Autonomous Aircraft Route Modification With Validated Maneuvers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous flight systems lack the ability for onboard or remote operators to conveniently and intuitively deviate from validated routes while maintaining safety and oversight of route validation and autonomous control.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows operators to input directional commands through an inceptor, which computes and validates modified flight maneuvers, ensuring they meet validation criteria before execution, and reverts to the primary route if validation fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If autonomous flight systems allow operators to deviate from validated routes using traditional manual piloting methods, then ease of operation is improved, but system complexity and safety risks increase due to requiring pilot training and direct control authority
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system that sits between the operator and the autonomous flight controller. This intermediary system translates simple operator inputs (such as moving a control stick or selecting a waypoint) into validated route modifications that maintain safety constraints. The intermediary handles the complexity of route validation and coordination with the autonomous controller, shielding the operator from system complexity while enabling intuitive route deviations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If autonomous flight systems allow direct manual control for route deviations, then adaptability is improved, but reliability decreases due to potential loss of route validation and autonomous control integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic control architecture where the system can switch between different operational modes. In normal operation, the autonomous controller maintains strict route validation integrity. When an operator requests a deviation, the system dynamically transitions to a modified operation mode where route parameters can be adjusted, performs validation checks, and then transitions back to autonomous control. This dynamic approach allows adaptability for route changes while preserving reliability through maintained validation processes.
3Reliability
If the system validates each modified route before execution, then safety is improved, but response time and productivity decrease due to validation processing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary validation actions where the system pre-processes and validates potential route modifications before they are fully executed. This may include pre-checking obstacle databases, pre-validating waypoint sequences, or pre-assessing collision risks for proposed deviations. By performing these validation actions in advance or in parallel with route generation, the system reduces the time required for actual route modification while maintaining comprehensive safety validation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method may include receiving, from a ground station and at an aircraft computing system onboard the aircraft, a definition of a primary route, the primary route representing a trajectory, for the aircraft, from an origin location to a destination location, causing the aircraft to autonomously traverse the primary route using a flight controller, the flight controller configured to automatically control a set of flight control surfaces of the aircraft, while autonomously traversing the primary route, receiving an input from an inceptor, automatically mapping a direction and magnitude of the input to a predetermined flight maneuver, computing a definition of a modified route, the modified route initiating the predetermined flight maneuver, validating the modified route, including determining whether the modified route intersects known obstacles, and in response to the validation succeeding, causing the aircraft to autonomously traverse the modified route using the flight controller.