Aircraft control method and rotor craft

Abstract

The invention provides an aircraft control method and a rotorcraft. The method comprises the steps that the current attack angle of a high lift wing is obtained through an angle-of-attack device; calculating a target included angle between the high lift wing and the rotor wing according to the relation between the current attack angle and a set angle; the set angle relation is an incidence relation between an included angle between the high lift wing and the rotor wing and the attack angle; adjusting the included angle between a high lift wing and a rotor wing of the rotor craft to be the target included angle through the angle adjuster; when the included angle between the high lift wing and the target included angle is the target included angle, the attack angle of the high lift wing is correspondingly adjusted to be the optimal attack angle. The current attack angle of the high-lift wing is measured through the angle-of-attack device, the relative angle between the high-lift wing and the rotor wing is adjusted accordingly, the optimal lift-drag ratio working condition of the high-lift wing is achieved, power consumption of the rotor wing is reduced, and the loading capacity, the endurance time and the endurance mileage of the rotorcraft are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of aircraft, and more specifically, to an aircraft control method and a rotorcraft. Background Technology

[0002] Rotorcraft are simple in structure, consisting of a set of rotors. They feature vertical takeoff and landing, hovering and hovering steering, and can achieve arbitrary control over altitude and position. Furthermore, rotorcraft do not require runways for takeoff and landing; they only need a safe area slightly larger than the aircraft's planar dimensions. Therefore, rotorcraft are commonly used in aerial photography, logistics transportation in confined areas, urban elevated transportation, plant protection operations with limited operating height, and in partially collapsed buildings after earthquakes, as well as in tunnels, subways, mines, and underground spaces. However, due to high power loss, their payload capacity, range, and flight time are relatively short, resulting in insufficient capacity and short transit times for long-duration, high-load logistics transportation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide an aircraft control method and a rotorcraft that can reduce power consumption and improve the load capacity, endurance and range of the rotorcraft.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an aircraft control method applied to a rotorcraft, the rotorcraft including: a rotor, a lift-enhancing wing, and an angle-of-attack device; the rotor is configured to provide lift to the rotorcraft through rotor rotation, and the lift-enhancing wing is configured to supplement the lift provided by the rotor; the method includes: obtaining the current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing through the angle-of-attack device; calculating a target angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor based on the current angle of attack and a set angle relationship; wherein, the set angle relationship is the correlation between the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor and the angle of attack; adjusting the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor of the rotorcraft to the target angle through an angle adjuster; wherein, when the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the target angle is the target angle, the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing is correspondingly adjusted to the optimal angle of attack.

[0005] In the above process, as the pitch attitude of the rotorcraft changes, the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing is obtained by measuring the angle of attack of the incoming airflow through the onboard angle of attack device. Based on this, the relative angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor is adjusted to achieve the optimal lift-to-drag ratio of the lift-enhancing wing under the flight conditions, thereby reducing the power consumption of the rotor. This can improve the load capacity, endurance and range of the rotorcraft under the same size, weight and power conditions.

[0006] In one embodiment, after adjusting the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor of the rotorcraft to the target angle using the angle adjuster, the method further includes: calculating the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing based on the optimal angle of attack; and determining the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft based on the current lift and the weight of the rotorcraft.

[0007] In the above implementation process, after adjusting the aircraft to the optimal angle of attack, the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing is calculated based on the optimal angle of attack, and the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft is determined based on the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing. The lift provided by the rotor for the rotorcraft is reduced, thereby reducing the rotor speed, reducing the power consumption during the flight of the aircraft, extending the flight time, and increasing the range of the aircraft.

[0008] In one embodiment, after determining the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft based on the current lift and the weight of the rotorcraft, the method further includes: adjusting the rotational power of the rotor based on the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft, so as to adjust the lift that the rotor provides for the rotorcraft.

[0009] In one embodiment, the rotational power of the rotor is adjusted according to the lift that the rotor needs to provide to the rotorcraft. The calculation formula for adjusting the lift provided by the rotor to the rotorcraft is as follows: ;in, It's rotor lift. It is the total rotor power. It is the area of ​​the circular cross-section swept by the rotor. It refers to the number of rotors.

[0010] In the above process, after the lift-enhancing wings provide lift for the aircraft, the rotational power of the rotor is readjusted according to the lift required by the rotor, thereby reducing the rotor power consumption and improving the load capacity, endurance and range of the rotorcraft under the same size, mass and power conditions.

[0011] In one embodiment, the formula for calculating the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing based on the optimal angle of attack is: ; ; ;in, For the current lift, air density, To increase the wing's speed relative to the incoming airflow, The lift coefficient, To increase wing area, As a current obstacle, The drag coefficient, This is the optimal angle of attack.

[0012] In the aforementioned implementation process, by calculating the current lift and drag of the augmented wing after the aircraft adjusts to the optimal angle of attack based on its current flight parameters, the force parameters can be calculated accordingly. With the multi-scenario application of rotorcraft, the flight attitude is constantly being adjusted. The angle of attack of the augmented wing follows the flight attitude of the rotorcraft, allowing for corresponding adjustments to the lift and drag provided by the augmented wing. This ensures that the augmented wing is always in a superior lift state, thereby better reducing flight power, extending flight time, and improving range.

[0013] In one embodiment, the method further includes: determining the current state of the rotorcraft; if it is determined that the current environment of the rotorcraft is a windless environment and the rotorcraft is in a non-forward flight state, controlling the lift-enhancing wing to be in an initial installation position; wherein the lift-enhancing wing does not generate lift or drag in the initial installation position; and the thrust generated by the rotor is greater than or equal to the weight of the rotorcraft.

[0014] In the above implementation process, when the current environment of the rotorcraft is a windless environment and the rotorcraft is in a non-forward flight state, the directional torque of multiple rotors in the horizontal direction cancels each other out, and the rotorcraft can maintain a good balance in the horizontal direction. By controlling the augmented wing to be in the initial installation position, the drag generated by the augmented wing in the horizontal direction can be effectively reduced. In this way, while maintaining the flight balance of the rotorcraft, the lift that the rotor needs to provide to the rotorcraft can be reduced, thereby reducing the rotor power consumption and improving the load capacity, endurance and range of the rotorcraft under the same size, weight and power conditions.

[0015] In one embodiment, the method further includes: if it is determined that the rotorcraft is in a turning state, controlling multiple rotors to generate different yaw torques to control the rotorcraft to turn.

[0016] In the above implementation process, when the rotorcraft needs to turn, it is only necessary to control the yaw torque generated by multiple rotors so that the yaw torque generated by multiple rotors does not cancel each other out, without the need for the participation of the lift wing, making the steering adjustment simple and easy to implement.

[0017] In one embodiment, the formula for setting the angular relationship is: ;in, For the current angle of attack, The pitch angle of the aircraft. To increase the angle between the wing and the rotor.

[0018] In the above implementation process, by establishing the set angular relationship between the angle of attack, pitch angle, and the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor, the angle of attack of the rotorcraft can be calculated based on the set angular relationship after adjusting the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor, thereby realizing the measurement of the angle of attack, so that the lift-enhancing wing is in a better lift state, thereby better reducing flight power, extending flight time, and improving range.

[0019] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a rotorcraft, including: a rotor, a lift-enhancing wing, and an angle-of-attack device; the lift-enhancing wing includes a length direction and a width direction; wherein the length direction and the width direction are parallel to the ground plane, and the width direction is orthogonal to the length direction; the rotor is disposed at the end of the lift-enhancing wing along the length direction and / or at the end of the width direction, the rotor is configured to provide lift to the rotorcraft through rotor rotation, and the lift-enhancing wing is configured to supplement the lift provided by the rotor; the angle-of-attack device is disposed at both ends of the lift-enhancing wing along the width direction, and the angle-of-attack device is configured to obtain the current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing; the current angle of attack is used to calculate the target angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor; wherein the rotor is movably connected to the lift-enhancing wing, and the angle between the rotor and the lift-enhancing wing is adjustable.

[0020] In the aforementioned implementation process, a lift-enhancing wing was added without increasing the overall dimensions, flight weight, or battery percentage of the rotorcraft, thereby reducing the power loss of the rotor during flight. Furthermore, angle-of-attack sensors were installed on both sides of the lift-enhancing wing in the width direction. These sensors provide the aircraft's current angle of attack, allowing for adjustments to the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor. This ensures the lift-enhancing wing operates at its optimal angle of attack throughout all operating conditions, increasing the lift provided by the wing and reducing the lift required from the rotor. Consequently, this reduces power loss during flight and increases the aircraft's endurance.

[0021] In one embodiment, the rotorcraft further includes: an angle adjuster; the angle adjuster is disposed inside the lift-enhancing wing, and the angle adjuster is configured to adjust the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor to the target angle; wherein the target angle is calculated based on the current angle of attack and a set angle relationship; the set angle relationship is the correlation between the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor and the angle of attack.

[0022] In the above implementation process, by setting an angle adjuster, after determining the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor, the angle can be adjusted through the angle adjuster so that the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing of the aircraft is always at the optimal angle of attack. Thus, the aircraft can provide the maximum possible lift during the entire flight process, reduce the lift required by the rotor, thereby reducing the power loss of the aircraft during flight and increasing the endurance of the aircraft.

[0023] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide an electronic device, including: a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores machine-readable instructions executable by the processor, and when the electronic device is running, the machine-readable instructions are executed by the processor to perform the steps of the method described in the first aspect above, or any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0024] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of the aircraft control method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0025] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a rotorcraft provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A block diagram illustrating an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A flowchart of an aircraft control method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the functional modules of the aircraft control device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0028] Figure descriptions: 50-rotor, 60-lift-enhancing wing, 70-angle of attack, C-length direction, K-width direction, 100-electronic equipment, 111-memory, 113-processor, 301-acquisition module, 302-computation module, 303-adjustment module. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. Furthermore, in the description of this application, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0031] Rotarywing aircraft, with their unique advantages such as vertical takeoff and landing, hovering, maneuverability, and low barrier to entry, have found numerous applications in aerial photography, exploration, and logistics transportation. However, the inventors of this application have discovered through long-term research that, limited by current battery technology, range remains the biggest weakness of rotarywing aircraft. This is especially true for logistics transportation scenarios such as catering and express delivery in densely built-up urban areas, where rotarywing aircraft have even more pressing needs regarding payload and range.

[0032] In view of this, the inventors of this application propose an aircraft control method. This method uses an onboard angle-of-attack sensor to measure the angle of attack of the incoming airflow to obtain the current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing. Based on this, the relative angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor is adjusted to achieve the optimal lift-to-drag ratio for the lift-enhancing wing under the given flight conditions, thereby reducing rotor power consumption. This solution, without increasing the overall dimensions, flight weight, or battery percentage of the rotorcraft, adds a lift-enhancing wing to reduce rotor power loss during flight, thus increasing the rotorcraft's endurance and range. The rotorcraft can adjust the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing relative to the incoming airflow based on the rotorcraft's flight attitude and the angle of attack of the incoming airflow to match the optimal angle of attack operating point of the lift-enhancing wing, thereby achieving optimal reduction in rotor power loss and optimal extension of the rotorcraft's endurance and range.

[0033] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, a detailed description of a rotorcraft disclosed in this application embodiment will be provided first.

[0034] like Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic of a rotorcraft 50 provided in an embodiment of this application, including: rotor 50, lift-enhancing wing 60, and angle-of-attack device 70.

[0035] The lift-enhancing wing 60 includes a length direction C and a width direction K; the length direction C and the width direction K are parallel to the ground plane, and the width direction K is orthogonal to the length direction C.

[0036] The rotor 50 is located at the end of the lift-enhancing wing 60 along the length direction C and / or the end along the width direction K. The rotor 50 is configured to provide lift to the rotorcraft through rotation, and the lift-enhancing wing 60 is configured to supplement the lift provided by the rotor 50. The rotorcraft maintains its balance and overcomes its own weight in the air under the action of lift.

[0037] Understandably, the lift-enhancing wing 60 can generate lift by utilizing the airflow generated by the forward flight of the aircraft, thereby supplementing the lift provided by the rotor 50, reducing the thrust required by the rotor 50 during flight, and thus reducing the power loss of the rotorcraft during flight.

[0038] Optionally, the rotorcraft 50 can be configured with multiple rotors 50. For example, the rotorcraft 50 can be configured with 2 rotors 50, 4 rotors 50, 5 rotors 50, etc., and the number of rotors 50 can be adjusted according to the actual situation.

[0039] In one embodiment, the rotorcraft 50 further includes rotor arms 50 for mounting rotors 50. Typically, the number of rotor arms 50 corresponds to the number of rotors 50. That is, multiple rotor arms 50 can be provided, and the number of rotor arms 50 can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0040] Optionally, the rotor 50 arm and rotor 50 can be detachably installed so that different types of rotor 50 can be replaced when the rotorcraft is used in different scenarios.

[0041] The aforementioned rotor 50 arm can be movably connected to the lift-enhancing wing 60 so that the angle between the rotor 50 and the lift-enhancing wing 60 can be adjusted by adjusting the angle between the lift-enhancing wing 60 and the rotor 50 arm.

[0042] It should be understood that the lift generated by the augmented wing 60 will vary depending on its angle of attack. Therefore, when adjusting the angle between the augmented wing 60 and the rotor 50, it can be adjusted to the angle corresponding to the aircraft's current optimal angle of attack. This allows the augmented wing 60 to provide more efficient lift, minimizing the lift provided by the rotor 50, thereby reducing power loss during flight and increasing the aircraft's endurance.

[0043] The angle of attack 70 is located at both ends of the lift-enhancing wing 60 along the width direction K. The angle of attack 70 is configured to obtain the current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing 60. This current angle of attack is used to calculate the target angle between the lift-enhancing wing 60 and the rotor 50.

[0044] In the above implementation process, a lift-enhancing wing 60 with lift-enhancing capabilities is added without increasing the overall dimensions, flight weight, or battery percentage of the rotor 50 aircraft, thereby reducing the power loss of the rotor 50 during flight. Furthermore, angle-of-attack devices 70 are installed on both sides of the lift-enhancing wing 60 in the width direction K. These devices obtain the aircraft's current angle of attack, allowing for adjustment of the angle between the lift-enhancing wing 60 and the rotor 50. This ensures that the lift-enhancing wing 60 is at its optimal angle of attack throughout all operating conditions, increasing the lift provided by the lift-enhancing wing 60, reducing the lift required from the rotor 50, and consequently reducing the aircraft's power loss during flight, thus increasing its endurance.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the Rotor 50 aircraft also includes an angle adjuster.

[0046] The angle adjuster is located inside the lift-enhancing wing 60 and is configured to adjust the angle between the lift-enhancing wing 60 and the rotor 50 to the target angle.

[0047] The target angle is calculated based on the relationship between the current angle of attack and the set angle. This set angle relationship is the correlation between the angle between the lift-enhancing wing 60 and the rotor 50 and the angle of attack.

[0048] In the above implementation process, by setting an angle adjuster, after determining the angle between the lift-enhancing wing 60 and the rotor 50, the angle can be adjusted so that the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing 60 of the aircraft is always at the optimal angle of attack. Thus, the aircraft can provide the maximum possible lift during the entire flight process, reducing the lift required by the rotor 50, thereby reducing the power loss of the aircraft during flight and increasing the endurance of the aircraft.

[0049] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, the electronic device that performs the aircraft control method disclosed in this application embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0050] like Figure 2 The diagram shown is a block illustration of an electronic device. The electronic device 100 may include a memory 111 and a processor 113. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 2 The structure shown is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the structure of the electronic device 100. For example, the electronic device 100 may also include components that are more... Figure 2 The more or fewer components shown, or having the same Figure 2 The different configurations shown.

[0051] The aforementioned memory 111 and processor 113 are electrically connected directly or indirectly to achieve data transmission or interaction. For example, these components can be electrically connected to each other via one or more communication buses or signal lines. The aforementioned processor 113 is used to execute executable modules stored in the memory.

[0052] The memory 111 can be, but is not limited to, Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), etc. The memory 111 stores programs. After receiving execution instructions, the processor 113 executes the programs. The methods executed by the electronic device 100 as defined in any embodiment of this application can be applied to the processor 113, or implemented by the processor 113.

[0053] The aforementioned processor 113 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. The processor 113 may be a general-purpose processor, including a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Network Processor (NP), etc.; it may also be a digital signal processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0054] The aforementioned electronic device 100 can be installed inside the lift-enhancing wing of the aircraft or outside the aircraft. If the electronic device 100 is installed outside the aircraft, it communicates with the aircraft via a network for data communication or interaction. The installation method of the electronic device 100 can be adjusted according to the actual situation, and this application does not impose specific limitations.

[0055] The electronic device 100 in this embodiment can be used to execute various steps in the various methods provided in the embodiments of this application. The implementation process of the aircraft control method is described in detail below through several embodiments.

[0056] Please see Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the aircraft control method provided in the embodiments of this application. The following will describe... Figure 3 The specific process shown will be explained in detail.

[0057] Step 201: Obtain the current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing using the angle of attack sensor.

[0058] The angle of attack here refers to the angle between the incoming airflow and the lift-enhancing wing. The current angle of attack is the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing at the current measurement moment.

[0059] The aforementioned angle of attack device is an angle of attack / angle of attack measuring instrument, which uses the effect and direction of airflow on the angle of attack device to determine the angle of attack of an aircraft.

[0060] It should be understood that the angle of attack sensor can acquire the current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing in real time, or while the aircraft is in a set state, or at regular intervals. The method by which the angle of attack sensor acquires the current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing can be adjusted according to actual conditions, and this application does not impose specific limitations.

[0061] Step 202: Calculate the target angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor based on the relationship between the current angle of attack and the set angle.

[0062] Among them, the set angle relationship is the correlation between the included angle between the lift wing and the rotor and the angle of attack.

[0063] It should be understood that when an aircraft is configured, there are corresponding relationships between the rotor and the lift-enhancing wing. Therefore, when the position of the lift-enhancing wing changes, the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor, the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the airflow (i.e., the angle of attack), and the aircraft's pitch angle will all change accordingly. By establishing the relationships between these angles, changes in one or two angles can be used to determine the changes in other angles.

[0064] The angle of attack corresponding to the target angle mentioned above is the optimal angle of attack for the aircraft under the current conditions.

[0065] Step 203: Adjust the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor of the rotorcraft using the angle adjuster to the target angle.

[0066] When the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the target angle is the same as the target angle, the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing is adjusted to the optimal angle of attack.

[0067] The optimal angle of attack here can be 2°-5°. This range of optimal angle of attack can be adjusted according to actual conditions, and this application does not impose specific limitations.

[0068] It should be understood that when the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor of a rotorcraft is adjusted, the position of the lift-enhancing wing will also change accordingly, thus altering its angle of attack. Since adjusting the angle of attack and pitch angle of the lift-enhancing wing during flight is difficult and not easily controlled, adjusting the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor allows for relatively easy adjustment of the wing's angle of attack.

[0069] In the above process, as the pitch attitude of the rotorcraft changes, the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing is obtained by measuring the angle of attack of the incoming airflow through the onboard angle of attack device. Based on this, the relative angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor is adjusted to achieve the optimal lift-to-drag ratio of the lift-enhancing wing under the flight conditions, thereby reducing the power consumption of the rotor. This can improve the load capacity, endurance and range of the rotorcraft under the same size, weight and power conditions.

[0070] In one possible implementation, after step 202, the method further includes: calculating the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing based on the optimal angle of attack; and determining the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft based on the current lift and the weight of the rotorcraft.

[0071] It should be understood that for a given gravity-fed aircraft, the current lift contribution of the lift-enhancing wing to the aircraft's flight can be calculated based on the aircraft's current flight parameters (such as wing airspeed, air density, wing area, etc.) and the optimal angle of attack. The rotor speed can then be adjusted to adjust the lift provided by the rotor to the aircraft.

[0072] The aforementioned aircraft experience different force balances under different flight conditions.

[0073] For example, if the aircraft is in forward flight, the vertical component of the lift generated by the lift-enhancing wing is balanced with the vertical component of the rotor lift and the vertical component of gravity. The horizontal component of the rotor lift is balanced with the horizontal component of the lift-enhancing wing and the horizontal component of gravity.

[0074] If the aircraft is in a ground takeoff state, the rotor lift and gravity are balanced in the vertical direction, and the yaw torque of multiple rotor lifts cancels each other out in the horizontal direction.

[0075] In the above implementation process, after adjusting the aircraft to the optimal angle of attack, the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing is calculated based on the optimal angle of attack, and the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft is determined based on the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing. The lift provided by the rotor for the rotorcraft is reduced, thereby reducing the rotor speed, reducing the power consumption during the flight of the aircraft, extending the flight time, and increasing the range of the aircraft.

[0076] In one possible implementation, after determining the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft based on the current lift and the weight of the rotorcraft, the method further includes: adjusting the rotational power of the rotor according to the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft, so as to adjust the lift provided by the rotor for the rotorcraft.

[0077] It should be understood that the lift generated by the rotor is adjusted according to the rotor speed. When the lift required by the rotor changes, it can be achieved by adjusting the rotor speed, which in turn can be adjusted by the rotor's rotational power. Therefore, after determining the lift required by the rotor, the rotor speed can be calculated based on that lift, and then adjusted accordingly.

[0078] In one possible implementation, the rotor's rotational power is adjusted according to the lift required by the rotor to power the rotorcraft. The formula for calculating the adjustment of the lift provided by the rotor to power the rotorcraft is as follows: (1).

[0079] in, It's rotor lift. It is the total rotor power. It is the area of ​​the circular cross-section swept by the rotor. It is the number of rotors. It refers to air density.

[0080] The following example, using the rotorcraft in its hovering phase, further illustrates the relationship between the lift of the augmenting wing and the rotor speed: During the hovering phase, the relationship between the lift of a single rotor and its rotational speed is as follows: (2).

[0081] in, It's rotor lift. The rotor speed is rpm. This is the rotor lift coefficient. The rotor diameter, It refers to air density.

[0082] According to the above formulas (1) and (2), the relationship between the total rotor power and the rotor speed is as follows: (3).

[0083] According to the above formula (3), the hovering speed and power of a rotorcraft can be expanded into a first-order Taylor formula at the hovering point: ; .

[0084] in, The power function is the rotational speed. The power is a function of the rotational speed.

[0085] Understandably, according to the above formula, by increasing the lift of the wings to adjust the speed of the aircraft, the power loss of the aircraft can be reduced.

[0086] In the above process, after the lift-enhancing wings provide lift for the aircraft, the rotational power of the rotor is readjusted according to the lift required by the rotor, thereby reducing the rotor power consumption and improving the load capacity, endurance and range of the rotorcraft under the same size, mass and power conditions.

[0087] In one possible implementation, the formula for calculating the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing based on the optimal angle of attack is: ; ; .

[0088] in, For the current lift, air density, To increase the wing's speed relative to the incoming airflow, The lift coefficient, To increase wing area, As a current obstacle, The drag coefficient, This is the optimal angle of attack.

[0089] In the aforementioned implementation process, by calculating the current lift and drag of the augmented wing after the aircraft adjusts to the optimal angle of attack based on its current flight parameters, the force parameters can be calculated accordingly. With the multi-scenario application of rotorcraft, the flight attitude is constantly being adjusted. The angle of attack of the augmented wing follows the flight attitude of the rotorcraft, allowing for corresponding adjustments to the lift and drag provided by the augmented wing. This ensures that the augmented wing is always in a superior lift state, thereby better reducing flight power, extending flight time, and improving range.

[0090] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: determining the current state of the rotorcraft; if it is determined that the current environment of the rotorcraft is a windless environment and the rotorcraft is in a non-forward flight state, controlling the lift-enhancing wing to be in the initial installation position.

[0091] Among them, the lift-enhancing wing does not generate lift or drag in the initial installation position; the thrust generated by the rotor is greater than or equal to the weight of the rotorcraft.

[0092] The non-forward flight state here can include: ground takeoff, altitude increase, hovering and turning, altitude decrease, etc., and this non-forward flight state can be adjusted according to the actual situation.

[0093] It should be understood that when a rotorcraft is in a windless environment and not in a forward-facing flight state, the lateral air resistance during flight is relatively small due to the lack of wind obstruction. Furthermore, since the rotorcraft is in a non-forward-facing state, the rotors can provide less lateral force (in extreme cases, this can be considered negligible). Therefore, in this state, the rotorcraft can be considered to have its vertical lift provided by the rotors balanced by its weight, while the yaw torques of the multiple rotors in the horizontal direction cancel each other out, requiring little or no lateral lift.

[0094] In the above implementation process, when the current environment of the rotorcraft is a windless environment and the rotorcraft is in a non-forward flight state, the directional torque of multiple rotors in the horizontal direction cancels each other out, and the rotorcraft can maintain a good balance in the horizontal direction. By controlling the augmented wing to be in the initial installation position, the drag generated by the augmented wing in the horizontal direction can be effectively reduced. In this way, while maintaining the flight balance of the rotorcraft, the lift that the rotor needs to provide to the rotorcraft can be reduced, thereby reducing the rotor power consumption and improving the load capacity, endurance and range of the rotorcraft under the same size, weight and power conditions.

[0095] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: if it is determined that the rotorcraft is in a turning state, controlling multiple rotors to generate different yaw torques to control the rotorcraft's turning.

[0096] It should be understood that when a rotorcraft needs to turn, the forces acting on it in the horizontal direction need to be adjusted so that the yaw torques generated by the multiple rotors do not cancel each other out. This allows the rotorcraft to experience different forces at different locations, thereby achieving clockwise or counterclockwise turning.

[0097] In the above implementation process, when the rotorcraft needs to turn, it is only necessary to control the yaw torque generated by multiple rotors so that the yaw torque generated by multiple rotors does not cancel each other out, without the need for the participation of the lift wing, making the steering adjustment simple and easy to implement.

[0098] In one possible implementation, the formula for defining the angular relationship is: .

[0099] in, For the current angle of attack, The pitch angle of the aircraft. To increase the angle between the wing and the rotor.

[0100] The pitch angle here refers to the angle between the aircraft's coordinate system and the horizontal plane. This pitch angle can be measured using a gyroscope or other measuring devices. Of course, the pitch angle can also be determined directly based on the flight status of the rotorcraft; the method of determining the pitch angle can be selected according to the actual situation.

[0101] In the above implementation process, by establishing the set angular relationship between the angle of attack, pitch angle, and the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor, the angle of attack of the rotorcraft can be calculated based on the set angular relationship after adjusting the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor, thereby realizing the measurement of the angle of attack, so that the lift-enhancing wing is in a better lift state, thereby better reducing flight power, extending flight time, and improving range.

[0102] Based on the same application concept, this application also provides an aircraft control device corresponding to the aircraft control method. Since the principle of the device in this application is similar to that of the aforementioned aircraft control method embodiment, the implementation of the device in this application can refer to the description in the above method embodiment, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0103] Please see Figure 4 This is a functional module diagram of the aircraft control device provided in this application embodiment. Each module in the aircraft control device in this embodiment is used to execute the steps in the above method embodiments. The aircraft control device includes an acquisition module 301, a calculation module 302, and an adjustment module 303; wherein, The acquisition module 301 is used to acquire the current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing via the angle of attack sensor.

[0104] The calculation module 302 is used to calculate the target angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor based on the current angle of attack and the set angle relationship; wherein, the set angle relationship is the correlation between the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor and the angle of attack.

[0105] The adjustment module 303 is used to adjust the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor of the rotorcraft to the target angle via the angle adjuster; wherein, when the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the target angle is the target angle, the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing is adjusted to the optimal angle of attack. In one possible implementation, the aircraft control device further includes a determination module for calculating the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing based on the optimal angle of attack; and determining the lift that the rotor needs to provide to the rotorcraft based on the current lift and the weight of the rotorcraft.

[0106] In one possible implementation, the adjustment module 303 is further configured to: adjust the rotational power of the rotor according to the lift required by the rotor to provide to the rotorcraft, so as to adjust the lift provided by the rotor to the rotorcraft.

[0107] In one possible implementation, the aircraft control device further includes a judgment module for determining the current state of the rotorcraft; if it is determined that the current environment of the rotorcraft is a windless environment and the rotorcraft is in a non-forward flight state, the lift-enhancing wing is controlled to be in the initial installation position; wherein, the lift-enhancing wing does not generate lift or drag in the initial installation position; the thrust generated by the rotor is greater than or equal to the weight of the rotorcraft.

[0108] In one possible implementation, the aircraft control device further includes a control module for controlling multiple rotors to generate different yaw torques to control the rotorcraft's steering if it is determined that the rotorcraft is in a turning state.

[0109] Furthermore, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of the aircraft control method in the above-described method embodiments.

[0110] The computer program product of the aircraft control method provided in this application includes a computer-readable storage medium storing program code. The instructions included in the program code can be used to execute the steps of the aircraft control method in the above method embodiments. For details, please refer to the above method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0111] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can also be implemented in other ways. The apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatus, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which contains one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those marked in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0112] In addition, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module can exist independently, or two or more modules can be integrated to form an independent part.

[0113] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional modules and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks. It should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element. The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0114] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An aircraft control method, characterized in that, This invention is applied to a rotorcraft, which includes a rotor, a lift-enhancing wing, and an angle-of-attack device; the rotor is configured to provide lift to the rotorcraft through rotor rotation, and the lift-enhancing wing is configured to supplement the lift provided by the rotor. The method includes: The current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing is obtained through the angle of attack sensor; Based on the current angle of attack and the set angle relationship, calculate the target angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor; wherein, the set angle relationship is the correlation between the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor and the angle of attack; The angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor of the rotorcraft is adjusted by an angle adjuster to the target angle. Wherein, when the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the target angle is the target angle, the angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing is adjusted to the optimal angle of attack.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After adjusting the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor of the rotorcraft to the target angle using the angle adjuster, the method further includes: Calculate the current lift of the enhanced wing based on the optimal angle of attack; Based on the current lift and the weight of the rotorcraft, determine the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, After determining the lift that the rotor needs to provide for the rotorcraft based on the current lift and the weight of the rotorcraft, the method further includes: The rotational power of the rotor is adjusted according to the lift that the rotor needs to provide to the rotorcraft, so as to adjust the lift provided by the rotorcraft to the rotorcraft.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The formula for adjusting the rotational power of the rotor to adjust the lift provided by the rotor to the rotorcraft, based on the lift required by the rotor, is as follows: Where T is the rotor lift, P is the total rotor power, A is the area of ​​the circular cross-section swept by the rotor, and n is the number of rotors.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The formula for calculating the current lift of the lift-enhancing wing based on the optimal angle of attack is as follows: Where L is the current lift, ρ is the air density, V is the velocity of the lift-enhancing wing relative to the incoming airflow, and C... L(α) S is the lift coefficient, S is the wing area for increased lift, D is the current drag, and C is the lift coefficient. F(α) α is the drag coefficient, and α1 is the optimal angle of attack.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Determine the current state of the rotorcraft; If it is determined that the current environment of the rotorcraft is a windless environment and the rotorcraft is not in a forward flight state, the lift-enhancing wing is controlled to be in the initial installation position; wherein, the lift-enhancing wing does not generate lift or drag in the initial installation position; The thrust generated by the rotor is greater than or equal to the weight of the rotorcraft.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: If it is determined that the rotorcraft is in a turning state, multiple rotors are controlled to generate different yaw torques in order to control the turning of the rotorcraft.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The formula for the set angle relationship is: ε = α - θ; Where α is the current angle of attack, θ is the pitch angle of the aircraft, and ε is the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor.

9. A rotary-wing aircraft, characterized in that, include: Rotor, lift-enhancing wing, and angle-of-attack device; The lift-enhancing wing includes a length direction and a width direction; wherein the length direction and the width direction are parallel to the ground plane, and the width direction is orthogonal to the length direction; The rotor is disposed at the end of the lift-enhancing wing along the length direction and / or at the end of the width direction, the rotor is configured to provide lift to the rotorcraft by rotor rotation, and the lift-enhancing wing is configured to supplement the lift provided by the rotor; The angle of attack is disposed at both ends of the lift-enhancing wing along the width direction, and the angle of attack is configured to obtain the current angle of attack of the lift-enhancing wing; the current angle of attack is used to calculate the target angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor; The rotor is movably connected to the lift-enhancing wing, and the angle between the rotor and the lift-enhancing wing is adjustable.

10. The rotorcraft according to claim 9, characterized in that, The rotorcraft also includes: an angle adjuster; The angle adjuster is disposed inside the lift-enhancing wing, and the angle adjuster is configured to adjust the included angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor to the target included angle. The target angle is calculated based on the relationship between the current angle of attack and the set angle; the set angle relationship is the correlation between the angle between the lift-enhancing wing and the rotor and the angle of attack.

Images