Adaptive Aircraft Control Loops for Degraded Flight Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stabilizing a flying vehicle, such as a rotorcraft or fixed-wing aircraft, is challenging due to disorientation and lag in pilot perceptions, especially without complete visibility, requiring frequent adjustments and multiple measurements to maintain stable flight.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control and interface system that adapts to different flight states by modifying processing control loops and generating actuator commands based on sensor data, allowing universal vehicle control inputs to be converted into appropriate commands for various aircraft components, enabling intuitive operation across different flight states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pilot manually controls a flying vehicle without complete visibility, then the pilot can operate the vehicle, but the pilot becomes disoriented and perceptions lag behind necessary inputs, requiring frequent adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system between the pilot and the vehicle control surfaces. This system includes sensors that detect vehicle attitude and position, a processor that computes appropriate control inputs, and actuators that move the control surfaces. The intermediary system processes information and generates control commands, eliminating the need for the pilot to directly perceive and react to all flight parameters, thus reducing disorientation and perception lag while maintaining flight stability.
2Reliability
If the pilot makes frequent adjustments to maintain stable flight, then flight stability is maintained, but the pilot workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed to be self-regulating through feedback loops. Sensors continuously monitor vehicle attitude and position, the processor compares actual state with desired state, and actuators automatically adjust control surfaces to correct deviations. This self-service capability maintains flight stability without requiring constant pilot intervention, reducing pilot workload while managing control system complexity through automated feedback mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system adapts to different flight states by modifying processing control loops, then the system becomes more versatile, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adapts to different flight states by modifying control loop parameters and configurations based on real-time flight conditions. The processor identifies the current flight state (e.g., level flight, climb, descent, maneuvering) and adjusts controller gains, filter settings, and sensor fusion algorithms accordingly. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to handle diverse flight scenarios effectively while managing complexity through conditional parameter adjustment rather than requiring completely separate control systems for each flight state.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments relate to an aircraft control and interface system configured to adaptively control an aircraft according to different flight states by modifying one or more processing control loops. The system receives sensor data from one or more sensors of the aircraft. The system determines, from the sensor data, a component of the aircraft is compromised. The system determines the aircraft is in a degraded flight state due to the compromised component. The system operates the aircraft according to the degraded flight state, wherein operating the aircraft according to the degraded flight state includes: (a) modifying one or more processing loops based on the degraded flight state and (b) generating an actuator command by applying the degraded flight state and a signal based on an input from a vehicle control interface to the modified one or more processing loops.