Battery balancing via flight controller

Abstract

An aircraft for in-flight battery management, comprising: an aircraft body; a plurality of batteries, each having at least one battery partially or completely decoupled from other batteries; a plurality of thrust vector units, each having one or more motor-propeller assemblies that provide thrust to the aircraft body along a thrust vector, the plurality of thrust vector units being powered by the plurality of batteries; and at least one controller, configured to determine or receive at least one target relating to either or both the performance of the aircraft and / or the performance of the batteries, to convert the target into a power request from the plurality of batteries, and to realize the power request by changing the power consumption of one or more motor-propeller assemblies in order to achieve the target while satisfying flight requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Related Applications This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 527,031, filed on July 16, 2023, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] Some embodiments of the present invention relate to electric flying vehicles, and more specifically, to battery-powered aircraft.

[0003] Additional background art includes U.S. Patent Application No. 11,905,008, according to the disclosure of which, "A VTOL aircraft has both a fixed wing and a fixed-position multi-rotor. The aircraft is capable of vertical takeoff and landing, forward flight, and maneuverability control by using the same thrust generating elements. The relative rotor / wing arrangement reduces potential interference between each function. The relative rotor / wing / fuselage angling potentially reduces passenger discomfort during forward flight and / or during the transition between forward flight and takeoff / landing. In some embodiments, the aircraft does not include control surfaces and control is achieved by differential thrust between the rotors." (Abstract)

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Some examples of embodiments of the present invention are listed below without limitation. The present invention includes embodiments that include fewer features than all the features of the examples and embodiments, and also includes embodiments that combine the features of multiple examples even if not explicitly described below.

[0005] Example 1. An aircraft system for adjusting the battery charging balance during flight, comprising the main body of the aircraft, and a plurality of motor-propeller assemblies configured to provide vertical lift to the main body and arranged as a plurality of pairs each powered by a respective battery, Each pair of motor propeller assemblies is positioned on both sides of the body such that the shafts extending between the motor propeller assemblies pass through the body, across the body, and / or below the body. It is a controller, Receive vertical thrust selection input, The difference in the charge state of the aforementioned batteries is detected, A controller configured to adjust the thrust generated by the pair of motor-propeller assemblies in order to generate the selected vertical thrust while reducing the difference in charge state, An aircraft system equipped with the following features.

[0006] Example 2. The aircraft system according to Example 1, wherein the plurality of pairs includes at least four pairs.

[0007] Example 3. The aircraft system according to Example 2, wherein the at least four pairs are grouped into at least two groups of two pairs each, each including a first and a second set of vertically aligned propellers on both sides of the body.

[0008] Example 4. The aircraft system according to any one of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the controller adjusts the thrust to reduce the difference in charge states when the difference in charge states exceeds a threshold.

[0009] Example 5. The aircraft system described in Example 4, wherein the threshold is selected from a range of approximately 2% to 15%.

[0010] Example 6. The aircraft system described in Example 5, wherein the threshold is approximately 10%.

[0011] Example 7. The aircraft system according to any one of Examples 1 to 6, wherein the controller stops adjusting the thrust to reduce the difference in charge states when the difference in charge states falls below a threshold.

[0012] Example 8. The aircraft system described in Example 7, wherein the threshold is selected from a range of approximately 2% to 10%.

[0013] Example 9. The aircraft system described in Example 8, wherein the threshold is approximately 5%.

[0014] Example 10. An aircraft system according to any one of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the controller adjusts the thrust using a relative gain coefficient selected from a range of about 0.8 to about 1.2 compared to a baseline gain coefficient of 1.

[0015] Example 11. The aircraft system according to Example 10, wherein the motor-propeller assemblies each generate the same amount of thrust when each is operating at the baseline gain coefficient.

[0016] Example 12. The aircraft system according to Example 10, wherein the motor-propeller assemblies each generate different amounts of thrust when operating at the baseline gain coefficient.

[0017] Example 13. The aircraft system according to Example 3, wherein the controller adjusts the thrust when the magnitude of the detected difference in charge state is non-zero.

[0018] Example 14. An aircraft system according to any one of Examples 1 to 13, wherein the thrust generated by one of the plurality of pairs is reduced while the thrust to each of the other pairs is increased.

[0019] Example 15. An aircraft system according to any one of Examples 1 to 13, wherein the thrust generated by one of the plurality of pairs is reduced while the thrust in some, but not all, of the other pairs is increased.

[0020] Example 16. An aircraft system according to any one of Examples 1 to 13, wherein the thrust generated by one of the plurality of pairs is reduced while the thrust to one of the plurality of pairs is increased.

[0021] Example 17. An aircraft for in-flight battery management, comprising: the main body of the aircraft, a plurality of batteries in which at least one battery is partially or completely decoupled from other batteries, a plurality of thrust vector units each comprising one or more motor-propeller assemblies for providing thrust to the main body along a thrust vector, the plurality of thrust vector units being powered by the plurality of batteries, at least one controller, configured to determine or receive at least one target related to one or both of the performance of the aircraft and the performance of the battery, convert the target into a power requirement from the plurality of batteries, and at least one controller configured to achieve the target by changing the power consumption of one or more motor-propeller assemblies while meeting flight requirements so as to realize the power requirement, An aircraft comprising the above.

[0022] Example 18. The aircraft according to Example 17, wherein the controller is configured to monitor the plurality of batteries and execute to realize the power requirement according to the monitoring.

[0023] Example 19. The aircraft according to Example 17 or 18, wherein the controller is configured to detect a change in one or more of the plurality of batteries with respect to other batteries or a change in the one or more batteries.

[0024] Example 20. The aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 19, wherein in at least one of the plurality of thrust vector units, each motor-propeller assembly is powered by a battery different from other motor-propeller assemblies in the at least one thrust vector unit.

[0025] Example 21. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 20, wherein each of the plurality of batteries supplies power to at least two motor-propeller assemblies of other thrust vector units, and the at least two motor-propeller assemblies are positioned on both sides of the body.

[0026] Example 22. An aircraft according to Example 21, wherein the at least two motor-propeller assemblies on both sides of the body are not adjacent to each other.

[0027] Example 23. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 20, wherein each of the plurality of batteries supplies power to a different motor-propeller assembly.

[0028] Example 24. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 23, wherein the plurality of batteries includes at least two batteries, and the plurality of thrust vector units includes at least four thrust vector units.

[0029] Example 25. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 24, wherein the plurality of batteries includes at least four batteries, and the plurality of thrust vector units includes at least four thrust vector units each having a pair of motor-propeller assemblies.

[0030] Example 26. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 25, wherein each of the plurality of batteries is partially or completely decoupled from other batteries.

[0031] Example 27. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 26, wherein the changing includes adjusting and / or redistributing the thrust of the one or more motor-propeller assemblies.

[0032] Example 28. The objective is to extend the flight time per charge, to extend the flight distance per charge, To extend the battery cycle life, The number of times the battery cutoff voltage is reached, An aircraft as described in any one of Examples 17-27, which includes controlling the distribution of End-of-Life (EoL) and one or more of the above.

[0033] Example 29. The aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 28, wherein the controller is configured to achieve the objective by balancing one or both of at least one battery state and at least one battery characteristic.

[0034] Example 30. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 18 to 29, wherein the controller is configured to monitor one or more of the battery states, detect a difference between the one or more battery states, and change the power consumption of one or more motor propeller assemblies to reduce the difference.

[0035] Example 31. The battery state of the aircraft described in Example 30 includes one or more of the following, or any combination thereof: SoC, SoH, SoF, SoE, current voltage and / or discharge voltage, discharge curve, power curve, and energy curve.

[0036] Example 32. The aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 31, wherein the controller is configured to take into account one or more of the battery characteristics.

[0037] Example 33. Battery characteristics include type, size, capacity, energy density, power density, cycle life, nominal voltage, cutoff voltage, OCV, self-discharge rate, temperature sensitivity, internal resistance, EoL, and one or more or any combination thereof of typical discharge curves, power curves and / or energy curves, as described in Example 32 for the aircraft.

[0038] Example 34. The aircraft according to any one of Examples 21 to 33, wherein the controller is configured to change the power consumption of the at least two motor-propeller assemblies.

[0039] Example 35. The aircraft according to Example 34, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the power consumption of the at least two motor-propeller assemblies by adjusting the thrust generated by one or both of the at least two motor-propeller assemblies.

[0040] Example 36. The aircraft according to any one of Example 35, wherein the controller activates thrust adjustment to reduce the battery state difference when the battery state difference exceeds a threshold.

[0041] Example 37. The aircraft described in Example 36, wherein the threshold is selected from a range of approximately 2% to 15%.

[0042] Example 38. The aircraft described in any one of Examples 36-37, wherein the threshold is approximately 10%.

[0043] Example 39. The aircraft according to any one of Examples 37-38, wherein the controller stops adjusting the thrust to reduce the difference if the difference in battery state falls below a threshold.

[0044] Example 40. The aircraft described in Example 39, wherein the threshold is selected from a range of approximately 2% to 10%.

[0045] Example 41. The aircraft described in any one of Examples 39-40, wherein the threshold is approximately 5%.

[0046] Example 42. The aircraft according to Example 36, wherein the controller activates thrust adjustment to reduce the battery state difference in the event of any detected state difference of non-zero magnitude.

[0047] Example 43. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 36 to 42, wherein the controller is configured to adjust thrust by changing the gain coefficient of one or more motor-propeller assemblies among the plurality of motor-propeller assemblies.

[0048] Example 44. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 36 to 43, wherein the controller is configured to change the gain coefficient using a relative gain coefficient selected from a range of about 0.8 to about 1.2, compared to a baseline gain coefficient of 1.

[0049] Example 45. The aircraft according to Example 44, wherein each motor-propeller assembly generates the same amount of thrust when each is operating at the baseline gain coefficient of the motor-propeller assembly.

[0050] Example 46. The aircraft according to Example 44, wherein each motor-propeller assembly generates a different amount of thrust when operating at the baseline gain coefficient of the motor-propeller assembly.

[0051] Example 47. The aircraft according to any one of Examples 21 to 46, wherein the controller is configured to increase the thrust of each of the other two motor-propeller assemblies while decreasing the thrust generated by one of the two motor-propeller assemblies.

[0052] Example 48. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 21-47, wherein the thrust generated by one of the two motor-propeller assemblies is reduced while the thrust of some, but not all, of the other two motor-propeller assemblies is increased.

[0053] Example 49. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 21-47, wherein the thrust generated by one of the two motor-propeller assemblies is reduced while the thrust of one of the other two motor-propeller assemblies is increased.

[0054] Example 50. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 17 to 49, wherein the flight requirements include the required vertical thrust of the aircraft, the required horizontal thrust of the aircraft, the required thrust vector of the aircraft, the required minimum responsiveness of the aircraft, and / or the flight envelope.

[0055] Example 51. An aircraft according to any one of Examples 17-50, wherein the controller is further configured to receive input regarding flight preferences and to generate the flight preferences.

[0056] Example 52. The aircraft according to Example 51, wherein the flight preference includes one or more of the aircraft's preferred responsiveness, preferred speed, preferred altitude, and flight path.

[0057] Example 53. A method for managing the power requirements of an aircraft powered by two or more partially or fully decoupled batteries during flight, Determining or receiving at least one target relating to either or both of the performance of the aircraft and the performance of the battery, The above target is converted into power requirements from the multiple batteries, A method comprising fulfilling the power requirements by changing the power consumption of one or more motor-propeller assemblies in order to achieve the objective while satisfying the flight requirements.

[0058] Example 54. The method of Example 53, wherein fulfilling the power requirements includes implementing a power plan for the multiple batteries.

[0059] Example 55. The method of Example 53, comprising monitoring the plurality of batteries, detecting at least one difference between the plurality of batteries, and fulfilling the power request in response to the monitoring.

[0060] Example 56. The method according to Example 55, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring at least one state of the battery.

[0061] Example 57. The method according to any one of Examples 55-56, wherein the detection includes detecting at least one difference in at least one state of the battery.

[0062] Example 58. The method according to Example 57, wherein at least one state of the battery includes one or more of the following, or any combination thereof: SoC, SoH, SoF, SoE, current voltage, discharge voltage, discharge curve, power curve, and energy curve.

[0063] Example 59. The method according to any one of Examples 56-58, wherein the monitoring includes taking into account at least one characteristic of the battery.

[0064] Example 60. The method according to Example 59, wherein at least one characteristic of the battery includes type, size, capacity, energy density, power density, cycle life, nominal voltage, cutoff voltage, OCV, self-discharge rate, temperature sensitivity, internal resistance, EoL, and one or more or any combination thereof of typical discharge curves, power curves and / or energy curves.

[0065] Example 61. The method according to any one of Examples 53-60, wherein the modification involves changing the power consumption of one or both of two motor-propeller assemblies powered by the same battery and mounted on different thrust vector units.

[0066] Example 62. The method according to any one of Examples 58-61, wherein the objective is to reduce the at least one difference.

[0067] Example 63. The method according to any one of Examples 61-62, wherein the modification includes increasing the thrust generated by the two motor-propeller assemblies compared to two other motor-propeller assemblies mounted on the same thrust unit and powered by other batteries.

[0068] Example 64. The method according to any one of Examples 61-63, wherein the modification includes increasing the thrust generated by the two motor propeller assemblies compared to two other motor propeller assemblies mounted on other thrust units and powered by other batteries.

[0069] Example 65. The method according to any one of Examples 61-64, wherein the modification includes reducing the thrust generated by the two motor propeller assemblies compared to one or more other two motor propeller assemblies powered by other batteries.

[0070] Example 66. The method according to any one of Examples 61-64, wherein the modification includes changing the default gain coefficient of one or more motor propeller assemblies to the respective modified gain coefficient.

[0071] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and / or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Similar or equivalent methods and materials as those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, but exemplary methods and / or materials are described below. In case of any conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, shall prevail. In addition, materials, methods, and examples are illustrative and not necessarily intended to be limiting.

[0072] Those skilled in the art will understand that some embodiments of the present invention can be embodied as systems, methods, or computer program products. Accordingly, some embodiments of the present invention may take the form of entirely hardware embodiments, entirely software embodiments (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or embodiments combining software and hardware aspects, which may be commonly referred herein as “circuits,” “modules,” or “systems.” Furthermore, some embodiments of the present invention may take the form of computer program products embodied in one or more computer-readable media storing computer-readable program code. Implementation of some embodiments of the methods and / or systems of the present invention may include performing and / or completing selected tasks manually, automatically, or a combination of both. Furthermore, according to the actual instrumentation and apparatus of some embodiments of the methods and / or systems of the present invention, some selected tasks may be implemented using hardware, software, or firmware, and / or a combination thereof, such as an operating system.

[0073] For example, hardware for performing selected tasks according to some embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as a chip or circuit. Selected tasks according to some embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as software, as a set of software instructions executed by a computer using any suitable operating system. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, one or more tasks according to some exemplary embodiments of the methods and / or systems described herein are performed by a data processor, such as a computing platform for executing a set of instructions. Optionally, the data processor includes volatile memory for storing instructions and / or data, and / or non-volatile storage for storing instructions and / or data, such as a magnetic hard disk and / or removable media. Optionally, network connectivity is also provided. Display devices and / or user input devices (e.g., a keyboard or mouse) are further provided as needed.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present invention, any combination of one or more computer-readable media may be used. The computer-readable media may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or a suitable combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media (non-exclusive list) include an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or a suitable combination thereof. In this specification, computer-readable storage medium means any tangible medium that may contain or store a program used by or in connection with an instruction execution system, instruction execution device, or instruction execution device.

[0075] A computer-readable signaling medium may include, for example, a propagated data signal incorporating computer-readable program code, either in the baseband or as part of a carrier wave. The signal propagated in this manner may take any of various forms, including electromagnetic, optical, or a suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable signaling medium may be any computer-readable medium, not a computer-readable storage medium, that can communicate, propagate, or transport programs used in connection with an instruction execution system, instruction execution unit, or instruction execution device.

[0076] Program code stored on a computer-readable medium and / or data used on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted using, but are not limited to, wireless, wired, fiber optic cables, RF, or any appropriate combination thereof.

[0077] Computer program code for performing operations for some embodiments of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including, for example, object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as, for example, the "C" programming language or a similar programming language. The program code may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, run as a standalone software package, partially run on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, run entirely on the user's computer, or run entirely on a remote computer or server. In this case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, such as a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), or it may be connected to an external computer (for example, via the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP)).

[0078] Some embodiments of the present invention may be described below with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present invention. It will be understood that each block and / or block diagram of a flowchart, as well as each combination of blocks in a flowchart and / or block diagram, can be realized by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to the processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to create a machine such that instructions executed via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device create means for performing the functions / actions specified in the blocks or combinations of blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0079] These computer program instructions may be stored in a computer-readable medium that can instruct a computer, other programmable data processing device, or other device to function in a particular way, thereby enabling the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium to produce a product containing instructions that implement specific function / operation steps of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0080] Computer program instructions may be loaded into a computer, other programmable data processing device, or other device, and a computer implementation process may be generated by causing a series of operational steps to be executed in the computer, other programmable device, or other device. This ensures that the instructions executed in the computer or other programmable device provide the processing necessary to implement specific functions / operational steps in a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0081] Some of the methods described herein are generally designed for computer use only and may not be suitable or practical for human experts to perform entirely manually. Human experts who wish to perform similar tasks manually, such as managing battery power output, are likely to employ entirely different methods, such as methods that leverage their expertise and / or methods that leverage the human brain's pattern recognition capabilities, which should be far more efficient than manually performing the steps of the methods described herein. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0082] Several embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes only. Details shown here with particular detail in reference to the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are intended to provide a detailed description of embodiments of the present invention. Similarly, by examining the description together with the drawings, it will be clear to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the present invention can be put into practice. [Figure 1] This is a simplified diagram of an aircraft powered by one or more partially and / or fully decoupled batteries, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a simplified flowchart of an exemplary method for managing the state and / or characteristics (e.g., traits and / or parameters) of a battery, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart of a method for managing the power consumption of an aircraft powered by two or more partially and / or fully decoupled batteries, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for balancing battery state and / or battery parameters according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of an aircraft powered by two or more fully and / or partially decoupled batteries, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6A]This is a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary method for balancing batteries in an aircraft having a diagonal architecture, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6B] This is a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary method for balancing batteries in an aircraft having a diagonal architecture, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6C] This is a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary method for balancing batteries in an aircraft having a diagonal architecture, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6D] This is a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary method for balancing batteries in an aircraft having a diagonal architecture, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for balancing at least one state and / or parameter of a partially and / or fully decoupled battery in an aircraft having a dual-diagonal architecture, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing an aircraft flight control system having at least one partially and / or fully decoupled battery. [Figure 9] This is a diagram of an aircraft battery management system 900 having at least one partially and / or fully decoupled battery, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is an exemplary discharge graph of two partially and / or fully decoupled aircraft batteries according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0083] Some embodiments of the present invention relate to electric flying vehicles, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to battery-powered aircraft.

[0084] overview One aspect of several embodiments of the present invention relates to managing the power consumption of an electric aircraft powered by one or more partially and / or fully decoupled batteries.

[0085] In some embodiments, this power management is performed to achieve required and / or desired objectives with respect to the performance of the aircraft and / or batteries, while reducing and / or avoiding the transfer of power from one battery to another. It should be noted that partially and / or fully decoupled batteries may improve the safety of the aircraft. For example, if one (or more) batteries fail, the other batteries can continue to supply power so that the aircraft can still operate and / or land safely. In some embodiments, power management is performed to achieve desired battery performance while meeting required flight objectives (e.g., flight requirements), such as the required vertical thrust of the aircraft.

[0086] In some embodiments, power management involves adjusting the flight power consumption distribution to change the absolute and / or relative power requirements (and / or power output) from one or more batteries. Without being constrained by theory, multi-motor aircraft (such as eVTOL aircraft and / or drones) are controlled by relative changes in their propeller speeds. Different motor speeds translate into different thrust vectors, enabling the aircraft's actions in flight (e.g., control over the aircraft's attitude, altitude, and / or speed). Generally, the power consumption of each motor is proportional to the thrust of its propeller, resulting in a scheme of power consumption fluctuations over time for each motor. This fluctuation translates into a difference in battery output (e.g., discharge rate and / or discharge curve) (which may also be called a depletion regime). If all motors are powered by the same battery and / or electrically coupled batteries, this fluctuation does not have a significant effect on the performance of the aircraft and / or batteries. However, if each motor, and / or a set of motors, is powered by a different battery (e.g., electrically isolated batteries), differences in battery output can lead to imbalances between batteries. For example, at least one battery could become a bottleneck in terms of its ability to supply power and / or energy.

[0087] Alternatively, or additionally, in addition to imbalances arising from flight properties, in some embodiments, imbalances may also arise from differences in the batteries themselves, i.e., differences affecting the battery performance (e.g., the battery's ability to provide power / energy). For example, differences in battery characteristics (e.g., any battery characteristics described herein) and / or battery conditions (e.g., SoC and / or SoH, and / or any battery state described herein) may result in imbalances.

[0088] In some embodiments, the aircraft's power consumption (and / or power demands from its batteries) may be managed to increase the aircraft's flight time (e.g., extend flight time and / or flight distance per charge) by adjusting the in-flight power consumption so that the weakest battery operates less (in time) and / or at a lower load (in power). The endurance performance of an electric aircraft (such as a multi-motor eVTOL aircraft) with two or more batteries that are partially and / or fully electrically decoupled is limited by the current battery with the lowest power-supplying capacity and / or batteries that have reached a state where they can no longer supply sufficient power. This limitation generally shortens the flight time between recharging the aircraft's batteries, but the overall remaining energy and / or charge of all batteries is sufficient for a longer flight. In some embodiments of the present invention, in-flight management of battery power consumption is used to balance the battery's ability to supply power and / or energy, which is done, optionally, by balancing states and / or characteristics (e.g., SOE, SOP, SOC) that affect this capacity. This power management allows for such balance to be achieved even when the battery remains partially and / or completely decoupled.

[0089] In some embodiments, balancing involves monitoring batteries and / or altering the power output of one and / or their batteries to potentially avoid and / or reduce the difference between them. This potentially prevents one battery from reaching a power deficit before the others. Generally, the load on each motor-propeller assembly and / or the load distribution of multiple motor-propeller assemblies, as well as their power consumption, are unpredictable. For example, in a manned aircraft, the load is influenced by the pilot's behavior and / or flight style. Potentially, monitoring batteries and adjusting power demands when an imbalance is detected is particularly useful for battery power management.

[0090] Alternatively or additionally, the battery power output can be pre-controlled to potentially avoid imbalances, for example, by obtaining a desired discharge graph of one or more batteries, optionally according to a power plan. For example, in some embodiments, the power plan can be pre-calculated because the flight plan is known and / or the aircraft is unmanned. In another example, the power plan is based on predictions of the pilot's flight style by an AI system learned from the pilot's previous flights.

[0091] In some embodiments, power management can be performed to achieve other objectives, in addition to or instead of balancing batteries to improve flight endurance. For example, in some embodiments, the aircraft's power consumption (and / or power demand from batteries) is managed to potentially distribute battery depletion. This distribution allows control over the timing of battery end-of-life (EOL), and optionally, batteries can be replaced more spaced apart in time and / or closer together in time (e.g., reaching EOL simultaneously).

[0092] In some embodiments, the desired power requirement of one or more batteries is achieved by controlling the corresponding power consumption of each motor. In some embodiments, since the power consumption of a motor is proportional to the thrust of each propeller (e.g., affected by speed and / or pitch), the power consumption of a motor can be controlled by adjusting and / or redistributing the thrust produced by the propellers.

[0093] In some embodiments, the aircraft's motors and propellers are paired as a motor-propeller assembly. In some embodiments, the motor-propeller assembly is positioned and / or distributed on the aircraft, potentially allowing for thrust redistribution while meeting flight requirements (such as safety requirements). For example, the motor-propeller assembly is positioned and / or distributed on multiple sides of the aircraft's center of gravity (COG). In some embodiments, the association between batteries and motors (e.g., motor-propeller assembly) is such that each battery powers motors positioned on both sides of the aircraft's body, optionally symmetrically, and / or at equal or similar distances from one another. This distribution allows the aircraft to balance thrust in the event of battery failure and / or motor-propeller assembly failure.

[0094] In some embodiments, motor-propeller assemblies and / or at least some motor-propeller assemblies are arranged in pairs (e.g., pairs of motor-propeller assemblies), with each pair of motor-propeller assemblies positioned on either side of the aircraft (e.g., the aircraft body). In some embodiments, each pair of motor-propeller assemblies is positioned at the other diagonal end of the aircraft body, optionally defining the aircraft's control axis between them. In some embodiments, each pair is powered by its respective battery (e.g., partially and / or fully decoupled batteries). For example, in some embodiments, the aircraft comprises two batteries and four motor-propeller assemblies, with each battery powering a pair of motor-propeller assemblies. In other embodiments, the aircraft comprises four batteries and eight motor-propeller assemblies, with each battery powering one pair of motor-propeller assemblies. In the event of a battery failure, two motor-propeller assemblies in a pair of motor-propeller assemblies will lose power. This has the potential benefit of improving aircraft safety by potentially preventing loss of control of the aircraft and / or rotation around the aircraft's axis. Alternatively or additionally, in the event of a motor-propeller assembly failure, the controller will shut down the other motor-propeller assembly on the opposite side of the control axis.

[0095] In some embodiments, a pair of two motor-propeller assemblies is positioned on one control axis of the aircraft, and each pair is powered by a different battery. Battery failure may lead to failure of one of the motor-propeller assemblies of the pair to which the battery is associated. The second pair of motor-propeller assemblies can then compensate for the deficiency of the first pair of motor-propeller assemblies by providing the required thrust along the control axis.

[0096] It should be noted that in some embodiments, the concepts of motor positioning / arrangement and / or association with the battery may be implemented without applying power demand management from the battery.

[0097] Without being constrained by theory, the aircraft's stability is optionally achieved separately along each diagonal (e.g., the control axis). This arrangement allows for the optional use of more and / or fewer motor-propeller assemblies than other motor-propeller assemblies in the same group to initiate a climb command, which can also be used alternatively or additionally in any other flight phase such as cruising and / or landing. In some embodiments, power distribution is achieved by supplying each subsystem (e.g., a pair of motor-propeller assemblies on either side of the aircraft's control axis) from two partially and / or fully electrically decoupled (e.g., independent) batteries to ensure continued operation even if one of the batteries fails.

[0098] In some embodiments, the eVTOL aircraft has four independent batteries (e.g., fully and / or partially electrically decoupled batteries), each battery driving (e.g., supplying power to) two diagonally opposed motors. The multiple independent battery architecture can potentially overcome the event of battery failure and ensure a safe landing of the aircraft even if only three batteries are functioning. In some embodiments, for any number of batteries and / or any number of motors, the aircraft's endurance is determined by the lowest-performing spare battery (e.g., the battery with the lowest capacity to supply power and / or energy). In some embodiments, the batteries may experience different depletion schemes (e.g., exhibiting different discharge curves), resulting in unbalanced performance. This may result from the aircraft's balance, pilot handling, route characteristics, or the nature of flight and weather conditions. The need to keep the batteries completely independent means that their outputs are not shared and each experiences different consumption needs. For example, one way to compensate for an imbalance in two (or more) battery states (e.g., charge states) is to use a pair of diagonal motors at a higher output than other pairs mounted on the same diagonal and connected to other batteries. Potentially, this can be done without degrading the aircraft's performance. For example, compensation can be achieved by using a pair of diagonal motors at a higher output than other pairs of motors located on other diagonals, for example, to initiate an ascent command. Potentially, this can be done because the aircraft's stability is achieved separately along each diagonal. For example, compensation can be achieved by using a pair of diagonal motors at a lower output than the other three pairs of motors. For example, compensation can be done throughout the flight and / or during ascent or descent commands. Potentially, this can be done because the aircraft's stability is achieved separately along each diagonal.

[0099] In some embodiments of the above example, the flight control system recognizes and / or constantly monitors the battery charge status. In case of imbalance, the system slightly modifies the thrust gain of the motor pair using the least depleted battery (the battery with more energy and / or power supply capacity) so that it always uses more thrust for the other motor pairs. When the batteries are balanced, all motor pairs are used with similar gains. Alternatively, the flight control system slightly modifies the thrust gain of the motor pair using the most depleted battery (the battery with less energy) so that it always uses less thrust for the other motor pairs. When the batteries are balanced, all motor pairs are used with similar gains.

[0100] One aspect of several embodiments of the present invention relates to a flight plan for a multirotor aircraft, including a power plan for batteries. In some embodiments, the power plan specifies how to manage and / or distribute power requirements among batteries, taking into account the state or capacity of each battery, in order to potentially achieve the flight plan. For example, the power plan may take into account, for example, the flight route and altitude profile of the flight plan, to ensure that the batteries maintain sufficient charge and / or power throughout the flight. Optionally and / or additionally, the power plan may ensure that the batteries maintain sufficient charge and / or power to cope with weather considerations (wind, precipitation, and / or extreme temperatures) and / or unexpected conditions.

[0101] In some embodiments, the power plan recognizes or identifies a battery with reduced capacity and distributes energy consumption accordingly, for example, by minimizing the use of that battery when it is not needed.

[0102] In some embodiments, when a battery with reduced capacity is identified, the power plan redistributes the distribution of power requests from the battery to enable the achievement of the flight plan. In some embodiments, the power plan redistributes the distribution of power requests from the battery in response to changes in the flight plan.

[0103] In some embodiments, the power plan includes battery-related objectives and, optionally, flight-related objectives. For example, a battery-related objective is to improve battery life, which can be achieved by reducing and / or avoiding deep discharges and / or frequent high power demands that stress the battery. For example, repeated deep discharges of a lithium-ion battery can cause lithium metal plating to form on the anode, which is irreversible and increases the risk of short circuits in the battery.

[0104] In some embodiments, the power plan is the result of an optimization process aimed at improving battery efficiency and / or flight performance, as an option. In some embodiments, the optimization process uses battery characteristics and / or battery state to find a solution that achieves the selected optimization objective.

[0105] In some embodiments, the power plan incorporates considerations to maintain or uniformly degrade the flight envelope in order to potentially achieve consistent aircraft performance. In some embodiments, the power plan optimizes battery usage to maintain the required performance level throughout the flight phase in order to potentially maintain the flight envelope by avoiding scenarios in which the aircraft may unexpectedly run out of sufficient power. In some embodiments, as batteries begin to degrade, the controller may compensate by adjusting the power distribution between the charger and / or better batteries, potentially maintaining the overall performance and stability of the aircraft.

[0106] Before describing in detail at least one embodiment of the present invention, it should be understood that the applications of the present invention are not necessarily limited to the configuration details and arrangement of elements and / or methods shown in the following description and / or illustrated in the drawings and / or embodiments. Other embodiments of the present invention are possible and can be carried out or implemented by various means.

[0107] Referring to Figure 1, a simplified diagram of an aircraft 100 powered by two or more partially and / or fully decoupled batteries is shown according to several embodiments of the present invention.

[0108] In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 is a battery-powered, multi-motor electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and is manned and / or unmanned. In other embodiments, the aircraft 100 is a drone and / or any other electric vehicle and / or device. The aircraft 100 comprises multiple thrust units, each containing multiple electric motors and / or engines 102, and each thrust unit is paired with at least one propeller and / or rotor 104 (e.g., defining a motor-propeller assembly). In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 comprises multiple batteries 106 (e.g., two or more batteries) that power the propeller / rotor 104 and / or motors 102, and one or more batteries are partially and / or fully electrically decoupled. Electrically decoupled means, in particular, isolating the batteries from each other to prevent direct electrical interaction and / or power conversion. Partially and / or fully electrically decoupled batteries have the potential advantage of improving safety in the event of battery failure. For example, if one or more batteries fail, other partially and / or fully electrically decoupled batteries can maintain the aircraft's functionality and / or enable control of the aircraft for continued flight and / or safe landing. For instance, if one battery fails, the other batteries can continue to supply power to the aircraft.

[0109] In some embodiments, each of the multiple batteries 106 is associated with one or more motors of a multiple motor 102 and / or motor-propeller assembly. For example, in some embodiments, each battery may power one motor and / or motor-propeller assembly, potentially improving the ability to control the aircraft in the event of battery failure, thus having the potential benefit of improving aircraft safety. Optionally, each battery is relatively small (e.g., smaller in volume and / or weight) compared to a battery intended to power two or more motors and / or motor-propeller assemblies.

[0110] In other embodiments, each battery may power two or more motors and / or motor-propeller assemblies, potentially reducing the number of batteries required to power the aircraft. Reducing the number of batteries has the potential benefit of reducing the aircraft's weight, manufacturing costs, and / or battery maintenance costs.

[0111] In some embodiments, this association is a constant / permanent association (e.g., a dedicated battery-motor configuration), and optionally, the power supply cannot be dynamically bypassed during flight by switching the motor to which the battery is associated. In some embodiments, this configuration has the potential advantage of reducing the need for a branching device and / or eliminating the need for a branching device, thereby reducing the weight of the aircraft (e.g., an aircraft without a branching device). Also, in an aircraft with a dedicated battery-motor configuration, there are fewer and / or no switching mechanisms required to allocate power between different motors. This can reduce the number of potential points of failure and / or improve the reliability of the aircraft. Furthermore, there is the potential advantage of reducing and / or eliminating the impact of a failure in one battery or motor on other batteries or motors, further improving the reliability of the entire aircraft.

[0112] Alternatively or additionally, battery association enables power routing, which refers to the ability to distribute and / or transfer power from the battery to various components and systems within the aircraft, such as other motors other than the motor to which the battery is associated, and / or other systems such as the aircraft's air conditioning and / or multimedia system. In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 includes a power distribution device (not shown) responsible for delivering and / or distributing power from the battery (e.g., multiple batteries 106) to different components and / or subsystems of the aircraft 100. In some embodiments, the power distribution device performs power routing as needed. The operation of the aircraft 100 is achieved by relative changes in the speeds of the propellers / motors 104. The speeds of the different motors 102 are translated into different thrust vectors, which allows for control of the aircraft's performance in flight (e.g., aircraft attitude, altitude, and / or speed). The aircraft 100 includes at least one Flight Control System (FCS) 108 (also referred to as at least one controller and / or flight controller) that controls and / or transmits commands to the aircraft's motors 102 and rotors / propellers 104. In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 includes a Battery Management System (BMS) 110 connected to and / or included in the Flight Control System 108. In some embodiments, the Battery Management System 110 is configured to monitor a number of batteries 106, control their operation, and optionally, as needed, warn and / or tune and / or adjust the Flight Control System 108. In some embodiments, the BMS 110 transmits data information (e.g., inputs) about the batteries to the FSC 108, which then calculates a desired power request from each battery based on the data information. In some embodiments, the BMS 110 provides the FSC 108 with recommendations regarding battery usage, and the FSC decides whether or not to implement them. Alternatively or additionally, the BMS 110 instructs the FSC 108 regarding power requests from the battery.In some embodiments, the FSC110 outputs commands that can be sent via a BMS, which can adjust these commands to obtain the desired power requirements of the battery.

[0113] In some embodiments, the power consumption of each motor 102 is proportional to the thrust required from its corresponding propeller 104. The difference in power consumption of each motor leads to a scheme of fluctuations in power requirements from the battery over time (e.g., discharge curve) and / or different power outputs from each battery. Additionally or alternatively, the batteries of the multiple batteries 106 may differ from one another in their state (e.g., dynamic state describing the current state and / or operating conditions of the battery) and / or parameters (e.g., relatively constant but time-varying characteristics and / or features that define the battery and / or its capabilities). For example, the batteries may differ in type (type defining capacity, power and / or energy density, and / or typical discharge curve, internal resistance behavior, and / or nominal voltage) and size (defining total power and / or energy), and in state of charge (SOC) and / or state of health (SOH).

[0114] In some embodiments, the motors, propellers, and / or motor-propeller assemblies are similar and / or identical (e.g., each producing the same amount of thrust when operating at its baseline gain coefficient). In other embodiments, at least some of the motors, propellers, and / or motor-propeller assemblies may be different from each other (e.g., each producing different amounts of thrust when operating at its baseline gain coefficient), which may also lead to variations in the power consumption scheme over time (e.g., discharge rate) and / or different power / energy requirements from each battery. In some embodiments, the motor-propeller assemblies may differ from each other in one or more of the following: motor size, propeller size, attitude, pitch, years of service (e.g., wear), and the condition of the motor and / or propeller. In some embodiments, the motor-propeller assemblies may differ from each other in their position on the aircraft, such as behind or in front of the wing, or near or far from the aircraft's COG (center of gravity). In some embodiments, as a result of the aircraft's operation, one or more motor-propeller assemblies may be used more often than others, depending on the pilot, flight plan, and / or external factors such as weather. For example, if the pilot prefers to turn in a particular direction, the motor-propeller assembly on that side may be used relatively more often than the others. The performance of an aircraft powered by two or more partially and / or fully decoupled batteries (e.g., aircraft 100) is typically limited by the battery having the lowest and / or worst state and / or parameters (e.g., the lowest remaining energy (State of Energy (SoE)), power (State of Power (SoP)), and / or charge (State of Charge (SoC))). This limitation can result in a decrease in the aircraft's performance (e.g., reduced endurance).

[0115] In some embodiments, by managing the power demands from the batteries and / or the power consumption of the motors / propellers, it may be possible to potentially improve the performance of the aircraft and / or the batteries (e.g., improve the aircraft's durability, improve overall power efficiency, and / or extend the operating life of each battery) without requiring electrical connections and / or power conversion between batteries, and without compromising the safety of the aircraft.

[0116] In some embodiments, safety may be defined, for example, by the probability of a catastrophic event resulting in injury or death. In some embodiments, a sufficiently low probability of a catastrophic event is achieved by the robustness of the aircraft's subsystems (e.g., pairs of motor-propeller assemblies) and the redundancy to ensure continued operation in the event of one failure. For example, in some embodiments, aircraft 100 includes four isolated batteries, designed to enable a safe landing even if only three of them are functional. In some embodiments, this battery design and / or redundancy may reduce the average time between catastrophic events by approximately 10%, 20%, 30%, 10-20%, or 15-30%.

[0117] In some embodiments, managing power demands from batteries can potentially improve aircraft safety. For example, in some embodiments, managing power demands from batteries can balance the battery's power supply capacity, potentially increasing flight time and / or flight distance. This has the potential benefit of increasing the likelihood of achieving a timely and / or safe landing when necessary. In other embodiments, managing power demands from batteries can distribute battery degradation (e.g., to obtain a distribution of batteries' State of Heat). This distribution of State of Heat has the potential benefit of reducing the risk of unexpected failure of two or more batteries.

[0118] For example, in some embodiments, the power consumption of the motor / motor-propeller assembly is modified to manage the power requirements from the battery. In some embodiments, the power consumption of the motor / motor-propeller assembly is modified by adjusting and / or redistributing the thrust of the motor / motor-propeller assembly, and optionally by changing the gain coefficient compared to a default (e.g., baseline) gain coefficient.

[0119] For example, in some embodiments, the gain coefficient is part of a control loop used to issue commands to motor 106. This is a mechanism used to manipulate the actual power (thrust) generated by one or more motors powered by the same battery. For example, if the default gain coefficient is 80, simply changing this multiplier by changing one set of motors to 82 and the other set to 78 will result in more effective thrust for the first set than for the second set.

[0120] For example, in some embodiments, the control loop is implemented inside at least one flight controller 108, giving commands to the motor controller and / or controlling the motors. In some embodiments, the flight controller 108 translates pilot commands into differential thrust commands for all motors 102. The control loop is implemented inside the flight controller 108, receiving feedback from the motor controller and converging to a target value (for each motor 102).

[0121] For example, in some embodiments, at least one controller 108 manipulates a coefficient (multiplier) in the control loop, and thus generates different thrusts for each pair of motors (compared to other pairs). This operation places an extra burden on the motor that generates greater thrust, leading to higher battery power consumption. In some embodiments, this allows for changing the power consumption of the motors while allowing the smallest SOC difference across all batteries.

[0122] In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 (e.g., controller 108) includes an electronic speed controller (ESC) that controls the amount of current (power) supplied to each motor of the aircraft 100, thereby adjusting the relative power consumption (for controlling the speed and torque of each motor) (for example, the motor speed (RPM) is controlled by the current applied to the motor).

[0123] In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 includes an ESC for each motor and / or each controller associated with each motor. For example, in some embodiments, the ESC for each motor is connected to the aircraft battery (DC 800V) and converts this DC voltage / current input into a three-phase sinusoidal current output to the motor (using a DSP and MOSFET transistors). The amplitude and frequency of the current correlate with the speed / current commands output from the flight controller.

[0124] For example, in some embodiments, the gain coefficient is manipulated internally by the flight controller, so the output command (per motor) holds the power compensation.

[0125] In other words, the operation is performed by the flight controller. It samples the state of each battery (via the BMS) and determines which battery is the "lowest" (e.g., the lowest SOC). Following this observation, the flight controller changes the gain coefficient of the motor associated with that battery to be slightly lower (a few percent) than the other motors (via output commands to the ESCs of those motors). In practice, this translates to a reduction in thrust from the motor of the battery, and therefore inevitably to higher power from the other motors, compensating for the thrust loss.

[0126] This process is carried out continuously throughout the entire flight time, allowing for constant monitoring and "correction" of battery power consumption. The ultimate result is longer flight time (since flight time is always limited by the least charged battery).

[0127] For example, in some embodiments, the FCS closes a loop of two values: ATT (attitude of all three axes) and ROC (Rate of Climb).

[0128] Pilot commands are "converted" into changes in ROC and / or ATT.

[0129] Therefore, if the pilot wishes to ascend, the FCS generates a motor command that increases thrust (upward) and produces a positive ROC.

[0130] Since the thrust is (theoretically) equally divided among all (eight) motors, each motor receives a (nearly) similar increase in current command.

[0131] Suppose the thrust gain increases from 125 kg to 140 kg per motor. This represents a total increase of 120 kg in thrust per aircraft.

[0132] After "FCS battery operation," the two motors connected to the lowest battery actually only increase to 130 kg, with "automatic" compensation provided by the other motors to 143.33 kg, or alternatively or additionally, intentional compensation provided by the FCS by manipulating the gains of the other six motors upward.

[0133] The "automatic" compensation is a result of the ROC loop. The pilot's commands for increasing ROC are translated into +120 kg of thrust (to achieve +ROC), so the remaining six motors need to exceed 140 kg to "fill the gap" of the weaker motors.

[0134] This explanation also applies to ATT change requests.

[0135] For example, in some embodiments, the electronic speed controller controls the power supplied to the motor by converting a DC current into a three-phase sinusoidal current in accordance with torque commands from the flight control system.

[0136] For example, when the ESC increases the current, the motor's RPM increases. Higher RPM results in higher propeller speed and increased thrust. When the ESC decreases the current, both the motor's RPM and propeller speed decrease. Lower RPM results in lower propeller speed and decreased thrust. When the ESC increases the current, the torque increases. Higher torque allows the motor to maintain a higher RPM under load, maintaining or increasing thrust. When the ESC decreases the current, the torque decreases. Lower torque reduces RPM under load and decreases thrust.

[0137] Referring to Figure 2, a simplified flowchart 200 is shown of exemplary methods for managing battery states (e.g., dynamic conditions indicating the current state and / or operating conditions of the battery) and / or parameters (e.g., characteristics or features that define the design and capabilities of the battery, typically having typical values ​​for a new battery and / or a normal battery that change over time and battery use) according to several embodiments of the present invention. The method of flowchart 200 includes: In 202, at least one state and / or parameter (and / or characteristic) of an aircraft battery is evaluated by a system (e.g., controller 108 and / or BMS 110). In this specification, at least one state and / or parameter is optionally any value indicating the performance capability of the battery and / or battery array (e.g., multiple batteries 106) in flight. In some embodiments, at least one state of the battery is evaluated taking into account the battery parameters. For example, in some embodiments, the SoC is evaluated taking into account the battery capacity. This makes it possible to compare the current capacity amounts stored in different batteries (e.g., batteries with different capacities). In some embodiments, the evaluation of the battery state may include evaluating one or more of the following:

[0138] 1. State of Charge (SOC): This is a measure that compares the current capacity stored in the battery with its maximum capacity (how fully charged it is).

[0139] 2. State of Health (SOH): Indicates the battery's ability to store and supply electrical energy compared to a new battery (reflecting battery degradation).

[0140] 3. State of Function (SOF): Indicates the current ability of the battery to meet specific performance requirements (e.g., supplying or receiving a specific power level).

[0141] 4. Power State (SOP): Indicates the current capacity of the battery to supply power.

[0142] 5. Energy State (SOE): Indicates the current amount of energy (Wh / kWh) available (e.g., stored) in the battery.

[0143] 6. Current voltage and / or discharge voltage: In this specification, this refers to the voltage measured when the battery is under load (e.g., discharging).

[0144] 7. Discharge curve: A graph that shows the voltage and / or current over time as the battery discharges.

[0145] 8. Power curve: This graph shows the fluctuation in power output over time as the battery discharges.

[0146] 9. Energy curve: This graph shows the change in the battery's energy over time during the discharge process.

[0147] 10. Current internal resistance: This refers to the resistance within the battery to the flow of current and indicates the efficiency of the battery during discharge.

[0148] In some embodiments, the evaluation of battery characteristics may include evaluating one or more of the following:

[0149] 1. Type (e.g., battery chemical system, high-power battery, and / or high-energy battery). Examples include Li-ions, Li-S, and / or Li-metal. The battery chemical system specifies its energy density, power density, cycle life, safety limitations, and / or whether it is a high-power (e.g., supplying high current for a short time) and / or high-energy (e.g., storing and supplying energy over a long period of time) battery.

[0150] 2. Design and / or manufacturing (brand). Battery design may include electrolyte composition, cell design (electrodes, structure, thickness, and / or surface area, separator type), and / or additives. Battery design may affect its voltage, capacity, internal resistance, and / or whether it is a high-power battery and / or high-energy battery. The manufacturer affects the quality of the battery and its performance.

[0151] 3. Size (battery weight, volume, and / or number of cells). Larger batteries (weight and / or volume) generally indicate higher energy density, as the additional weight / volume comes from more active material. The number of cells and their configuration (e.g., series and / or parallel configuration) affect the battery's voltage and / or capacity.

[0152] 4. Capacity: This refers to the amount of charge that a battery can store and / or supply. The larger the capacity, the more charge the battery can supply and / or the longer it can function.

[0153] 5. Battery energy density (e.g., mass energy density (Wh / kg) and / or volumetric energy density (Wh / L)): This is a measure of the amount of energy a battery can store relative to its mass and / or size. The higher the battery energy density, the more energy the battery can supply relative to its size, and / or the smaller the battery can be.

[0154] 6. Power Density: This indicates how quickly a battery can deliver energy and is expressed in watts per kilogram (W / kg). The higher the power density, the more power the battery can deliver relative to its size, enabling a more powerful and rapid energy output.

[0155] 7. Cycle Life / Cycle Count / Lifespan: This is the number of complete charge-discharge cycles a battery can experience before its capacity falls below a certain percentage of its original capacity, typically 80%. A higher cycle life means the battery can continue to operate effectively before needing replacement.

[0156] 8. Nominal Voltage: This is the standard or average voltage that the battery is designed to provide during normal (e.g., healthy) operating conditions. The higher the nominal voltage, the more power the battery can deliver at a given time.

[0157] 9. Cutoff Voltage: This is the minimum voltage level at which a battery can operate before it needs to be recharged or replaced. A lower cutoff voltage allows the battery to discharge more deeply before needing to be recharged, potentially extending the usable energy per charge cycle.

[0158] 10. Open Circuit Voltage (OCV): This indicates the voltage when the battery is not connected to any load or circuit. The OCV can indicate the battery's state of charge (SoC), and / or changes in the OCV can indicate the battery's state of health (SoH). A higher OCV indicates a higher state of charge and energy capacity.

[0159] 11. Self-discharge rate: This is the rate at which a battery loses its charge when it is not connected to any load or in use. The higher the self-discharge rate, the faster the battery loses its charge when not in use, which significantly reduces the available energy over time and requires recharging more frequently, even when the aircraft is idle.

[0160] 12. Temperature Sensitivity: Defines the temperature range in which the battery can operate and / or be stored safely and efficiently. A narrow temperature range may require more precise environmental control to ensure the battery operates efficiently and avoid performance degradation or safety concerns.

[0161] 13. Internal Resistance Behavior: This is the resistance within the battery and affects its efficiency and performance. In some embodiments, the temperature of the battery environment is measured to evaluate its impact on battery performance (e.g., extremely low temperatures degrade performance, while extremely high temperatures accelerate degradation). In some embodiments, the battery temperature is measured during use to receive an indicator of the battery's internal resistance and / or to avoid thermal runaway. Higher internal resistance means more energy is lost as heat during operation, potentially reducing efficiency and shortening battery life.

[0162] 14. End of Life (EOL) refers to the point at which a battery can no longer effectively and safely perform its intended function, for example, when its capacity has significantly decreased, for example, below an acceptable threshold, typically below 70-80% of its original capacity. The higher the End of Life (EOL) threshold, the longer the battery can be used before it no longer meets minimum performance standards or needs to be replaced. In some embodiments, the power demand from the battery may decrease when the battery reaches its cutoff voltage and then rise above that cutoff voltage. In some embodiments, the power demand from the battery is controlled to stabilize the battery to operate at its cutoff voltage, thereby extending its operating time. In some embodiments, the battery may be placed in an aircraft location where its cutoff voltage has little impact on flight.

[0163] 15. Battery type and / or typical discharge curve, power curve, and / or energy curve for a particular battery. The steeper the curve, the faster the battery loses its energy and the shorter its operating period before needing to be recharged.

[0164] In 204, based on the evaluation (e.g., the operation step in 202), the system provides a desired battery power requirement. In some embodiments, the desired battery power requirement is selected to satisfy flight requirements. In some embodiments, the flight requirements include one or more of the required thrust vectors (e.g., thrust vectors of the aircraft and / or each thrust unit and / or each motor-propeller assembly powered by the same battery), vertical thrust (e.g., vertical thrust of the aircraft and / or each propeller), horizontal thrust (e.g., horizontal thrust of the aircraft and / or each propeller), flight envelope, aircraft responsiveness (force and / or time), and / or any other factors that affect and / or control the aircraft's movement and / or stability. In some embodiments, these requirements are defined by a controller (e.g., a flight control system 108) and optionally input by a human pilot and / or operator (e.g., while piloting the aircraft), and alternatively or additionally input by an autopilot and / or flight plan. For example, the pilot inputs a command to increase the aircraft's speed, and the controller translates the command into the desired thrust from the motor-propeller assembly, and then translates the desired thrust into the power requirements of the batteries so that the power consumption of the motor-propeller assembly matches the power requirements of the respective batteries.

[0165] For example, if a battery exhibits a relatively low SoC, SoH, SoE, and / or SoP compared to other batteries, the controller 108 calculates the desired power request from that battery by lowering it compared to the other batteries, and / or calculates the power request from one or more of the other batteries by increasing it compared to that battery.

[0166] In 206, the thrust of the propeller (e.g., propeller 104) and / or the power consumption of the motor (e.g., motor 102) are managed and / or arranged to meet the desired battery power requirement. In some embodiments, the battery power requirement is proportional to the power consumption of the associated motor. Since this power consumption is proportional to the thrust of the propeller paired with the motor, the desired battery power requirement can be achieved by appropriately arranging and / or redistributing the propeller thrust. In some embodiments, the propeller thrust is modified by adjusting the gain coefficient of the corresponding motor (e.g., as described herein). In some embodiments, the propeller thrust is increased by increasing the motor gain coefficient and decreased by decreasing the motor gain coefficient.

[0167] In some embodiments, the desired battery power requirement is achieved by adjusting the vertical thrust of the propeller while reducing and / or avoiding the risk of losing altitude and / or crashing during or as a result of the adjustment.

[0168] In some embodiments, the desired battery power requirement can be achieved by changing the propeller pitch, instead of changing the propeller thrust, or in addition to changing the propeller thrust. Propeller pitch refers to the angle of the propeller blades and affects how much air the propeller moves during each rotation. Adjusting the propeller pitch affects air resistance (drag) and / or power consumption. For example, lowering the pitch increases air resistance (drag) and increases the propeller's power consumption, while raising the pitch decreases air resistance (drag) and decreases the propeller's power consumption.

[0169] In some embodiments, the propeller pitch can be adjusted to change the propeller thrust. For example, the pitch may be adjusted to a fine pitch (low pitch angle) and used to generate more thrust at low speeds during takeoff and climb. Optionally, once airborne, the pitch may be adjusted to a coarse pitch (high pitch angle) compared to a fine pitch, which generates less thrust from the propeller.

[0170] Alternatively or additionally, the desired battery power requirements may be met by routing power from one or more batteries to other aircraft applications, such as air conditioning. For example, in some embodiments, power may be transferred from a low-power (e.g., low-discharge rate) battery to other motors and / or other systems of the aircraft, for example, to power a propeller that operates at low thrust.

[0171] Optimization process - Parameterized solution search In some embodiments, the desired battery power requirement is a result of optimizing either or both the battery's operation and / or flight performance.

[0172] In some embodiments, the optimization process includes receiving inputs, performing calculations, and / or conducting a search (e.g., iterative search) to find and / or compute a solution in a parameter space (e.g., solution space) that satisfies optimization requirements (e.g., optimization objectives). The optimization objectives may include battery-related objectives and / or flight-related objectives.

[0173] In some embodiments, optimization includes using real-time data (inputs) to optimize current battery usage and / or performance and / or current flight requirements.

[0174] In other embodiments, optimization is based on predictive data (e.g., predictive algorithms) to forecast future battery performance and / or usage patterns. In some embodiments, the predictive data includes pilot behavior and flight style, optionally acquired by an AI system (artificial intelligence) that has learned the pilot while the aircraft is in flight.

[0175] Alternatively or additionally, predicted flight capability is calculated based on the future performance and / or usage patterns of the battery. In some embodiments, the desired battery power requirements are calculated to allow for adjustments to the battery's future performance and / or usage patterns to meet future flight requirements.

[0176] For example, in some embodiments, the optimization objective may be one or more of the following, and / or any combination thereof.

[0177] Optionally, the aircraft's endurance can be increased and / or maximized by extending the flight duration and / or flight range on a single charge by adjusting the power demands from the batteries to prevent one or more batteries from reaching their capacity / voltage limits before others (for example, by controlling battery usage so that all batteries have the same SoC during flight).

[0178] Optimize power supply (e.g., power supply to motors) by enabling sufficiently rapid power transitions and / or power availability in all flight phases, and optionally by reducing the use of batteries with reduced power supply capacity so that all batteries are available and can supply the necessary power when relatively high power is required. Reduce battery degradation and extend battery life, and optionally prevent batteries from reaching or operating under extreme conditions that accelerate degradation. Distribute battery wear to obtain desired uniform and / or non-uniform degradation by balancing (or unbalancing) the power requirements of each battery throughout the battery life (e.g., cycle life). Distribute the load to obtain the desired load distribution by balancing (or unbalancing) the power requirements of each battery during battery operation (e.g., per charge). Optionally, improve safety by managing battery operation to prevent and / or mitigate scenarios that could lead to failure, such as overcharging, over-discharging, and / or thermal runaway.

[0179] In some embodiments, the parameters in the solution space may include one or more of the following: for example, reducing and / or balancing differences in battery state and / or battery characteristics such as SoE, SoP, SoC, and / or SoH, as shown in flowchart 200; and reducing the use of aged and / or degraded batteries.

[0180] Modify the flight control system algorithm.

[0181] In some embodiments, the inputs, which are data and parameters fed into the battery management optimization process, include battery-related data, flight requirements-related data, and / or any combination thereof.

[0182] In some embodiments, battery-related data may include, for example, one or more battery states and / or battery characteristics, and / or any combination thereof, as shown in flowchart 200. Examples include charge state (SoC), healthy state (SoH), energy state (SoE), capacity (Ah), voltage (V), internal resistance (Ω), cycle life, EoL battery discharge rate (e.g., pattern over time), and battery degradation (wear pattern).

[0183] In some embodiments, flight requirements-related data may include one or more and / or any combination thereof: thrust vectors of any propeller, motor-propeller assembly, and / or thrust vector unit; vertical thrust and / or horizontal thrust of any propeller and / or motor-propeller assembly; thrust vectors of the aircraft; vertical thrust and / or horizontal thrust of the aircraft; power and / or energy requirements in different flight phases such as takeoff, cruising, and landing, and / or power and / or energy requirements taking into account variations in power requirements due to flight time, flight path, altitude and / or attitude, as well as maneuvering during flight, environmental factors, and other dynamic conditions. The flight envelope (e.g., operating boundaries on which the aircraft can operate safely and efficiently, such as speed limits (maximum and / or minimum speed), altitude limits (minimum and / or maximum altitude), and / or G-force limits (maximum and minimum G-forces the aircraft can withstand)). The aircraft's responsiveness to commands (e.g., response speed and / or response intensity). Response speed measures how quickly the aircraft reacts to control inputs. Desired response speed means that the aircraft can change, for example, direction, altitude, trajectory, or attitude and / or speed in proportion to the speed of the input, such as the speed at which the pilot operates the control plane or system, and this level of proportion is defined by the desired speed responsiveness.

[0184] The desired response intensity (e.g., intensity) means that the aircraft can change, for example, direction, altitude, trajectory, or attitude and / or speed in proportion to the intensity of an input, such as the force a pilot exerts on a control surface or system, and this level of proportionality is defined by the desired intensity responsiveness. In some embodiments, the optimization process includes employing a scoring function. In some embodiments, the scoring function is a mathematical and / or algorithmic tool used to evaluate and / or rank different optional solutions based on a given set of criteria and parameters. In some embodiments, the scoring function optionally provides a numerical score for each possible solution, with higher scores indicating a better degree to which the solution satisfies the optimization objective. In some embodiments, solutions are ranked based on their scores to identify the optimal / fitting configuration. In some embodiments, the scoring and / or search is time-limited so that the best solution at a cutoff time is selected, potentially allowing solutions to be provided / applied in real-time systems.

[0185] In some embodiments, the user can customize the scoring function according to their preferences, such as extended lifespan and / or improved battery handling. Additionally, during flight planning, the user can specify areas where increased power or battery handling is required, or have the computer suggest such areas.

[0186] For example, in some embodiments, the optimization objective is to improve the aircraft's endurance (e.g., extending flight time between battery charges). In some embodiments, inputs considered to achieve this may include battery capacity, SoE, SoC, and flight requirements (such as flight power and energy requirements). In some embodiments, the solution involves balancing the battery load distribution (e.g., managing the battery power output and / or power requirements). For example, the power requirements of one or more batteries are controlled and / or adjusted over time so that all batteries reach the limit of their ability to simultaneously supply power and / or energy, potentially avoiding one battery "dying" too quickly and requiring the end of the flight. This balancing has the potential benefit of improving power extraction efficiency.

[0187] This requires optimizing parameters such as charge / discharge rates, power distribution between batteries (time and power), and limitations on the charging state.

[0188] For example, in a balancing process, if an aircraft has identical and / or similar (similar in size and type) batteries with the same service life and / or State of Heat (SoH), in some embodiments the system will endeavor to reduce differences in charge states. For example, if these batteries differ from each other in SoC at the start of the flight, the system will endeavor to reduce these differences by, for example, requesting more (power and / or time) from the more charged battery and / or less (power and / or time) from the less charged battery. In another example, if these batteries have similar SoCs at the start of the flight, the system will adjust the battery discharge rates to potentially obtain similar decreases in SoC throughout the flight and / or reduce differences in SoC throughout the flight.

[0189] In some embodiments, batteries may differ from one another by their type, size, and / or SoH (e.g., years of use). In some embodiments, the system strives to reduce the difference in SoE and / or SoP. For example, a larger or newer battery may contain more energy and have a greater ability to supply power even when less charged than other batteries, so in some embodiments, the system may request more (power and / or time) from this battery.

[0190] In another example, if one or more batteries are, for example, older batteries and / or batteries that have operated longer / more intensely, or batteries that have operated under more difficult conditions than other batteries, power consumption is managed to reduce usage and / or demand from these batteries.

[0191] For example, in some embodiments, the optimization objective is to extend the battery life (e.g., cycle life / lifetime) by avoiding extreme operating conditions. Inputs for this objective may include temperature control, cycle count, and internal resistance. Solutions may include predicting and mitigating battery wear and degradation by implementing an efficient thermal management system, maintaining balanced charge state levels, and using predictive maintenance algorithms. In some embodiments, the controller optionally operates algorithms designed to extend life and / or reduce degradation depending on battery conditions (e.g., State of Heat), and optionally includes a battery management scheme that may be implemented in the optimization process and / or the flight planning process.

[0192] For example, in some embodiments, the optimization objective is to obtain a desired distribution of battery end-of-life (EoL) times. In some embodiments, this objective is to potentially prevent any single battery from reaching end-of-life significantly earlier than others, optionally to ensure that batteries degrade at a desired rate, or to ensure uniform degradation. Alternatively or additionally, the desired degradation rate is non-uniform from battery to battery. This distribution has the potential benefit of avoiding the risk of two or more (optionally, all) batteries failing at the same time. This distribution also potentially avoids the need to replace two or more and / or all batteries at the same time. Inputs for this objective may include individual battery usage data, cycle life, and state-of-health (SoH). Solutions may include balancing and / or unbalancing the load distribution across all batteries, as well as / or optimizing the charge-discharge cycle.

[0193] For example, in some embodiments, the optimization objective is to ensure that sufficient power and / or energy is available to achieve critical flight phases and / or maneuverability and / or desired and / or sufficient aircraft responsiveness. In some embodiments, inputs for this objective may include flight requirements such as real-time power requests and / or flight profiles, and battery states and / or battery characteristics such as SoC, SoE, SoP, SoF, discharge curves, power curves, and / or energy curves. Solutions may include adjusting power distribution to prioritize critical systems, maintaining optimal SoC levels to ensure power availability, and using predictive algorithms to forecast and prepare for high-demand phases.

[0194] In some embodiments, the desired power requirements from the battery are set to match / conform to flight requirements, such as providing high burst power to achieve takeoff and initial climb, power management for controlled descent and safe landing, and optimization of power output for sustained and efficient flight at altitude. For example, in some embodiments, depleted batteries and / or batteries with relatively reduced power-related parameters (such as SoP, SoF, and / or voltage) are used during cruising and reduced in use and / or not used during flight phases requiring high power and / or rapid power delivery. Alternatively or additionally, such batteries can provide sufficient power as needed (e.g., during takeoff, landing, and / or altitude and / or attitude changes) by being reduced in use and / or not used during cruising. Alternatively or additionally, batteries (or multiple batteries) with relatively reduced power-related parameters may not be used when their use can be avoided, and all batteries may be available when more power is needed. When high power is required, depleted batteries must provide their maximum output.

[0195] For example, in some embodiments, the optimization objective is to provide sufficient energy for flight time. This includes ensuring that the battery has enough capacity to sustain the entire flight from takeoff to landing. Inputs for this objective may include the total energy requirements of the flight profile, battery capacity, and SoC and / or SoE. Solutions may include optimizing charge-discharge cycles to maximize energy efficiency, implementing an efficient power management system to minimize energy loss, and employing sophisticated predictive models to accurately estimate energy consumption throughout the flight. This objective can also be achieved by considering careful planning of the flight path to minimize energy use and a strategic load distribution between batteries. In some embodiments, the SoE of each battery and / or the differences between them are managed to meet flight requirements such as flight time. The power output of the battery array is managed so that the total energy of the batteries is sufficient for the required flight time and so that there are no weak links (low-energy batteries) that limit the operation of the battery array.

[0196] In some embodiments, the mode may reduce battery energy usage by alternating between sport mode and restricted handling mode throughout the flight. Optionally, in some embodiments, the flight path may include segments with restricted handling that require less energy and / or potentially reduce battery degradation. For example, in some embodiments, the optimization objective is to improve efficiency, such as extending battery life and / or reducing thermal stress. Inputs for this objective may include battery temperature and / or ambient temperature, charge / discharge rate, and internal resistance. Solutions may include implementing an advanced thermal management system to keep the battery within an optimal temperature range, using adaptive charging algorithms to avoid rapid charging and discharging, and distributing the load across multiple batteries to prevent overloading a single battery. Predictive maintenance may also be used to monitor battery health and proactively address issues that could reduce efficiency or increase thermal stress.

[0197] Refer to Figure 3, which shows a flowchart 300 of a method for managing the power consumption of an aircraft powered by two or more partially and / or fully decoupled batteries, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0198] A power plan 306 for flight is generated, taking into account the battery status and / or parameters 304, in order to meet objective 302.

[0199] In some embodiments, objective 302 includes flight-related objectives such as flight requirements as described herein, including, for example, the aircraft's thrust vector, vertical thrust and / or horizontal thrust, flight time, and flight distance (e.g., the aircraft's range). In some embodiments, the flight-related objectives may include selected flight-related objectives such as flight speed (within the limits of the flight envelope), aircraft response level, and / or flight path. In some embodiments, these objectives are selected by a human pilot, passenger, and / or operator, and / or aircraft controller.

[0200] Alternatively or additionally, Objective 302 may include battery-related objectives, optionally short-term objectives such as balancing the state of the battery in flight (e.g., SoC) and / or long-term objectives such as extending battery life and / or staggering the end-of-life (EOL) of the battery.

[0201] In some embodiments, the power plan 306 defines power requirements from each battery (e.g., desired power output and / or power curve from each battery) configured to satisfy objective 302. In some embodiments, the power requirements from each battery are set to obtain a desired discharge rate from at least one battery, optionally from each battery, optionally to other batteries, and to those batteries.

[0202] Next, in some embodiments, the power plan 306 is implemented by managing the propeller thrust 208 (which defines the motor's power consumption and / or the battery's power output). In some embodiments, the power plan (e.g., desired power requirements from the battery) takes into account the energy loss of the battery during use, for example, due to internal resistance, heat generation, or inefficiencies in the charging and discharging process.

[0203] In 310-312, in some embodiments, the power plan is updated in response to changes in the battery state and / or parameter 304 (for other batteries and / or for the battery itself), and optionally a new power plan is generated. For example, if a battery is damaged, fails unpredictably, and / or there is a sudden change in ambient temperature that affects the battery temperature. In another example, because a battery is behaving differently than expected, the power requests and / or usage time from that battery may be optionally modified to converge to expected behavior.

[0204] In some embodiments, the update involves changing the battery's power requirements (which define the battery's discharge rate) to still meet the objective.

[0205] Alternatively or additionally, power plans are updated (and / or replaced with new power plans) in response to changes in objectives. Changes in objectives include, for example, changes in route or flight duration, weather, and / or flight altitude.

[0206] The updated and / or new power plan is then implemented by adjusting and / or reallocating the propeller thrust (e.g., the motor's power consumption) (314).

[0207] In certain examples (further described herein), this redistribution is achieved by modifying the amount of thrust of a pair of motor-propeller assemblies located at both ends of the aircraft (e.g., the diagonal ends of the aircraft's body) in comparison to, optionally, the thrust of another pair of motor-propeller assemblies located at the other diagonal of the aircraft's body.

[0208] Battery management to increase aircraft durability Without being constrained by theory, the endurance of an electric aircraft powered by two or more partially and / or fully decoupled batteries is limited, for example, by the battery with the least remaining energy, capacity, and / or charge, and / or the lowest power supply capacity.

[0209] In some embodiments, managing battery operation and / or discharge rate to balance battery state and / or battery parameters may improve the endurance of the aircraft in flight and have the potential benefit of increasing flight duration (e.g., battery operation until recharging is required) and / or the capabilities of the aircraft in flight.

[0210] Refer to Figure 4, which shows a flowchart 400 illustrating an exemplary method for balancing battery state and / or battery parameters according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0211] Flowchart 400 may be a detailed embodiment of flowchart 200 and / or includes several operational steps using the optimization process described herein.

[0212] In 402, the battery state and / or battery parameters are monitored by a controller (e.g., flight control system 108 and / or BMS 110). In some embodiments, monitoring is performed while the battery is operating (e.g., during flight). Optionally, or additionally, battery parameters and / or state are evaluated before the battery is operating (e.g., before flight). In some embodiments, the temperature in the battery environment is measured. Battery performance is highly dependent on temperature, as each battery type has its temperature limits (e.g., temperature limits for charging, discharging, and / or storage). Using the battery when the temperature exceeds its maximum value can significantly reduce battery efficiency, accelerate battery degradation, and / or compromise battery safety. Using the battery when the temperature falls below its minimum value can significantly reduce battery efficiency and / or power supply capacity. In some embodiments, the battery temperature is measured to detect an increase in battery resistance and / or to detect safety events such as overheating, which can lead to thermal runaway (e.g., a condition where rising temperatures cause further heat release, potentially leading to fire and / or explosion). Temperature monitoring has the potential to detect abnormal conditions early and / or prevent thermal runaway.

[0213] In some embodiments, the operation of the battery (e.g., the power demand from the battery) is determined by the required propeller thrust. Differences in propeller thrust can lead to differences in the battery discharge rate, for example, due to the nature of the aircraft's performance, such as the aircraft's balance, pilot handling, route characteristics, and / or flight and weather conditions.

[0214] In some embodiments, the operation of the battery is controlled to meet the requirements of a power plan (e.g., power plan 306), as shown in, for example, flow chart 400.

[0215] In 404, an imbalance in battery state and / or battery parameters is detected. In some embodiments, at least one battery exhibits a difference in state and / or at least one parameter relative to other batteries and / or the battery itself. In some embodiments, the difference is considered a difference when it exceeds a threshold. In some embodiments, the threshold is a difference of about 10%. For example, about 5-10%, 2-15%, 10-30%, about 8%, 12%, or a lower, higher, or intermediate percentage. Alternatively or additionally, the threshold is defined as any difference that exceeds the background noise of the measurement. In some embodiments, for example, the imbalance is defined as a difference in battery power and / or energy, e.g., energy (e.g., SoE), power (e.g., SoP), charge (e.g., SoC), and / or any other state and / or parameter described herein, e.g., the difference in the remaining capacity of power and / or energy in flowchart 200. In some embodiments, each battery is compared to each of the other batteries, for example, to potentially detect differences between batteries. Alternatively or additionally, for example, to potentially detect abnormal batteries, the state and / or parameters of one battery are compared to the average values ​​of other batteries and / or all batteries.

[0216] In some embodiments, since the batteries are similar in their characteristics and / or state, the imbalance can be defined as a difference in the state of charge (SOC) of the batteries.

[0217] In 406, if an imbalance is detected, the controller (e.g., the flight control system and / or BMS) optionally adjusts the power demands from one or more batteries while maintaining the flight requirements. In some embodiments, this balancing is done by changing the thrust of one or more propellers to reduce the detected difference. For example, in some embodiments, the power demand to a battery showing a reduced state is reduced, for example, by reducing the required propeller thrust (e.g., by reducing motor consumption). Alternatively or additionally, the power demand from other batteries may increase and the discharge rate of other batteries may increase, for example, by increasing the required propeller thrust (e.g., motor consumption).

[0218] In some embodiments, thrust adjustment is optionally performed by the controller using a relative gain coefficient selected from a range of approximately 0.8 to approximately 1.2, compared to a baseline gain coefficient of 1.

[0219] In 408, in some embodiments, balance is achieved when differences in battery state and / or battery parameters are reduced and / or cease to exist, and / or when there is a balance in the power and / or energy supply capacity of each battery.

[0220] In some embodiments, balance is considered achieved if the difference falls below a threshold of approximately 5%. For example, this could be approximately 2-5%, 2-10%, 0-10%, approximately 2%, 6%, or a percentage lower, higher, or in the middle of these ranges. In some embodiments, balance is considered achieved if the batteries exhibit identical and / or similar behavior, such as discharge rate and / or discharge curve and / or discharge voltage. For example, if one battery is older than the others, it is unlikely that they will balance their State of Heat (SoH) during a single flight. Therefore, balancing may be performed, for example, by reducing the demands of the older battery compared to the others, so that it can operate for the same length of time as the other batteries.

[0221] In 410, optionally, once balance is achieved, adjustments to the battery power requirements (e.g., changes in propeller thrust) are stopped. In some embodiments, the battery power requirements are controlled by the nature of the aircraft's performance, e.g., aircraft balance, pilot handling, route characteristics, and / or flight and weather conditions. For example, the motor gain coefficient is returned to its baseline. In other embodiments, adjustments (e.g., control over battery power requirements) are optionally maintained after balance is achieved to reduce and / or avoid recurring imbalances. For example, if one battery is older than the others (e.g., has a lower SoH), stopping control of the power requirements from that battery may result in an accelerated decay of its discharge curve compared to the others. In some embodiments, if one or more batteries have inferior power and / or energy supply capabilities, the power requirements from those batteries are controlled to avoid an imbalance in discharge rate and / or discharge curve compared to the others. For example, batteries with low power and / or energy supply capacity may be relatively old batteries (e.g., those with low SoH), smaller batteries, and / or other types of batteries and / or designs. Optionally, power requirements are controlled from the start to the end of the flight and / or until charging, and alternatively or additionally, for as long as the battery is used. In some embodiments, power requirements are controlled based on the results of an optimization process, as described above.

[0222] In 412, optionally, in some embodiments, the operation steps 402–410 are repeated throughout the entire flight (e.g., the aircraft's movement), and optionally, until a safe landing. In some embodiments, the operation steps 402–410 are repeated over several flights (e.g., throughout the entire outbound and return flights).

[0223] Refer to Figure 5, which shows a schematic diagram of an aircraft 500 powered by two or more fully and / or partially decoupled batteries according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0224] Aircraft 500 may be a detailed embodiment of aircraft 100. Parts similar to those described for aircraft 100 are given the same reference number, but with the leading digit "5" instead of "1".

[0225] In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 is similar to and / or as described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 786,564 filed on 31 December 2018 and / or IL2019 / 051433 filed on 30 December 2019 based on said U.S. Provisional Patent Application, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0226] In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 comprises a plurality of thrust vector units 520, each thrust vector unit comprising one or more motor propeller assemblies 507 that provide thrust to the aircraft body along a thrust vector.

[0227] In other embodiments, each motor is paired with two or more propellers. A gearbox is required to add weight to the aircraft.

[0228] In some embodiments, each battery powers two or more motor-propeller assemblies. In some embodiments, each motor-propeller assembly of a thrust unit is powered by a different battery, and optionally, each battery powers at least two of the motor-propeller assemblies of other thrust units (e.g., a pair of motor-propeller assemblies).

[0229] In other embodiments, each motor-propeller assembly is powered by each (e.g., different) battery of the aircraft's multiple batteries (e.g., multiple batteries 106).

[0230] In some embodiments, the battery comprises a battery bank containing multiple batteries and / or cells, and in some embodiments, the multiple batteries and / or cells are controllable to some extent individually and can be disconnected, for example (e.g., if one or two cells in the battery bank are aging). In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 comprises at least one arm 522 having a proximal end 524 optionally connected to the body of the aircraft 521 (e.g., the fuselage) and a distal end 526 extending away therefrom. In some embodiments, the distal end 526 is equipped with one thrust vector unit from a plurality of thrust vector units 520. In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 comprises four arms 522a, 522b, 522c, and 522d, each arm having thrust vector units 520a, 520b, 520c, and 520d at the end 526 of each arm.

[0231] In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 comprises four to eight motor-propeller assemblies. For example, it may comprise four to eight motor-propeller assemblies, five to ten motor-propeller assemblies, six to eight motor-propeller assemblies, about four motor-propeller assemblies, about eight motor-propeller assemblies, or a number of fewer, more, or intermediate motor-propeller assemblies. In some embodiments, a battery (e.g., each battery) is associated with one to two motor-propeller assemblies. For example, it may be associated with one to two motor-propeller assemblies, one to three motor-propeller assemblies, one to four motor-propeller assemblies, about two motor-propeller assemblies, about one motor-propeller assembly, or a number of fewer, more, or intermediate motor-propeller assemblies.

[0232] In some embodiments, for example as shown in Figure 5, the aircraft 500 comprises eight motors and four arms, each having two motor-propeller assemblies forming a thrust vector unit. In some embodiments, each thrust vector unit comprises at least two vertically aligned motor-propeller assemblies. In some embodiments, the upper motors may consume more power / energy than the lower motors. Alternatively or additionally, the aircraft 500 may have a non-uniform prior distribution of expected power consumption as a result of, for example, the arrangement, type, and / or conditions of the motors.

[0233] In some embodiments, each arm may be provided with at least two motors in parallel and optionally with spaced-out motor-propeller assemblies and / or thrust vector units. In some embodiments, each thrust vector unit (e.g., each arm) comprises a single motor-propeller assembly.

[0234] In other embodiments, some thrust vector units and / or all thrust vector units are located in the aircraft body, and optionally some are mounted on the ends 526 of the arms 522.

[0235] In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 is a winged aircraft vehicle (aircraft), and optionally, multiple propellers / rotors 504 are angled at a fixed angle with respect to the orientation of at least one wing 528 of the aircraft. For example, the “angle of the wing” with respect to the propeller is optionally selected from the range of 5° to 45°, 10° to 35°, about 15° to 30°, and / or about 20° to 25°. In other embodiments, the “angle of the wing” with respect to the propeller is optionally about 0° (e.g., a flat wing) and / or about 90°.

[0236] In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 is a winged aircraft vehicle (aircraft) and optionally has adjustable angles for multiple propellers / rotors 504. In some embodiments, the wings are fixed, adjustable (e.g., having adjustable angles / orientations), and / or foldable during flight. In other embodiments, the aircraft 500 is a multi-rotor aircraft without wings. In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 is equipped with push propellers (not shown). In some embodiments, requests from one or more motors can be adjusted as needed by adjusting the orientation of the corresponding propellers. For example, during cruising, the orientation of the rotors 504 is adjusted to a horizontal and / or more horizontal orientation, and then the system optionally decreases the thrust of the rotors (thus decreasing their power consumption) while increasing the thrust of the push propellers (thus increasing their power consumption). This allows for more horizontal flight.

[0237] In some embodiments, the push propeller optionally allows power routing to and / or from the push propeller (e.g., by a power distribution device) within the balance of the battery state and / or parameters supplying power to the motor 502.

[0238] This power routing potentially offers the advantage of being able to accelerate and / or decelerate the aircraft's horizontal flight and maintain altitude.

[0239] In some embodiments, the aircraft is sized to carry at least one human passenger and (e.g., if aircraft 500 is unmanned) has a passenger compartment (e.g., a cockpit) and / or (e.g., if aircraft 500 is manned) has a passenger and / or pilot compartment. In some embodiments, the compartments are sized and / or shaped to accommodate at least two human passengers. Aircraft 500 and / or aircraft 100 are particularly useful as manned vehicles. Improved aircraft safety has the potential benefit of reducing the risk of crashes when carrying human passengers. As an addition or alternative, the aircraft design has the potential benefit of being able to balance thrust smoothly and / or reliably, thereby improving the passenger flight experience. For example, a smooth and / or reliable method could refer to progressive and even adjustment of thrust and / or reduction and / or avoidance of abrupt movements of the aircraft. As an addition or alternative, the ability of the aircraft to achieve desired flight responsiveness has the potential benefit of improving the pilot's flight experience. In other embodiments, the aircraft is relatively small and sized as a drone.

[0240] Exemplary aircraft with a diagonal architecture Refer to Figure 5, which shows a schematic diagram of an aircraft 500 powered by two or more fully and / or partially decoupled batteries according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0241] In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 comprises a plurality of batteries and a plurality of motors and / or motor-propeller assemblies. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of batteries is partially or completely decoupled from the other batteries.

[0242] In some embodiments, two motor-propeller assemblies (for example, a pair) are positioned on either side of the aircraft body (they may also be called opposing motor and / or opposing motor-propeller assemblies). In some embodiments, the motor-propeller assemblies on either side are not adjacent to each other and / or are separated from each other by at least one other motor-propeller assembly on either side. In some embodiments, the motor-propeller assemblies on either side are called motor-propeller assemblies where, when the aircraft is flying forward, the line connecting the two motor-propeller assemblies crosses the aircraft body projected onto the ground. In some embodiments, the motor-propeller assemblies on either side are called motor-propeller assemblies located on either side of the aircraft's directional axis when the aircraft is flying horizontally.

[0243] In some embodiments, the motor-propeller assemblies and / or thrust units are located on the aircraft body in a configuration that defines the geometric shape, and / or each motor is positioned at the edge of this shape. In some embodiments, each of two motor-propeller assemblies is positioned at the opposite edge of the shape. In some embodiments, two motor-propeller assemblies are positioned at two diagonally opposite ends of the shape, such that a straight line passing through them aligns with the diagonal (these two motor-propeller assemblies may be referred to herein as diagonally opposed motor-propeller assemblies). Opposing diagonal motor-propeller assemblies define the aircraft's control axis.

[0244] In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 comprises four thrust units defining a rectangle and / or square. In some embodiments, at least one pair of motor-propeller assemblies are positioned at its two diagonal ends.

[0245] In some embodiments, each battery in the aircraft's multiple batteries powers a pair of diagonally opposed motors and / or motor-propeller assemblies. In other embodiments, each battery in the aircraft's multiple batteries powers a single motor-propeller assembly.

[0246] In some embodiments, a pair of diagonally opposed motor and / or motor-propeller assemblies are referred to as motor and / or motor-propeller assemblies positioned on either side of the aircraft body, with shafts extending between them passing through the body and extending above and / or below the body.

[0247] In some embodiments, at least one pair of motor propeller assemblies are diagonally opposite each other.

[0248] In some embodiments, multiple motor-propeller assemblies are arranged as pairs of diagonally opposing motor-propeller assemblies, defining two diagonals, which may also be referred to herein as a first diagonal (e.g., diagonal 630 shown in Figure 6A) and a second diagonal (e.g., diagonal 632 shown in Figure 6A). This architecture of opposing motor-propeller assemblies, in particular the diagonal architecture and / or double-diagonal architecture, potentially enables overcoming the event of battery failure, for example, by enabling a safe landing of the aircraft even in the event of battery failure. In some embodiments, the diagonal architecture may compensate (e.g., electrically) for one of battery degradation and / or battery loss (e.g., battery failure). Additionally or optionally, the diagonal architecture may potentially enable balancing the aircraft (e.g., vertical and / or horizontal) by optionally compensating for thrust loss in the event of degradation and / or loss of at least one motor-propeller assembly.

[0249] In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 comprises eight motors 502 and eight propellers 504 (e.g., eight motor-propeller assemblies) to optionally include at least two pairs of motor-propeller assemblies, and optionally at least four pairs. In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 comprises four batteries that are partially and / or fully decoupled so that each battery powers a pair of diagonal motor-propeller assemblies. In some embodiments, the at least four pairs are grouped into at least two groups of two pairs each, with each group comprising first and second sets of propellers aligned vertically on both sides of the body. In other embodiments, the aircraft 500 comprises four motor-propeller assemblies comprising at least four pairs, and optionally each assembly is powered by its own (e.g., different) battery.

[0250] In some embodiments, if one or both of the batteries in a first battery pair exhibit a relatively degraded state and / or parameters (e.g., degraded SoC, SoE, and / or SoH), and / or the power consumption of a second pair of diagonal motor-propeller assemblies mounted on the same diagonal (e.g., the first diagonal) and connected to the other battery increases. This increase may allow for mitigation and / or avoidance of impairing and / or degrading the aircraft's performance while managing the battery's power requirements (e.g., motor power consumption).

[0251] Alternatively or additionally, the power consumption of a third pair of motor-propeller assemblies mounted on the second diagonal and connected to other batteries increases. This is, for example, to initiate a climb command. The diagonal architecture potentially allows for this increase because the aircraft's stability can be achieved separately along each diagonal, at least partially.

[0252] Alternatively or additionally, the power consumption of the first motor-propeller assembly pair can be reduced compared to the other three assemblies. This can be done at any stage and / or throughout the entire flight (not just during climb or descent commands, for example). The diagonal architecture may allow this increase because the aircraft's stability is achieved separately along each diagonal.

[0253] In some embodiments, the power consumption of a motor-propeller assembly and / or a pair of motor-propeller assemblies is modified by adjusting the motor's gain coefficient. In some embodiments, the motor's baseline gain coefficient and / or default gain coefficient is approximately 1, and changing the value to greater than 1 increases thrust, while decreasing the value to less than 1 decreases thrust (e.g., relative to the propeller baseline).

[0254] In other embodiments, instead of, or in addition to, a diagonal architecture, one or more batteries can power motors on the same arm and / or adjacent arms.

[0255] In some embodiments, the aircraft 500 has a battery for each motor-propeller assembly (e.g., at least half of the motor-propeller assemblies), and each motor is powered by a different battery. In some embodiments, each vector unit comprises one or two motor-propeller assemblies.

[0256] In some embodiments, each group of motor-propeller assemblies in different thrust vector units is powered by one battery, while other motor-propeller assemblies are powered by different batteries. In some embodiments, each motor-propeller assembly in a thrust vector unit (e.g., comprising two motor-propeller assemblies) is powered by a different battery than other motor-propeller assemblies in the same thrust vector unit, and each battery powers one motor-propeller assembly in each thrust vector unit (a pair of two motor-propeller assemblies, each defining a different control axis). In some embodiments, each thrust vector unit comprises two motor-propeller assemblies, one oriented in one direction and the other in the other. In some embodiments, a group of motor-propeller assemblies comprises motor-propeller assemblies that are generally oriented in the same direction. Alternatively or additionally, a group comprises motor-propeller assemblies that are oriented in both directions.

[0257] In some embodiments, the motor-propeller assembly and / or thrust unit is positioned and / or arranged on the aircraft body in a geometric shape other than a rectangle and / or square, e.g., a pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, and / or configuration defining a different number of sides and / or different angular differences between them. In some embodiments, the association of batteries with the motor-propeller assembly is made such that each battery powers motors distributed evenly and / or equally and / or similarly at distances from one another on the aircraft body. This distribution potentially allows the aircraft to provide sufficient thrust (e.g., vertical or horizontal thrust) and / or balance thrust in the event of battery failure or motor-propeller assembly failure, which has the advantage of potentially improving the reliability and / or safety of the aircraft.

[0258] For example, in some embodiments, the position and / or arrangement of the thrust units defines a hexagon, and each thrust unit comprises, for example, one or two motor-propeller assemblies. In some embodiments, each motor-propeller assembly is powered by its own (e.g., different) battery. In other embodiments, each pair of opposing and / or diagonal motor-propeller assemblies is powered by its own battery, optionally so that the aircraft 500 has three batteries. In other embodiments, each pair of opposing motor-propeller assemblies (e.g., separated from each other by the other motor-propeller assembly on each side) is powered by its own battery, optionally so that the aircraft 500 has two batteries. Optionally, each triplets defines an isosceles triangle. To compensate for imbalances in the battery state of charge (SoC),

[0259] An example of a flight control system that adjusts the thrust gain of a motor pair. In some embodiments, each motor (optionally, eight motors) has a default gain coefficient of 1.0. When the imbalance in the charge states of the batteries reaches a predefined level that requires modification, such as a 10% difference, the two motors connected to this battery are set to the modified gain coefficient. If the change state of one battery is higher than that of the other batteries, the gain coefficient of that motor is increased (for example, changed to 1.1, as an example), producing greater thrust than the other three pairs, and therefore leading to faster consumption of this battery (compared to the other three batteries).

[0260] If the change state of one battery is lower than that of the other batteries, the gain coefficient of that motor will decrease (for example, changed to 0.9), producing less thrust than the other three pairs, and therefore leading to slower consumption of that battery (compared to the other three batteries).

[0261] After the batteries are balanced (or have a difference of less than 5%), the gain coefficient is optionally set to the default value of 1.0 for all motors.

[0262] This example illustrates one possible method for performing battery rebalancing. Alternatively or additionally, the flight control system may perform other exemplary methods for balancing the battery, which may optionally include additional mixing of motor gain coefficients, for example:

[0263] Some motors may be set to have a higher gain coefficient, and / or other motors may be set to have a lower gain coefficient. Different gain coefficient values ​​may be set for some motors and / or each motor (for example, so that not all motors have the same gain).

[0264] A certain gain coefficient update is performed for each battery charge level.

[0265] Furthermore, it should be noted that these exemplary methods may be employed to balance one or more other battery states and / or battery characteristics (e.g., other than the SoC and / or in addition to the SoC), as described herein (e.g., in flowchart 200).

[0266] Refer to Figures 6A–D, which show simplified schematic diagrams of exemplary methods for balancing batteries in aircraft having a diagonal architecture according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0267] Aircraft 600 may be a simplified presentation of aircraft 500 and / or an embodiment of aircraft 100.

[0268] In some embodiments, the aircraft 600 comprises four batteries (not shown). A first battery powers motors and / or motor-propeller assemblies 1 and 4 (or 1 and 8) located at the ends of the first diagonal 630; a second battery powers motors and / or motor-propeller assemblies 2 and 3 (or 2 and 7) located at the ends of the second diagonal 632; a third battery powers motors and / or motor-propeller assemblies 5 and 8 (or 5 and 4) located at the ends of the first diagonal 630; and a fourth battery powers motors and / or motor-propeller assemblies 6 and 7 (or 6 and 3) located at the ends of the second diagonal 632.

[0269] For example, Figure 6B shows opposing motors (5 and 8) that have greater thrust (e.g., higher gain) compared to other opposing motors (1 and 4) on the same diagonal, resulting in a higher discharge rate for the third battery than for the first battery. In some embodiments, a method of compensating for the imbalance between the battery charge states includes using motors 1 and 4 at a higher output than motors 5 and 8 (e.g., increasing their gain coefficients).

[0270] For example, Figure 6C shows opposing motors (5 and 8) having greater thrust (e.g., higher gain) compared to other opposing motors (6 and 7) on the other diagonals, resulting in a higher discharge rate for the third battery than for the fourth battery. In some embodiments, a method of compensating for the imbalance between the battery charge states includes using motors 6 and 7 at a higher output than motors 5 and 8 (e.g., increasing their gain coefficients).

[0271] For example, Figure 6D shows opposing motors (5 and 8) with relatively less thrust (e.g., lower gain) compared to all other opposing motor pairs (1 and 4, 2 and 3, and 6 and 7). In some embodiments, a method of compensating for imbalances between battery charge states includes using motors 1 and 4, 2 and 3, and 6 and 7 at higher output than motors 5 and 8 (e.g., increasing their gain coefficients).

[0272] Refer to Figure 7, which shows a flowchart 700 illustrating an exemplary method for balancing at least one state and / or parameter of a partially and / or fully decoupled battery in an aircraft having a dual-diagonal architecture, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0273] Flowchart 700 may be a detailed embodiment of Flowchart 400. The method of Flowchart 700 includes: monitoring the state and / or parameters of the batteries, each battery powering a pair of diagonal motor propeller assemblies (702). Monitoring is performed by the aircraft's controller (e.g., flight control system) and / or BMS.

[0274] For example, detecting at least one imbalance in the battery state and / or battery parameters (such as the battery's SoC and / or SoE) as described in flowchart 200 (704).

[0275] To reduce the difference between battery states and / or battery parameters (e.g., SoC, etc.) while meeting flight requirements, the thrust generated by multiple motor-propeller assemblies (e.g., motor-propeller assemblies as described herein) is adjusted (e.g., by a controller) (606). This is done, for example, while generating the required vertical thrust of the aircraft.

[0276] In some embodiments, the method of flowchart 700 allows balancing the vertical thrust of the propellers to potentially generate the required vertical thrust of the aircraft while potentially reducing and / or avoiding the risk of altitude loss and / or crash. This has the potential benefit of improving the safety of the aircraft, even in the event of battery failure. In some embodiments, the method of flowchart 700 is used with aircraft (e.g., aircraft 100 and / or 500) in which each motor-propeller assembly in a thrust vector unit (e.g., including two motor-propeller assemblies) is powered by a battery different from the other motor-propeller assemblies in the same thrust vector unit, either alternatively or additionally, so that each pair of opposing motor-propeller assemblies is powered by a different battery, either alternatively or additionally, so that each motor-propeller assembly is powered by a different battery, and the batteries are powered by batteries that are partially and / or fully electrically decoupled so as to power only one motor-propeller assembly in each thrust vector unit. In some embodiments, the aircraft comprises at least three motors (e.g., motor-propeller assemblies). For example, the number of motors may be 3 to 8, 4 to 10, 6 to 18, about 4, about 8, or fewer, better, or an intermediate number. For example, an aircraft may have 8 motor-propeller assemblies. In some embodiments, each pair of opposing motor-propeller assemblies is powered by a different battery, or alternatively or additionally, each motor-propeller assembly is powered by a different battery, or alternatively or additionally, four motor-propeller assemblies, each with a different thrust vector unit, are powered by different batteries.

[0277] Note that this method is particularly useful for multi-rotor aircraft (e.g., eVTOLs and / or drones) having propellers oriented at a fixed angle. In the case of battery failure, motor failure, and / or loss of balance of the vertical thrust of the propellers, the aircraft lacks a ladder to compensate for this loss of vertical balance and / or to maintain altitude. Also, even if the aircraft has a ladder, the vertical flight speed is not sufficient to make such compensation possible. In some embodiments, the method of flowchart 700 utilizes / modifies the thrust vector (e.g., vertical thrust) of the propellers to potentially achieve balance and / or maintain altitude. In some embodiments, since the aircraft includes adjustable propellers, the method includes adjusting the orientation of the propellers to change the direction of the thrust vector of the propellers in order to balance the vertical thrust of the aircraft while (e.g., additionally and / or alternatively to adjusting the power consumption of the motors) achieving the desired power requirements from the battery. To balance the vertical thrust of an aircraft having adjustable propellers, it is not necessarily required to arrange its motors in a diagonal architecture.

[0278] In some embodiments, the adjustment includes adjusting the thrust of any detected non-zero magnitude difference (e.g., a difference exceeding a threshold, where the threshold can be, for example, static or dynamic), such as a difference in SoC and / or SoE. In some embodiments, the adjustment includes increasing the thrust of each of the other pairs of a plurality of pairs while decreasing the thrust generated by one of the plurality of pairs. In some embodiments, the adjustment includes increasing the thrust in a portion, but not all, of the other pairs of a plurality of pairs while decreasing the thrust generated by one of the plurality of pairs. In some embodiments, the adjustment includes increasing the thrust of one of the other pairs of a plurality of pairs while decreasing the thrust generated by one of the plurality of pairs.

[0279] In some embodiments, the method optionally includes receiving, from a pilot and / or a passenger, alternatively or additionally, inputs regarding flight preferences (e.g., by a controller) from a flight plan (e.g., a power plan 306, etc.). The flight preferences may include, for example, a desired cruise speed and / or aircraft responsiveness (e.g., within the limits of the flight envelope), a preferred altitude, and / or a preferred flight path.

[0280] Achieve a balance (708). In some embodiments, when the difference in battery state and / or battery parameters (e.g., SoC) is below a threshold, a balance is considered to be achieved. For example, it is described in operation step 408 of flowchart 400.

[0281] Optionally, stop adjusting the thrust generated by a plurality of pairs of motor-propeller assemblies (710) (e.g., by a controller).

[0282] Optionally, repeat operation steps 702 - 710 (712) as described in operation step 412 of flowchart 400.

[0283] Refer to FIG. 8, which shows a diagram of a flight control system 800 of an aircraft having at least one battery that is partially and / or fully decoupled, according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0284] At least one flight control system (FCS) 800 (e.g., at least a controller) can be a detailed embodiment of the flight control system 108 described in FIG. 1. The flight control system 800 is configured to manage commands for controlling the operation of an aircraft (e.g., aircraft 100 and / or 500) (e.g., the attitude, stability, and / or trajectory of the aircraft).

[0285] In some embodiments, the aircraft (e.g., aircraft 100) comprises a central flight control system (FCS) that controls multiple thrust units. Alternatively or additionally, the aircraft comprises multiple independently operating flight control systems (e.g., controllers) in which each motor / thrust unit and / or two or more motors powered by the same battery are independently controlled by their respective FCSs. In some embodiments, each FCS of the multiple independently operating flight control systems comprises a battery management system (BMS) (e.g., BMS 110 and / or 900).

[0286] In some embodiments, the central FCS and / or a plurality of separately operating flight control systems are similar to the flight control units described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 786,564 filed December 31, 2018 and / or PCT Application No. IL2019 / 051433 based on the said U.S. Provisional Patent Application filed December 30, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0287] In some embodiments, power requests from the aircraft's batteries are managed by a central FCS that receives inputs from multiple flight control systems and distributes the results to those systems. Optionally, multiple flight controllers allow the central flight controller to make more sophisticated power management decisions, for example, by taking into account how other batteries are behaving. Optionally, multiple flight controllers are configured to provide each other with “watchdog” signals indicating the ongoing functional status of each battery and / or report to each other if a battery fails and / or partially fails and is not functioning properly.

[0288] Additionally or alternatively, the power requirements from each battery are calculated by each flight control system. In some embodiments, multiple flight control systems share software, and either additionally or alternatively, each flight control system updates other flight control systems when performing changes in power requirements.

[0289] In some embodiments, multiple flight controllers potentially improve aircraft safety because, for example, in the event of a bug and / or failure in one controller, the other controllers can continue to function and / or compensate for its absence.

[0290] In some embodiments, each battery and / or several batteries (e.g., multiple batteries) of a plurality of batteries comprises an integrated communication module that can interface directly with at least one controller of the aircraft (e.g., FCS) and / or each of its controllers. In some embodiments, this module facilitates real-time data exchange between the batteries and the FCS, enables monitoring of battery status and / or energy consumption, and potentially improves the FCS's ability to make decisions based on information regarding power management and flight stability. The flight control system 800 comprises a processor 802 (e.g., hardware) connected to software 804 and communication 806. In some embodiments, the processor 802 is configured to process computational requests for, for example, real-time flight control, navigation, and / or power management. In some embodiments, the processor 802 comprises a central processing unit (CPU) portion 803, which is optionally configured to execute flight control algorithms and manage the overall system operation. In some embodiments, the FCS 800 comprises memory 808 for storing its software. In some embodiments, memory 808 stores battery-related data, such as battery history, last measured state and / or characteristics, degradation rate, and / or operating limitations. Alternatively or additionally, battery-related data is stored by a BMS, and optionally by multiple BMSs, each storing data for its own battery. In some embodiments, the battery may include a memory component that stores data about it.

[0291] In some embodiments, the software 804 comprises several modules 805, including, for example, one or more of the following:

[0292] 1. An actuator control module that controls the motors of a VTOL aircraft, adjusting the power and speed of the electric motors to achieve the desired flight dynamics. In some embodiments, the actuator control module manages the distribution of power to each motor and / or adjusts the power demands from the battery based on flight requirements, for example, to obtain a desired power input from the battery, balance its behavior and / or maintain efficient operation and / or optimize battery usage.

[0293] 2. A sensor module that integrates data from various sensors to provide real-time situational awareness. In some embodiments, the sensor module monitors battery status and / or battery parameters, and optionally, the sensor module integrates with a BMS (e.g., BMS900 and / or 110). In some embodiments, the sensor module monitors battery temperature and / or the temperature of the battery environment.

[0294] 3. Navigation and guidance modules that calculate and follow the optimal flight path. In some embodiments, the navigation and guidance modules optionally integrate battery status data from the BMS to ensure that the planned route is within the aircraft's energy capacity.

[0295] 4. A pilot / autopilot interface module that enables pilot input and monitoring of autopilot settings and performance. In some embodiments, the pilot / autopilot interface module transmits pilot commands to the actuator control module, for example. Optionally, the pilot / autopilot interface module displays real-time data on battery charge level, power consumption, and estimated remaining flight time.

[0296] 5. A flight responsiveness module that ensures, for example, that the aircraft responds precisely to pilot commands by not providing responses and / or actions that are too close to the boundaries of the flight envelope, and that commands such as accelerating VTOL result in actual performance adjustments. In some embodiments, the flight responsiveness module monitors the battery status and / or characteristics to assess whether sufficient power is available to execute pilot commands, in particular, whether sufficient power is available to execute high-power commands such as rapid acceleration, and adjusts the level of responsiveness as necessary.

[0297] In some embodiments, the FCS800 includes a module for optimizing and / or managing the battery's power requirements by including an algorithm intended as an option.

[0298] In other embodiments, the flight control system 800 includes a separate battery management system (BMS) 900 and / or, optionally, is connected to the battery management system 900 via communications 806. In some embodiments, the FCS 800 and BMS 900 are integrated. This integration has the potential benefit of potentially improving communication and / or coordination between flight control and power management, thereby improving safety and / or battery and / or aircraft performance.

[0299] In some embodiments, the flight control system 800 is configured to convert the movement of a control interface (such as a yoke, stick, or remote control) and / or an autopilot command into the movement of the aircraft and / or the thrust of the propeller. In some embodiments, the BMS 900 is optionally configured to adjust software and / or provide an input for adjusting the software of the FCS 800 in order to optimize and / or manage the power requirements of the battery (e.g., by adjusting the gain coefficients of the motors) according to software instructions. This FCS - BMS configuration can potentially reduce and / or avoid complex algorithms of the FCS and has the potential advantage of reducing and / or avoiding the risk of bugs and failures in the FCS. Also, this configuration can potentially isolate and / or disconnect the BMS 900 from the FCS 800 in the event of bugs and failures in the BMS, having the potential advantage of avoiding and / or reducing the risk of aircraft failures and / or improving the safety of the aircraft.

[0300] Refer to FIG. 9, which shows a diagram of a battery management system 900 of an aircraft having at least one battery that is partially and / or fully decoupled, according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0301] The battery management system (BMS) 800 (e.g., a controller) can be a detailed embodiment of the battery management system 110 shown in FIG. 1.

[0302] In some embodiments, the battery management system 800 monitors the in - flight battery state and / or battery parameters and communicates this data to the communication 806 of the flight control system 800 via communication 906, optionally to the battery management system 800.

[0303] In some embodiments, the BMS 800 is designed to improve and / or maximize the performance and / or lifespan of the battery at the current instant, during the current flight, and / or over the long term (e.g., during the lifespan of the battery).

[0304] In some embodiments, the BMS800 is responsible for generating a power plan that includes the desired power requirements from each battery and / or the desired discharge curve from each battery, and / or for calculating corrections to adjust and optimize battery performance in real time.

[0305] In some embodiments, the BMS 800 may be integrated with the battery, or may utilize memory integrated with or coupled to the battery, and optionally, the aircraft may have a separate BMS for each battery. The BMS can potentially learn from such memory regarding the battery's history and / or current operating capability. In some embodiments, if the battery management system 800 detects at least one low and / or reduced battery state and / or battery parameter (e.g., SoC as described in flowchart 200) for other batteries and / or for its own battery, it alerts the flight control system 800. The FCS 800 and / or BMS 900 then optionally manage the battery's power requirements by adjusting the motor's power consumption to optimize its discharge rate.

[0306] In some embodiments, the battery management system 800 includes multiple modules 905, which include, for example, one or more of the following:

[0307] For example, a battery status monitoring module that tracks one or more of the battery's states, such as SoC, SoH, voltage and / or current, and / or other conditions, as shown in flowchart 200.

[0308] For example, a battery parameter monitoring module that tracks one or more of the stored information regarding battery parameters and / or battery characteristics, as shown in flowchart 200.

[0309] A load balancing module distributes power requirements among aircraft batteries to obtain a desired discharge rate / curve from each battery. In some embodiments, the load balancing module determines how to distribute the load and, for example, sends a command to the FCS. In other embodiments, the load balancing module adjusts the load itself. In some embodiments, the load balancing module provides input to the FCS on how to distribute the load. In other embodiments, the load balancing module processes and / or adjusts the output from the FCS to achieve a desired load distribution.

[0310] A disuse balancing module distributes battery usage and / or usage conditions to obtain desired battery disuse, optional uniform disuse to maintain batteries at similar SoH, alternatively or additionally uneven disuse to distribute battery EoL, and potentially avoid the need to replace two or more and / or all batteries simultaneously and / or in close succession.

[0311] The charge / discharge control module manages the charging and discharging of the battery to enable the desired and / or optimal power supply during flight operations.

[0312] A safety and protection module configured to prevent overvoltage / overcharge, undervoltage / undercharge, overcurrent, and short circuits.

[0313] Refer to Figure 10, which shows an exemplary discharge graph 1000 of two partially and / or fully decoupled aircraft batteries according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0314] In some embodiments, graph 1000 shows, for example, the discharge over time (e.g., discharge curves) for two batteries (e.g., battery A and battery B), where battery A is represented by lines 102 and 104, and battery B is represented by lines 106 and 108.

[0315] The x-axis optionally represents time in minutes, and the y-axis represents battery state and / or parameters that may represent voltage, SoC, SoE, SoP, capacity, and / or any other state and / or parameters as described herein (although not specifically labeled in the figure).

[0316] Lines 102 and 106 represent the battery discharge curves without battery power management (e.g., without battery balancing).

[0317] At some point, for example at 150 minutes in the figure, the difference in battery states (e.g., lines 102 and 104) equals and / or exceeds a threshold (e.g., 10%). From this point onward, if balancing is not performed, battery A will limit the aircraft's performance and / or compromise its reliability (e.g., the battery state, e.g., its voltage, may be too low to supply enough power to provide the required propeller thrust). At a subsequent point, for example at 225 minutes in the figure, the state and / or parameters of battery A reach a threshold at which the battery will fail, potentially leading to motor failure and / or flight abort and / or aircraft failure. For example, at 225 minutes, the voltage of battery A falls below its cutoff voltage (e.g., the minimum voltage level at which the battery can operate before needing recharging or replacement). In some embodiments, battery balancing is performed to potentially prevent one of the batteries from reaching this state prematurely during flight.

[0318] When the balancing method is used, for example, from the 150-minute mark in the figure, at least one of the battery discharge curves is adjusted. In the figure, from the 150-minute mark, the power requirements of both batteries A and B are adjusted, for example, as represented by lines 104 and 108, respectively.

[0319] However, balancing is optionally achievable by adjusting the power requirements of only one battery (e.g., A or B). In the figure, for example, the difference between them is reduced by decreasing the power output of battery A and increasing the power output of battery B (e.g., mitigating the drop in line 104 and / or facilitating the drop in line 108). For example, the power consumption of the motor powered by battery A is reduced (e.g., by reducing its coefficient gain), and / or the power consumption of the motor powered by battery B is increased. At a subsequent point in time, for example at 250 minutes in the figure, the difference in battery state and / or battery parameters is no longer present and / or below a threshold (e.g., 5%), and therefore balance is considered achieved. From this point onward, as shown in the figure, the gain coefficients of one or both motors can be returned to their baseline and / or maintained at the adjusted values.

[0320] As shown in the diagram, battery balancing can potentially extend the aircraft's flight time, potentially increasing flight time (e.g., flight time before recharging is required) to approximately 300 minutes.

[0321] In some embodiments, the power demands of battery A and / or both batteries A and B can be controlled between 0 and 1 minute to avoid imbalances at 150 minutes.

[0322] In some embodiments, approximately 1 to 5 minutes before reaching 300 minutes, the aircraft optionally begins its descent automatically. Optionally, the aircraft notifies the pilot / passengers before beginning its descent.

[0323] General matters During the term of this patent, which matures from the date of this application, it is anticipated that many related batteries will be developed, and the scope of the term "battery" is intended to pre-exist to include all such new technologies.

[0324] As used herein with respect to quantity or value, "about" means "within ±10% of".

[0325] The terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," and "having," along with their conjugations, all mean "including but not limited to."

[0326] The term "consisting of" means "to include or be limited to."

[0327] The phrase "consisting essentially of" means that a composition, method, or structure may include additional components, steps, and / or parts, provided that these additional components, steps, and / or parts do not substantially alter the basic and novel properties of the claimed composition, method, or structure.

[0328] In this specification, the singular pronouns "a," "an," and "the" also refer to the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, the terms "a compound" or "at least one compound" may include multiple compounds, including mixtures thereof.

[0329] Throughout this application, various embodiments of the invention may be described in range form. It should be understood that the use of range form is merely for convenience and brevity and not a limitation that deprives the invention of flexibility. Therefore, range descriptions should be considered to specifically disclose all possible sub-ranges and the individual numerical values ​​within those ranges. For example, a range description such as "1-6" should be considered to specifically disclose sub-ranges such as "1-3," "1-4," "1-5," "2-4," "2-6," and "3-6," and the individual numerical values ​​within those ranges, e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This applies regardless of the size of the range.

[0330] Where a range of numbers is given herein (for example, “10 to 15”, “10 to 15”, or a set of numbers linked by any other such range expression), unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, it means that the range includes any number (fraction or integer) within the limits of the given range, including the limits of the range. The expression “range between” a given first number and a given second number, and the expressions “range from” a given first number to a given second number, “range up to,” “range to,” “range including,” or “range including” (or other similar range-indicating terms) are used interchangeably herein and mean that the given first and second numbers, as well as all fractions and integers between them, are included.

[0331] As used herein, the term “method” means a form, means, technique, and procedure for achieving a given task, and includes, but is not limited to, those known to practitioners in the fields of chemistry, pharmacology, biology, biochemistry, and medicine, or those readily available to practitioners from known forms, means, techniques, and procedures.

[0332] As used herein, the term “treat” includes stopping, substantially inhibiting, delaying, or reversing the progression of a condition, substantially relieving the clinical or aesthetic symptoms of a condition, or substantially preventing the worsening of the clinical or aesthetic symptoms of a condition.

[0333] It should be understood that certain features of the present invention described in relation to separate embodiments for clarity may also be provided in combination in one embodiment. Conversely, several features of the present invention described in relation to one embodiment for brevity may also be provided separately, in any preferred partial combination, or in any other appropriate described embodiment. Certain features described in relation to various embodiments should not be considered essential requirements of an embodiment unless the particular embodiment is inoperable without that element.

[0334] Although the present invention has been described in relation to its specific embodiments, numerous alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, all such alternatives, modifications, and variations are intended to be included within the spirit and broader scope of the appended claims.

[0335] It is the applicant's intention that all publications, patents, and patent applications referenced herein be incorporated herein by reference in whole to the same extent that each individual publication, patent, and patent application is incorporated herein by specific and individual reference. In addition, no citation or specification of any reference in this application should be construed as an acceptance that such reference can be used as prior art of the present invention. Nor should the titles of each section be construed as limitations to the extent in which they are used. Furthermore, if there are any priority documents for this application, they are incorporated herein by reference in whole.

Claims

1. An aircraft for in-flight battery management, The aircraft body and, Multiple batteries, in which at least one battery is partially or completely decoupled from other batteries, A plurality of thrust vector units, each comprising one or more motor propeller assemblies that provide thrust to the main body along a thrust vector, and the plurality of thrust vector units being powered by the plurality of batteries, At least one controller, Determine or receive at least one target relating to either or both the performance of the aircraft and the performance of the battery. The aforementioned target is converted into power requirements from the multiple batteries, and, To achieve the aforementioned objective while meeting flight requirements, the power requirements are met by changing the power consumption of one or more motor-propeller assemblies. A controller configured as follows: An aircraft equipped with [the following features].

2. The controller is configured to monitor the plurality of batteries and to perform the power requests in response to the monitoring. The aircraft according to claim 1.

3. The controller is configured to detect changes in one or more of the plurality of batteries relative to the other batteries or changes in said one or more batteries. The aircraft according to claim 2.

4. In at least one of the plurality of thrust vector units, each motor propeller assembly is powered by a different battery than the other motor propeller assemblies in that at least one thrust vector unit. The aircraft according to claim 1.

5. Each of the plurality of batteries supplies power to at least two motor propeller assemblies of other thrust vector units, and the at least two motor propeller assemblies are positioned on both sides of the main body. The aircraft according to claim 4.

6. The at least two motor propeller assemblies on both sides of the main body are not adjacent to each other. The aircraft according to claim 5.

7. Each of the aforementioned batteries supplies power to a different motor propeller assembly. The aircraft according to claim 1.

8. The plurality of batteries includes at least two batteries, and the plurality of thrust vector units includes at least four thrust vector units. The aircraft according to claim 1.

9. The plurality of batteries includes at least four batteries, and the plurality of thrust vector units includes at least four thrust vector units, each comprising a pair of motor propeller assemblies. The aircraft according to claim 1.

10. Each of the aforementioned batteries is partially or completely decoupled from the other batteries. The aircraft according to claim 1.

11. The aforementioned modification includes adjusting and / or redistributing the thrust of one or more motor propeller assemblies. The aircraft according to claim 1.

12. The aforementioned objective is, To extend flight time per charge, To extend the flight range per charge, To extend the battery cycle life, The number of times the battery cutoff voltage is reached, Controlling the distribution of EoL, and including one or more of the following: The aircraft according to claim 1.

13. The controller is configured to achieve the objective by balancing at least one battery state and at least one battery characteristic, or both. The aircraft according to claim 1.

14. The controller is configured to monitor one or more of the battery states, detect differences between the one or more battery states, and change the power consumption of one or more motor propeller assemblies to reduce the difference. The aircraft according to claim 13.

15. The aforementioned battery state includes one or more of the following, or any combination thereof: SoC, SoH, SoF, SoE, current voltage and / or discharge voltage, discharge curve, power curve, and energy curve. The aircraft according to claim 14.

16. The controller is configured to take into account one or more of the battery characteristics. The aircraft according to claim 15.

17. The aforementioned battery characteristics include type, size, capacity, energy density, power density, cycle life, nominal voltage, cutoff voltage, OCV, self-discharge rate, temperature sensitivity, internal resistance, EoL, and one or more or any combination thereof of typical discharge curves, power curves and / or energy curves. The aircraft according to claim 16.

18. The controller is configured to change the power consumption of the at least two motor propeller assemblies. The aircraft according to claim 6.

19. The controller is configured to adjust the power consumption of the at least two motor propeller assemblies by adjusting the thrust generated by one or both of the at least two motor propeller assemblies. The aircraft according to claim 18.

20. The controller activates thrust adjustment to reduce the difference in battery state when the difference in battery state exceeds a threshold. The aircraft according to claim 19.

21. The threshold is selected from a range of approximately 2% to 15% difference. The aircraft according to claim 20.

22. The aforementioned threshold is approximately 10%. The aircraft according to claim 21.

23. The controller stops adjusting the thrust to reduce the difference if the difference in battery state falls below a threshold. The aircraft according to claim 21.

24. The threshold is selected from a range of approximately 2% to 10% difference. The aircraft according to claim 23.

25. The aforementioned threshold is approximately 5%. The aircraft according to claim 24.

26. The controller activates thrust adjustment to reduce the battery state difference in the event of any detected state difference of any non-zero magnitude. The aircraft according to claim 20.

27. The controller is configured to adjust the thrust by changing the gain coefficient of one or more of the motor propeller assemblies among the plurality of motor propeller assemblies. The aircraft according to claim 26.

28. The controller is configured to change the gain coefficient using a relative gain coefficient selected from a range of approximately 0.8 to approximately 1.2, compared to a baseline gain coefficient of 1. The aircraft according to claim 27.

29. Each of the motor-propeller assemblies generates the same amount of thrust when operating at the baseline gain coefficient of the motor-propeller assembly. The aircraft according to claim 28.

30. Each of the motor-propeller assemblies generates a different amount of thrust when operating at the baseline gain coefficient of the motor-propeller assembly. The aircraft according to claim 28.

31. The controller is configured to increase the thrust of each of the other two motor propeller assemblies while decreasing the thrust generated by one of the two motor propeller assemblies. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 30.

32. The thrust generated by one of the two motor-propeller assemblies is reduced, while the thrust of some, but not all, of the other two motor-propeller assemblies is increased. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 30.

33. The thrust generated by one of the two motor-propeller assemblies is reduced while the thrust of the other two motor-propeller assemblies is increased. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 30.

34. The flight requirements include the required vertical thrust of the aircraft, the required horizontal thrust of the aircraft, the required thrust vector of the aircraft, the required minimum responsiveness of the aircraft, and / or the flight envelope. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 30.

35. The controller is further configured to receive input regarding flight preferences and to generate the flight preferences. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 30.

36. The aforementioned flight preference includes one or more of the aircraft's preferred responsiveness, preferred speed, preferred altitude, and flight path. The aircraft according to claim 35.

37. A method for managing the power requirements of an aircraft powered by two or more partially or fully decoupled batteries during flight, Determining or receiving at least one target relating to either or both of the performance of the aircraft and the performance of the battery, The above target is converted into power requirements from the multiple batteries, To achieve the aforementioned objective while satisfying the aforementioned flight requirements, the power requirements are met by changing the power consumption of one or more motor-propeller assemblies, Methods that include...

38. Fulfilling the aforementioned power requirements includes implementing a power plan for the aforementioned multiple batteries, The method according to claim 37.

39. This includes monitoring the plurality of batteries, detecting at least one difference between the plurality of batteries, and fulfilling the power request in response to the monitoring, The method according to claim 37.

40. The monitoring described above includes monitoring at least one state of the battery. The method according to claim 39.

41. The detection includes detecting at least one difference in at least one state of the battery. The method according to claim 39.

42. At least one state of the battery includes one or more of the following, or any combination thereof: SoC, SoH, SoF, SoE, current voltage, discharge voltage, discharge curve, power curve, and energy curve. The method according to claim 41.

43. The monitoring described above includes taking into account at least one characteristic of the battery. The method according to claim 42.

44. At least one characteristic of the battery includes type, size, capacity, energy density, power density, cycle life, nominal voltage, cutoff voltage, OCV, self-discharge rate, temperature sensitivity, internal resistance, EoL, and one or more or any combination thereof of typical discharge curves, power curves and / or energy curves. The method according to claim 43.

45. The aforementioned modification includes changing the power consumption of one or both of two motor-propeller assemblies powered by the same battery and mounted on different thrust vector units. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 44.

46. The aforementioned objective includes reducing the at least one difference, The method according to any one of claims 39 to 44.

47. The aforementioned modification includes increasing the thrust generated by the two motor-propeller assemblies compared to two other motor-propeller assemblies mounted on the same thrust unit and powered by other batteries. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 44.

48. The aforementioned modification includes increasing the thrust generated by the two motor-propeller assemblies compared to two other motor-propeller assemblies mounted on other thrust units and powered by other batteries. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 44.

49. The aforementioned modification includes reducing the thrust generated by the two motor propeller assemblies compared to one or two other motor propeller assemblies powered by other batteries. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 44.

50. The aforementioned modification includes changing the default gain coefficient of one or more motor propeller assemblies to the respective modified gain coefficients. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 44.

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