Aircraft Flight Path Segmentation for Mission-Based Failure Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft control systems lack flexibility in responding to failures during missions, as they often rely on generic pre-defined rules that do not account for mission-specific parameters, leading to sub-optimal decision-making in unmanned scenarios where personal safety is not a primary concern.
Innovation Solution
Configuring air vehicles with a flight plan that divides the mission into segments, each with predefined responses to system failures, allowing for optimized navigation based on predicted probabilities and mission objectives, enabling automatic countermeasures in unmanned contexts and prompting optimal actions in manned contexts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed rule is used to react to failures, then the response is simple and consistent, but the response is sub-optimal for varying mission-specific scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The flight path is divided into multiple segments from start point to end point, with each segment having specific failure response criteria. This segmentation allows the system to apply different response strategies to different portions of the mission, optimizing responses for each segment while maintaining overall mission objectives.
Solution Approach 2:
The flight plan is defined prior to the mission with pre-configured failure responses for each segment. By establishing these response criteria beforehand, the system eliminates the need for complex real-time decision-making during failures, while still achieving mission-specific optimization.
2Reliability
If precautionary emergency procedures are triggered for all failures, then safety is maximized for manned flights, but mission completion is compromised for unmanned operations
Solution Approach 1:
Different failure response strategies are applied to different flight segments based on local mission requirements. For example, early segments may prioritize safety with precautionary landings, while later segments may prioritize mission completion with continued operation, allowing each segment to have quality tailored to its specific context.
Solution Approach 2:
The failure response is dynamic and adapts based on the current flight segment and mission progress. The system can transition from safety-oriented responses to mission-oriented responses as the flight progresses, optimizing both safety and productivity according to the phase of operation.
3Reliability
If the air vehicle returns to start point upon failure, then redundancy is restored, but time and energy are lost
Solution Approach 1:
Alternative failure response options are pre-configured in the flight plan for each segment, including designated landing sites and continuation strategies. This preliminary preparation allows the system to quickly select and execute the most appropriate response without time-consuming real-time analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters based on failure location and mission context, such as adjusting the target destination from start point to an intermediate landing site, or changing the mission objective from restoration to completion, thereby optimizing the response to minimize time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for mission-based path modifications are presented herein. One or more processors may be coupled with memory and housed in a vehicle. The one or more processors may receive data indicative of an issue with at least one function of the vehicle during a mission defined by a type of cargo and a flight path comprising a plurality of segments. The one or more processors may determine, responsive to the issue with the at least one function, an action to perform for the vehicle based on the issue, a current segment of the plurality of segments, and the mission. The one or more processors may execute, during the current segment or a subsequent segment of the plurality of segments, the action on the vehicle.