Air Mobility Control System for Crash Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air mobility aircraft lack adequate protection systems to minimize passenger injuries and ground damage during crashes, as they are not equipped with appropriate devices to absorb vertical forces or control descents effectively.

Innovation Solution

An air mobility control system featuring shock absorbing units, distance sensors, safety controllers, descending slowdown units, and communication units that deploy airbag cushions and parachutes to absorb vertical impacts and control descents, thereby reducing injury to passengers and damage to objects upon detecting abnormal descents and proximity to obstacles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If air mobility aircraft are equipped with shock absorbing units and descending slowdown units, then passenger safety and ground object protection are improved, but device complexity and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassenger safetyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shock absorbing units and descending slowdown units are deployed in advance before a crash occurs. The controller detects abnormal descent and triggers deployment of protection devices ahead of time, allowing them to be ready to absorb impact forces when collision is imminent, rather than attempting to protect during the actual impact moment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The shock absorbing units deploy cushioning elements (such as airbags or energy-absorbing structures) before the aircraft impacts the ground or objects. This beforehand cushioning creates a protective layer that absorbs impact energy during the crash, reducing forces transmitted to passengers and ground objects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If shock absorbing units are deployed to absorb vertical impact forces, then passenger injury is minimized, but the structure and weight of the aircraft increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassenger protectionVSAvoidaircraft weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The shock absorbing units are designed to be deployed dynamically only when needed, rather than being permanently extended or activated. The controller monitors flight parameters and triggers deployment only during abnormal descent or crash scenarios, allowing the aircraft to maintain normal flight performance while gaining crash protection capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The shock absorbing units change their physical parameters (such as volume, density, or structural configuration) during deployment to optimize impact absorption. For example, airbags inflate from a compact state to a large volume state, or energy-absorbing structures deform to change their mechanical properties, providing effective protection only when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If multiple shock absorbing units are spaced throughout the aircraft, then protection coverage is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection coverageVSAvoidspace requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The protection system is divided into multiple segmented shock absorbing units distributed at different locations within the aircraft (such as front, rear, and side positions). Each unit independently provides protection for its local area, and the segmentation allows the system to cover the entire aircraft volume without requiring a single large protective structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively minimizes injuries to passengers and damage to structures by deploying shock absorbing and descending slowdown units during abnormal descents, enhancing safety in aircraft crashes and collisions with ground objects.

Implementation Method 1

one or more shock absorbing units mounted in an air mobility vehicle and configured to absorb a vertical force impacting on the air mobility vehicle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShock absorption: Damping

Implementation Method 2

The one or more shock absorbing units may include an airbag cushion deployed downward from the air mobility vehicle and an inflator that injects gas into the airbag cushion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas compression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

one or more descending slowdown units deployed upward from the air mobility vehicle to increase a force resisting to the gravity of the air mobility vehicle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAerodynamic drag: Drag

Data Source

PatentUS11673656B2Air mobility control system and air mobility control method

Publication Date: 2023.06.13 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

An air mobility control system is provided. The system includes one or more shock absorbing units that are mounted in an aircraft and are configured to absorb a vertical force impacting on the air mobility vehicle. A distance sensor is mounted in the air mobility vehicle and is configured to sense the distance to a ground or an approaching object. A safety controller is configured to detect an abnormal descent of the air mobility vehicle and to operate the one or more shock absorbing units to be deployed according to the distance sensed by the distance sensor.