the flight control strategy. This includes: the flight control computer obtaining the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack set in the flight control strategy; and the flight control computer supplying power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical takeoff and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack set in the flight control strategy.

[0097] Furthermore, the method of maintaining the resultant torque balance for attitude stability of the eVTOL UAV during the operation of the M VTOL electric drive units includes: during the operation of the M VTOL electric drive units, the flight control computer detects the M VTOL electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV in real time based on high-frequency sampling and obtains the detection results; when any VTOL electric drive unit in the detection results shows a decrease or loss of lift output, the first control quadrant in which the VTOL electric drive unit with decreased or lost lift output is located is obtained; the flight control computer controls at least one remaining normally operating VTOL electric drive unit in the first control quadrant to perform dynamic lift compensation processing by proportionally increasing the torque, so as to maintain the resultant torque balance of the four control quadrants of the eVTOL UAV, and the total lift vector is maintained greater than a preset value.

[0098] Specifically, the flight control computer will obtain the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the battery pack as set in the flight control strategy; then the flight control computer will supply power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical take-off electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the battery pack as set in the flight control strategy.

[0099] Specifically, to achieve safe control of the eVTOL UAV, the M vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) units on the eVTOL UAV are divided into four control quadrants. Since the eVTOL UAV has 16 VTOL units, each control quadrant contains four VTOL units. During flight, the flight control computer monitors the M VTOL units in real-time using high-frequency sampling. If any VTOL unit exhibits lift output attenuation or loss, the first control quadrant containing that unit is identified. The flight control computer then dynamically compensates for the remaining at least one normally functioning VTOL unit in the first control quadrant by proportionally increasing its torque. This maintains the balance of the total lift torque across the four control quadrants of the eVTOL UAV, ensuring the total lift vector is greater than a preset value, which can be 1.2 times the weight of the eVTOL UAV.

[0100] That is, the flight control computer monitors the propulsion system status in real time through high-frequency sampling. For single power unit failure conditions, the system dynamically redistributes thrust based on a redundancy control algorithm as follows: For example, if the lift output of the vertical take-off and landing electric drive unit 1 in the fault diagnosis detection control quadrant 1 is reduced or lost, the flight control computer controls the vertical take-off and landing electric drive units 2, 3 and 4 to increase the torque proportionally to dynamically compensate for the lift. In addition, it is necessary to maintain the balance of the resultant lift torque between control quadrant 1 and the other three control quadrants, reduce the rolling torque, and ensure that the total lift vector is always greater than 1.2 times the weight of the entire aircraft to ensure attitude stability and safe flight.

[0101] The torque requirement of the aircraft can be expressed as a function of the thrust of each blade, assuming the thrust of each blade is T. i (i = 1, 2, ..., 20), the following constraints are established during the hovering phase.

[0102] Overall lift equation: (m is the mass of the UAV, g is the acceleration due to gravity); while maintaining the normal pull force greater than gravity, establish constraints on pitch moment, roll moment, and yaw moment to control the pitch M. {pitch} , roll M {roll} Yaw M {yaw} The torque requires that the normal acceleration, pitch, roll and other attitude values ​​not be lower than the threshold.

[0103] When the single power unit failure handling algorithm detects a failure in the i-drive unit through sensors such as speed and current, it determines the tension F. i ≈0 or uncontrollable, quickly identify the failed unit i by the electric drive unit ID number and lock its status as "failed" (F). i =0 or a small value close to 0; remove the failed unit and update the control efficiency matrix B, directly constructing a new B matrix only for the remaining 19 healthy units; adjust according to the attitude deviation fed back by the sensor to resist the disturbance caused by the failure, and ensure that the resultant torque generated by the remaining units can accurately offset the unbalanced torque caused by the failure.

[0104] While retaining core eVTOL technologies such as fly-by-wire flight control computers and distributed propulsion systems, this architecture integrates a turbine generator system to build a hybrid power system. During vertical takeoff and landing, the system is powered by batteries, while during cruise, the turbine generator system continuously provides power to the electric drive unit and onboard equipment, breaking through the range limitations of pure electric aircraft.

[0105] In this embodiment of the invention, a turbine power generation system and a power battery pack are installed on the eVTOL UAV, and the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack are connected in series and parallel on an 800V high-voltage DC bus. Then, different flight control strategies are executed according to different flight stages to perform power supply processing, so that the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack are connected in series and parallel to power the eVTOL UAV, thereby achieving optimization in terms of range extension and safety performance improvement. At the same time, the weight of the eVTOL UAV can be significantly reduced, and the overall energy consumption can be significantly reduced, while the range can be greatly increased.

[0106] This invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When executed by a processor, this program implements the eVTOL drone control method of any of the above embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium includes, but is not limited to, any type of disk (including floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, CD-ROM, and magneto-optical disk), ROM (Read-Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), flash memory, magnetic cards, or optical cards. In other words, the storage device includes any medium that can store or transmit information in a readable form by a device (e.g., a computer, a mobile phone), and can be a read-only memory, a disk, or an optical disk, etc.

[0107] This invention also provides a computer application running on a computer, which is used to execute the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method of any of the above embodiments.

[0108] also, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of the electronic device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0109] This invention also provides an electronic device, such as... Figure 4 As shown. The electronic device includes components such as a processor 402, a memory 403, an input unit 404, and a display unit 405. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 4The structural components of the illustrated electronic device do not constitute a limitation on all devices and may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine certain components. Memory 403 can be used to store application program 401 and various functional modules. Processor 402 runs application program 401 stored in memory 403, thereby performing various functional applications and data processing of the device. Memory can be internal memory or external memory, or both. Internal memory may include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, or random access memory. External memory may include hard disks, floppy disks, ZIP disks, USB flash drives, magnetic tapes, etc. The memory disclosed in this invention includes, but is not limited to, these types of memory. The memory disclosed in this invention is only an example and not a limitation.

[0110] Input unit 404 is used to receive signal input and user-input keywords. Input unit 404 may include a touch panel and other input devices. The touch panel can collect user touch operations on or near it (such as operations performed by the user using a finger, stylus, or any suitable object or accessory on or near the touch panel) and drive the corresponding connection device according to a pre-set program; other input devices may include, but are not limited to, one or more of physical keyboards, function keys (such as play control buttons, power buttons, etc.), trackballs, mice, joysticks, etc. Display unit 405 can be used to display user-input information or information provided to the user, as well as various menus of the terminal device. Display unit 405 may be in the form of a liquid crystal display, organic light-emitting diode, etc. Processor 402 is the control center of the terminal device, connecting various parts of the entire device through various interfaces and lines, performing various functions and processing data by running or executing software programs and / or modules stored in memory 403, and calling data stored in memory.

[0111] As one embodiment, the electronic device includes: one or more processors 402, a memory 403, and one or more application programs 401, wherein the one or more application programs 401 are stored in the memory 403 and configured to be executed by the one or more processors 402, and the one or more application programs 401 are configured to execute the eVTOL drone control method corresponding to any of the above embodiments.

[0112] In this embodiment of the invention, a turbine power generation system and a power battery pack are installed on the eVTOL UAV, and the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack are connected in series and parallel on an 800V high-voltage DC bus. Then, different flight control strategies are executed according to different flight stages to perform power supply processing, so that the turbine power generation system and the power battery pack are connected in series and parallel to power the eVTOL UAV, thereby achieving optimization in terms of range extension and safety performance improvement. At the same time, the weight of the eVTOL UAV can be significantly reduced, and the overall energy consumption can be significantly reduced, while the range can be greatly increased.

[0113] Furthermore, the above provides a detailed description of the eVTOL UAV control method and related devices based on hybrid power provided by the embodiments of the present invention. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of the present invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for an eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle based on hybrid power, characterized in that, The method, applied to an eVTOL drone equipped with a turbine power generation system and a power battery pack, and wherein the eVTOL drone is a compound-wing drone, includes: The flight control computer obtains the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands. The flight phase includes the vertical takeoff and landing phase, the transition mode phase, the cruise phase, and the emergency mode phase. The flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV; The flight control computer controls the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the flight control strategy. The M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are divided into 4 symmetrical control quadrants, and the resultant torque balance is maintained to keep the attitude of the eVTOL UAV stable while the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are running.

2. The eVTOL UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flight control computer obtains the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands, including: The flight control computer obtains the current flight status information of the eVTOL UAV; The flight control computer simulates obtaining the simulated flight state information of the eVTOL UAV after executing the flight control command; The current flight status information and the simulated flight status information are used to determine the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV.

3. The eVTOL UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flight control computer indexes the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV, including: The flight control computer uses the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV to index the flight control strategy corresponding to the flight phase in the flight control strategy library; The flight control strategy library stores flight control strategies corresponding to different flight phases.

4. The eVTOL UAV control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The flight control strategies corresponding to the different flight phases include: When the flight phase is the vertical takeoff and landing phase, the flight control strategy is to invoke the power battery pack to implement a peak power priority power supply strategy; During the transitional mode phase of the flight, the power battery pack prioritizes power supply, and the turbine power generation system dynamically supplements the required additional power. When the flight phase is the cruise phase, the flight control strategy is for the turbine power generation system to operate at a constant efficiency and optimal operating point to provide full power, and to use the remaining power to charge the power battery pack. When the flight phase is in emergency mode, the flight control strategy is to execute derating output to meet the minimum power requirements for safe flight, and the flight control computer coordinates power supply control based on the status of the power battery pack, turbine generator system and fault codes.

5. The eVTOL UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The turbine power generation system consists of a turbine engine mechanically driven turbine generator; the electrical energy generated by the turbine power generation system is rectified and then connected to an 800V high-voltage DC bus; the power battery pack is connected to the 800V high-voltage DC bus.

6. The eVTOL UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flight control computer, based on the flight control strategy, controls the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical takeoff and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV, including: The flight control computer obtains the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack as set in the flight control strategy. The flight control computer supplies power to the N cruise electric drive units and M vertical takeoff electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the operating power supply status of the turbine power generation system and the power supply status of the power battery pack set in the flight control strategy.

7. The eVTOL UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The balance of the resultant torque that maintains the attitude stability of the eVTOL UAV during the operation of the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units includes: When the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are running, the flight control computer detects the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV in real time based on high-frequency sampling and obtains the detection results. If any vertical electric drive unit in the detection results shows a decrease or loss of lift output, the first control quadrant in which the vertical electric drive unit that shows a decrease or loss of lift output is located is obtained. The flight control computer controls at least one remaining normally operating vertical takeoff and landing electric drive unit in the first control quadrant to perform dynamic lift compensation processing by proportionally increasing the torque, so as to maintain the balance of the resultant lift torque in the four control quadrants of the eVTOL UAV, and maintain the total lift vector greater than a preset value.

8. A hybrid-powered eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control device, characterized in that, An application to an eVTOL drone, wherein the eVTOL drone is equipped with a turbine power generation system and a power battery pack, and the eVTOL drone is a compound-wing drone, the device includes: The acquisition module is used by the flight control computer to obtain the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV based on flight control commands. The flight phase includes the vertical takeoff and landing phase, the transition mode phase, the cruise phase, and the emergency mode phase. Index module: used by the flight control computer to index the flight control strategy corresponding to the current flight phase of the eVTOL UAV; Control module: Used by the flight control computer to control the turbine power generation system and / or the power battery pack to supply power to N cruise electric drive units and M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units on the eVTOL UAV based on the flight control strategy, wherein the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units are evenly divided into 4 symmetrical control quadrants, and the resultant torque balance is maintained to keep the attitude of the eVTOL UAV stable during the operation of the M vertical take-off and landing electric drive units.

9. An electronic device comprising a processor and a memory, characterized in that, The processor runs computer programs or code stored in the memory to implement the eVTOL UAV control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium for storing computer programs or code, characterized in that, When the computer program or code is executed by a processor, the eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicle control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 is implemented.

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