Aircraft Trajectory Switching for Continuous Autopilot Flight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation systems for aircraft and vehicles face disruptions when flight plans change mid-course, leading to unexpected course changes and interruptions in autopilot control due to the need for recalculation of the entire flight path.
Innovation Solution
A computing device with a trajectory calculator that processes flight plan changes by calculating a new trajectory in parallel with the current one, allowing for a seamless switch without interrupting control, using input and output routers to manage and route inputs and outputs to maintain continuous flight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the flight plan is changed mid-course, then the flight path needs to be recalculated to accommodate the new route, but this causes interruptions in autopilot control and unexpected course changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates alternative flight trajectories and stores them in memory before they are needed. When a flight plan change is requested, the pre-calculated trajectory is immediately available for switching, eliminating the need for real-time recalculation and ensuring continuous autopilot control without interruptions or unexpected course changes.
2Manufacturing precision
If the entire flight path is recalculated when a flight plan changes, then the new route is accurately determined, but the calculation time causes delays and interruptions in flight control
Solution Approach 1:
Alternative flight trajectories are pre-calculated and stored in memory before being needed. This allows the system to provide accurate new routes immediately when a flight plan change is requested, without experiencing calculation delays or interruptions in flight control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains a buffer of pre-calculated trajectory options in memory, ready for immediate deployment. This cushioning capacity ensures that when a flight plan change is needed, an accurate alternative path is already prepared and can be switched to instantly, preventing any loss of time or control interruptions.
3Ease of operation
If multiple flight trajectories are calculated and stored in memory, then seamless switching between trajectories is enabled, but the memory requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores alternative flight trajectories in memory before they are needed. This preparation enables seamless switching between trajectories when flight plan changes occur, as the alternative paths are already computed and ready for immediate deployment without adding significant system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus and methods for controlling an aircraft are described. A computing device can receive a flight plan from an origin to a destination via waypoint(s) and can calculate a flight trajectory for the flight plan. While controlling the aircraft to fly along the flight trajectory, the computing device can receive inputs that change the flight plan resulting in trajectory recalculation. After determining that the inputs include the inputs to change the flight plan resulting in trajectory recalculation, the computing device can calculate a new flight trajectory for the new flight plan. After calculating the new flight trajectory, the computing device can switch from the flight trajectory to the new flight trajectory, where the aircraft maintains continuous flight along the flight trajectory during the switch.