COCKPIT WITH VIRTUAL CONTROLS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cockpit control system and an aircraft with such a system.

[0002] Cockpits for aircraft, drone ground stations, and simulators represent the human-machine interface between the operator and the machine. In manned flight, an operator typically has controls available to manage subsystems of their aircraft. These controls relate to communication, navigation, lights, and other functions depending on the aircraft type. For flight control itself—that is, to influence the aircraft's state with components for moment dynamics (roll, pitch, yaw) and components for translational accelerations and velocities—appropriate controls are available, depending on the aircraft's configuration.While such control elements in fixed-wing aircraft typically include a control stick for initiating pitch and roll movements, as well as one or more thrust levers for setting a desired thrust lever position corresponding to a desired thrust of the aircraft's engine(s), and pedals for initiating a moment about the aircraft's vertical axis, rotary-wing aircraft typically have a collective lever instead of or in addition to the thrust lever to be able to change the collective pitch angle of adjustable rotor blades at the same or nearly the same rotor speed - this corresponds to the basic control logic of a conventional helicopter.

[0003] Special configurations of manned aircraft often exhibit unique characteristics regarding their degrees of freedom in thrust and aerodynamic control surfaces, which can be reflected in the design of the controls in the cockpit. For example, helicopters with tandem rotors may have two collective control levers, and the prior art also offers different control element designs for various configurations and their associated applications. Common designs include control yokes, center sticks, and sidesticks.

[0004] However, the aforementioned controls are also available in a wide variety depending on the configuration and type of manned aircraft. While historical aircraft were exclusively equipped with analog instruments (displays) and mechanical switches and buttons, modern aircraft increasingly use digital displays, which can at least partially take over the function of controls by being implemented as touchscreens.

[0005] While manufacturers, particularly in commercial aviation, emphasize cockpit design commonality across a fleet of different aircraft types to reduce costs and increase pilot readiness, pilots are still generally confronted with a multitude of different cockpit layouts when switching between aircraft types. While aviation, like most other industries, is currently undergoing increasing digitalization (particularly with regard to analog instruments), the controls for operating the aircraft, as explained earlier, are still typically physical.

[0006] The problem typical for left-handed people of encountering controls designed for right-handed users also exists in aviation. These issues arise not only in manned aircraft but also in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), where ground control stations are designed so that, for example, the operator has one hand free to operate the payload (e.g., camera) and the other for typing. For cost reasons related to hardware design, ground control stations for drones are often identical, regardless of handedness or the operator's role (drone control, system operation).

[0007] US 2020 / 365050 A1 relates to a system for simulating pilot controls, comprising: one or more computer-controlled arms arranged to be mounted in a cockpit environment, enabling a variety of ranges of motion and trajectories, and configured to accommodate a control element for operation by a pilot.

[0008] US 2015 / 025547 A1 further relates to a local surgical cockpit comprising a local operating console configured to transmit surgical movements of an operator operating the local operating console to a remote operating site, and comprising a local surgical instrument with local input fingers configured to deliver inputs to corresponding remote surgical fingers.

[0009] The RU 2 738 489 C1 also concerns a training simulator and a simulation complex for the preparation of cosmonauts, featuring, among other things, virtual reality gloves with tactile feedback and a virtual reality helmet.

[0010] US 2019 / 258239 A1 further relates to a system for interacting with a remote object, comprising a wearable jacket for a user, two actuators for supporting the user's arms, motors for causing movements of the user's torso and / or arms, sensors for measuring a force exerted on the user and / or the user's position, and a control and data transmission device for communicating with the remote object.

[0011] Finally, DE 10 2015 103 735 A1 relates to a method for testing at least one device to be operated in aircraft using a virtual reality environment, wherein the at least one device to be tested is virtually represented to a test subject, and an interaction between the test subject and the at least one device is recorded using or in the virtual reality environment.

[0012] The object of the invention is to make a cockpit more flexible, in particular to provide a cockpit that is suitable for a larger number of different operator sizes and operator experience, especially also taking into account the anthropometries of all genders, which is a particular challenge in the cramped cockpit of a fighter aircraft.

[0013] The invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments and embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0014] A first aspect of the invention relates to a system for cockpit operation of an aircraft cockpit by an operator, comprising a computing unit, a virtualization unit, and two exoskeleton arms, each with a plurality of kinematic degrees of freedom, for lifting and lowering the operator's arms, wherein the exoskeleton arms have actuators to assist the operator against accelerations occurring in the aircraft, wherein the computing unit is configured to determine desired positions of virtual cockpit controls depending on the current position of the exoskeleton arms, and the virtualization unit to display the virtual controls in their desired positions to the operator, as well as to transmit information about the current position of the exoskeleton arms and / or about the desired positions of the virtual controls to a flight computer for the purpose of flight control.

[0015] The first aspect of the invention is to be understood in particular as follows: the computing unit is fundamentally designed to virtually adjust the positions of the virtual controls depending on the determined position of the respective exoskeleton arms, thus emulating the operation of physically present controls in a traditional cockpit. This enables the provision of corresponding commands, particularly for a flight computer, in both cases (physically present controls and the use of the exoskeleton arms according to the invention for operating virtual controls). However, this does not mean that the virtual controls must be adjusted at all times, i.e., with every movement of the operator's arms and the accompanying exoskeleton arms.The operator is preferably also able to detach at least one hand from one of the virtual controls and thus also operate virtual controls in the cockpit, for example the landing gear lever, buttons and switches for navigation, icons on a virtual touchscreen, etc.

[0016] The positions of the virtual cockpit controls correspond to specific flight control commands, depending on the type of control. If the control is a throttle lever, its position is a throttle lever position. If the control is a control stick, its position is a deflection from a neutral position and typically specifies the desired attitude angle of the aircraft, but more often it specifies the desired rate of rotation of the aircraft.

[0017] The term "cockpit" encompasses not only the cabin section typically arranged in the area of ​​the aircraft's front according to the invention, for the operator such as the pilot, co-pilot, or another operator in the cockpit, such as the so-called "backseater," e.g., the weapon systems officer, but also, though not covered by the scope of the claims, cockpits for remotely piloted aircraft of a drone ground station, which are intended for a drone pilot and / or a system operator—such a system operator can, for example, control payloads such as cameras via a joystick. A cockpit of a (flight) simulator is not included in the term "cockpit."

[0018] Unless a purely HOTAS concept ("HOTAS" stands for "Hands on Throttle and Stick") is used, but rather virtual controls similar to a traditional physical cockpit with numerous switches and buttons are displayed to the operator in the virtual environment, it is advisable to provide a mechanism that does not automatically translate the current position of each exoskeleton arm into a request to adjust the position of a specific virtual control. Instead, it should also consider the virtual equivalent of releasing a hand from a physical control. This can be implemented, for example, by providing a physical handle at the distal end of each exoskeleton arm that uses sensors to detect whether the operator's hand is gripping it.This allows the intuitive gripping of a control element by the operator to be simulated. If the operator releases this physical element, it can also be assumed in the virtual cockpit that the operator wants to remove their hand from the control element, for example to rest it or to operate a virtual control element, which can also be displayed to the operator purely virtually via virtualization.

[0019] In other words, according to the first aspect of the invention, physical cockpit controls are replaced by a combination of the computing unit, the virtualization unit, and the exoskeleton arms, which interact as follows: By moving their arms, which are held in the exoskeleton arms, the operator can operate controls that are displayed to them exclusively virtually by the virtualization unit. This is achieved, for example, via a helmet visor with corresponding display capabilities, or other holographic methods, or similar. The operator's arms are held in the exoskeleton arms, and preferably by means of position sensors in the exoskeleton arms, the computing unit is able to determine the movement of the operator's arms at any given time. Thus, the operator can operate the virtually displayed controls with familiar movements, as if physical controls were present in the cockpit.The same applies to controls, which can also be represented virtually.

[0020] As a result, at the interface where commands are generated by physical controls, the way operator commands are specified is indeed changed in its technical implementation; however, for the purposes of flight control in a flight computer, it is irrelevant whether the commands are generated in a new way upstream of this interface. This is because in both cases (physical and virtual controls), command signals are generated which, in a so-called fly-by-wire system, are transmitted electronically without any mechanical connections to the aerodynamic control surfaces and engine controls of an aircraft, and not by force, hydraulic pressure, cable pull, or similar means.Rather, the operator typically uses input from the controls (regardless of whether physical or virtual controls according to the invention are used) to issue command signals, particularly to the flight computer, which then implements the commands accordingly. The above applies mutatis mutandis to simulations or drone ground stations not covered by the scope of the claims.

[0021] A key advantage of the invention is that it eliminates the need for physical controls such as joysticks or sidesticks and throttles. This leads to several secondary benefits, such as weight reduction and ease of cockpit modifications, as only the virtual controls and, if applicable, virtual operating elements need to be modified via software to achieve a different display by the virtualization unit. Consequently, a familiar cockpit environment can be displayed with high flexibility for the operator, even in an unfamiliar aircraft. Furthermore, individual operator characteristics can be better accommodated, such as differences in anthropometric parameters (e.g., limb length, hand size, seat height), left- or right-handedness, and similar factors.Thus, in both civilian and military fleets across various aircraft types, the provision of a virtual cockpit enables a level of user integration that is hardly achievable in physical cockpits of different aircraft types. Furthermore, the use of exoskeleton arms allows for arm support, thus preventing operator fatigue, even in highly agile aircraft with high load factors. The exoskeleton with its two arms provides the sensation of being able to rest or even reposition one's arm on the virtual control surface while piloting the aircraft, if such support is provided. Additionally, the integration of actuators on the exoskeleton arms can generate tangible feedback for the operator.Furthermore, the flexibility of a software-based virtual solution allows for easier standardization of cockpits and thus simpler conversion between different aircraft types.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment, the exoskeleton arms have position sensors for their degrees of freedom for determining and transmitting to the computing unit a respective current value for each of the kinematic degrees of freedom, wherein the computing unit is configured to determine, using the values ​​for the degrees of freedom, a position of a respective reference point specified in the region of the respective distal end of the exoskeleton arms in relation to the cockpit, and to control the virtualization unit for displaying virtual controls of the cockpit, comprising a control element for manually controlling the moment dynamics of the aircraft and a control element for manually setting a thrust lever position for the operator, such thatthat a current position of the control element for manually adjusting the thrust lever position correlates with the position of the predetermined reference point of one exoskeleton arm, and that a current position of the control element for manually controlling the torque dynamics correlates with the position of the predetermined reference point on the other exoskeleton arm, and wherein the computing unit is configured to transmit the respective currently desired position of the virtual controls or the respective position of the reference points to a flight computer for the purpose of flight control.

[0023] Accordingly, a system for cockpit operation of an aircraft by an operator is provided, comprising a computing unit, a virtualization unit, and two exoskeleton arms, each with a plurality of kinematic degrees of freedom and with respective position sensors for determining and transmitting to the computing unit a respective current value for each of the kinematic degrees of freedom, wherein the computing unit is configured to determine, using the values ​​for the degrees of freedom, a position of a respective reference point specified in the region of the respective distal end of the exoskeleton arms in relation to the cockpit, and the virtualization unit for displaying virtual controls of the cockpit, comprising a control element for manually controlling the moment dynamics of the aircraft and a control element for manually setting a thrust lever position for the operator, such thatthat a current position of the control element for manually adjusting the thrust lever position correlates with the position of the predefined reference point on one exoskeleton arm, and that a current position of the control element for manually controlling the torque dynamics correlates with the position of the predefined reference point on the other exoskeleton arm, as well as transmitting information about the respective current position of the virtual controls or about the positions of the reference points as command signals to a flight computer for the purpose of flight control.

[0024] As an alternative to calculating the desired current position of the virtual controls using the position of the respective reference point on the exoskeleton arms, other geometric transformations can be used. These transformations, however, ultimately produce the same effect as using an explicitly defined reference point. Therefore, it is not necessary to explicitly define the reference point; it can also be implicitly defined and computable at all times. This ensures that a transformation from the current pose of the exoskeleton arms to the desired current position of the corresponding virtual control is always possible, provided that certain conditions are met indicating that the operator intends to use the respective control instead of removing their hands from the virtual controls to, for example, operate a virtual control element.

[0025] In other words, the computing unit is designed to determine the respective pose of the exoskeleton arms using the values ​​for the degrees of freedom of each exoskeleton arm, and, depending on the respective determined pose of the exoskeleton arms, to determine a desired respective position of the virtual controls, and to transfer this determined desired position to the virtual controls using the virtualization unit and to display it to the operator accordingly, as well as to transmit information about the respective current position of the virtual controls or about the positions of the reference points as command signals to a flight computer for the purpose of flight control.

[0026] As an alternative to position sensors in the exoskeleton arm, the exoskeleton arms can also be tracked by a tracking unit in the cockpit, for example by means of optical tracking, corresponding reflective markers on the respective exoskeleton arm and corresponding cameras, or similar, to determine a pose of the respective exoskeleton arm, or alternatively only the reference point at the respective distal end of the respective exoskeleton arm, without taking the position of the elbow into account.

[0027] According to an advantageous embodiment, the computing unit is designed to monitor the positions of the reference points relative to the cockpit to determine whether they move away from at least a predetermined area around the virtually represented control elements, so that the operator can operate virtually represented control elements for controlling aircraft subsystems by guiding his hand and moving the respective exoskeleton arm, and the virtually represented control element remains in its current position when the operator moves his arm, which is held in one of the exoskeleton arms, towards a control element of the cockpit with predetermined spatial coordinates relative to the cockpit, as virtually represented by the virtualization unit.

[0028] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the system also includes two gloves for the operator, each glove being designed to provide haptic and / or tactile feedback. The two gloves are connected to the computing unit, and the computing unit is configured to activate the glove corresponding to the operator's virtually operating hand when the operator uses one of the virtually represented controls, thus providing haptic and / or tactile feedback. Alternatively, the respective exoskeleton arm can be extended to include the glove function, forming a single unit.

[0029] Haptic or tactile feedback allows the user to feel as if they are touching a physical control element, even though it only exists virtually and is displayed to them. This can replicate the feeling of flipping a switch, pressing a button, or tapping a field on a touchscreen. More abstract feedback can also be generated, for example, when controls displayed as holographic elements are moved, so that the user doesn't feel like they are operating virtual analogues of physical controls, but rather actual holographic elements. In this case, too, corresponding feedback through the user's fingers facilitates operation.

[0030] According to a further advantageous embodiment, each of the exoskeleton arms has actuators which are connected to the computing unit via data technology, wherein the computing unit is designed to control the actuators in such a way that each of the exoskeleton arms generates an artificial resistance when the operator moves the respective position of one of the virtually represented control elements.

[0031] This artificial resistance is modeled on the natural resistance of a physical control element, which is necessary in every aircraft to prevent vibrations and other accelerations of the aircraft itself from causing corresponding control inputs. By replicating the resistance expected from physical controls using artificial resistance, the operator gains a familiar feel when operating the virtual controls.

[0032] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the system further comprises an input unit which is connected to the computing unit via data technology, wherein the computing unit is designed to virtually position the control elements in their virtual representation relative to the cockpit and to specify kinematic properties according to which the actuators of the exoskeleton arms are controlled by the computing unit to generate the artificial resistance.

[0033] The input unit allows the position of the virtual controls in the virtual cockpit to be set before flight (or, in an alternative embodiment, even during flight). This position of the virtual controls is crucial for ensuring an ergonomic cockpit for the operator, meaning that the relative distance between the operator's seat and the control positions is adapted to the length of their limbs.

[0034] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the input unit is configured to specify an explicit selection for left-handed and right-handed arrangement of the controls, and the computing unit is configured to mirror or maintain the positions of the virtual controls relative to the cockpit with respect to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft, depending on the input at the input unit and the current display of the virtual controls, according to the user's selection.

[0035] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the computing unit is designed to control the actuators of the respective exoskeleton arm in such a way that, along predetermined degrees of freedom of a respective virtual control element, the operator experiences resistance which is variable during flight within predetermined limits depending on the aircraft state or in response to an input from the operator.

[0036] According to another advantageous embodiment, the virtualization unit includes a helmet display for the operator.

[0037] Another aspect of the invention relates to an aircraft with a system as described above and below.

[0038] According to another advantageous embodiment, the exoskeleton arms are each mounted at shoulder height behind an operator seat on the aircraft structure.

[0039] Advantages and preferred further developments of the proposed aircraft result from an analogous and substantive transfer of the above statements made in connection with the proposed system.

[0040] Further advantages, features, and details will become apparent from the following description, in which – possibly with reference to the drawing – at least one embodiment is described in detail. Identical, similar, and / or functionally equivalent parts are marked with the same reference numerals.

[0041] They show: Fig. 1: A cockpit control system for an aircraft according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2: An aircraft with a system according to Fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0042] The representations in the figures are schematic and not to scale.

[0043] Fig. 1 This shows a system for cockpit operation of a single-seat combat aircraft 1 by an operator in the role of a pilot. The cockpit of aircraft 1 is shown. Fig. 2 , with the main flight direction to the upper left in the plane of the drawing Fig. 1 The pilot's seat is shown further to the lower right of the drawing. The cockpit control system comprises the following: a computing unit 3, a virtualization unit 5, and two exoskeleton arms 7, each with a multitude of kinematic degrees of freedom and with corresponding position sensors for determining and transmitting to the computing unit 3 the current value for each of the kinematic degrees of freedom. The position sensors are angle sensors that detect the joint angles between the segments of the respective exoskeleton arm 7.

[0044] These joint angles are manually adjusted by the pilot's natural arm movements. Actuators can be provided to assist the pilot during these desired movements against accelerations, such as those encountered during tight turns at high speeds. Thus, the current pose of each exoskeleton arm 7 is known to the processing unit 3 at any given time. Each exoskeleton arm 7 is mounted to the aircraft structure at shoulder height behind the pilot and features shoulder and elbow joints to represent degrees of freedom analogous to those of the human shoulder and elbow. Therefore, all movements possible for the pilot's arm within the exoskeleton arm 7, based on its shoulder and elbow degrees of freedom, are also possible through the exoskeleton arm 7.The processing unit 3 uses these values ​​for the degrees of freedom to determine the pose and thus a reference point on the respective exoskeleton arm 7 in relation to the cockpit, in order to determine the desired positions of a virtual control stick and a virtual throttle. The virtualization unit 5 displays these virtual cockpit controls (virtual control stick and virtual throttle) to the pilot via their helmet visor and updates the determined desired position of the virtual control stick and virtual throttle at each subsequent time step. Furthermore, the processing unit 3 transmits these desired positions of the virtual control stick and virtual throttle as command signals to a flight computer for flight control purposes.While the pilot's arms are continuously held in their respective exoskeleton arms 7, the pilot does not necessarily want to continuously change the position of the virtual throttle or control stick with every movement. This is detected by the processing unit 3 through corresponding hand positioning. Grip sensors are located at each end of the exoskeleton arm 7 and detect whether the pilot's hand is releasing in a manner analogous to releasing physical control sticks and throttles. If the pilot releases at least one hand from one of these virtual controls, it is assumed that they do not currently intend to operate that control or change its position, but instead wish to operate one of the other virtual controls, such as a holographic touchscreen or virtual switches and buttons.Even when operating the virtual controls, the respective exoskeleton arm 7 remains enclosed to the pilot's arm. Furthermore, two gloves are provided for the pilot, each designed to provide haptic and / or tactile feedback. These two gloves are connected to the computing unit 3, and when the pilot operates one of the virtually displayed controls, the computing unit 3 activates the glove corresponding to the pilot's virtually operating hand to provide haptic and / or tactile feedback. The naturally expected resistance to changes in the position of the virtual controls is generated by actuators on the respective exoskeleton arm 7 at the joints, analogous to a robotic manipulator.

[0045] Fig. 2 Aircraft 1 with the system shows after Fig. 1 from a top view.

[0046] Although the invention has been further illustrated and explained in detail by means of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived from them by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. It is therefore clear that a multitude of possible variations exist. It is also clear that the embodiments mentioned as examples are truly only examples and are not to be understood in any way as limiting, for example, the scope of protection, the possible applications, or the configuration of the invention.Rather, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete terms, whereby the person skilled in the art, with knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, can make various changes, for example with regard to the function or the arrangement of individual elements mentioned in an exemplary embodiment, without leaving the scope of protection defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description. Reference symbol list

[0047] 1 Aircraft 3 Computing unit 5 Virtualization unit 7 Exoskeleton arms

Claims

1. A system for cockpit operation of a cockpit of an aircraft by an operator, comprising a computing unit (3), a virtualisation unit (5), and two exoskeleton arms (7) each with a plurality of kinematic degrees of freedom and for lifting up and laying down the operator arms, wherein the exoskeleton arms (7) comprise actuators in order to assist the operator against occurring accelerations in the aircraft, wherein the computing unit (3) is designed to determine, depending on the current position of the exoskeleton arms (7), desired positions of virtual cockpit control elements and to display the virtualisation unit (5) for displaying the virtual control elements in their desired positions to the operator, and to transmit information on the current position of the exoskeleton arms (7) and / or on the desired positions of the virtual control elements to a flight computer for the purpose of the flight control.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the exoskeleton arms (7) comprise respective position sensors for determining and transmitting to the computing unit (3) a respective current value for each of its kinematic degrees of freedom, wherein the computing unit (3) is designed to determine a position of a respective reference point predefined in the region of the respective distal end of the exoskeleton arm (7) in relation to the cockpit by means of the values of the degrees of freedom, and to control the virtualisation unit (5) for displaying virtual cockpit control elements comprising a control element for the manual control of the momentum dynamics of a real or simulated aircraft (1) associated with the cockpit and a control element for the manual setting of a thrust lever position for the operator, in such a way that a current position of the control element for the manual setting of the thrust lever position correlates with the position of the predefined reference point of a exoskeleton arm (7) and that a current position of the control element for the manual control of the momentum dynamics correlates with the position of the predefined reference point at the other exoskeleton arm (7), and wherein the computing unit (3) is designed to transmit the respective current desired position of the virtual control elements or the respective position of the reference points to the flight computer for the purpose of the flight control.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the computing unit (3) is designed to monitor the positions of the reference points relative to the cockpit to determine whether they move away from at least a predefined region in each case around the virtually represented control elements, so that the operator can operate virtually represented operating elements for the control of subsystems of the aircraft (1) by moving his hand and jointly moving the respective exoskeleton arm (7) and that of the virtually represented control elements remains in its current position when the operator moves his arm located in one of the exoskeleton arms (7) onto a cockpit operating element represented virtually by the visualisation unit (5) with predefined spatial coordinates relative to the cockpit.

4. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising two gloves for the operator, wherein the two gloves are each designed for the emission of haptic and / or tactile feedback, wherein the two gloves are connected in a data-exchange manner to the computing unit (3) and the computing unit (3) is designed to control the glove with the virtually operating hand of the operator for the emission of haptic and / or tactile feedback when one of the virtually represented operating elements is operated by the operator.

5. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the exoskeleton arms (7) comprises actuators, which are connected in a data-exchange manner to the computing unit (3), wherein the computing unit (3) is designed to control the actuators in such a way that each of the exoskeleton arms (7) generates an artificial resistance when the respective position of a given one of the virtually represented control elements is displaced by the operator.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising an input unit, which is connected in data-exchange manner to the computing unit (3), wherein the computing unit (3) is designed, dependent on the input at the input unit, to position the control elements as a whole in their virtual representation corresponding virtually relative to the cockpit and to predefine kinematic properties, according to which the actuators of the exoskeleton arms (7) are actuated to generate the artificial resistance from the computing unit (3).

7. The system according to claims 6, wherein the input unit is designed to predefine an explicit selection for a left-handed arrangement and a right-handed arrangement of the control elements and wherein the computing unit (3) is designed, depending on the input at the input unit and on the current representation of the virtual control elements according to the selection of the operator, to mirror or retain the positions of the virtual control elements relative to the cockpit with respect to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft (1).

8. The system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the computing unit (3) is designed to control the actuators of the respective exoskeleton arm (7), in such a way that, along predefined degrees of freedom of a respective virtual control element, the operator experiences a resistance which is variable during the flight within predefined limits depending on the aircraft state or a reaction to an input of the operator.

9. An aircraft (1) with a system according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. The aircraft (1) according to claim 9, wherein the exoskeleton arms (7) are each mounted at shoulder height behind an operator's seat on the aircraft structure.