Aircraft VR Flight Emulator for Low-Latency Remote Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote vehicle operation faces challenges such as signal and communication latency, delays in receiving real-time feedback, and other deficiencies that affect critical decision-making due to large distances between control centers and vehicles, particularly in military and commercial operations.
Innovation Solution
A virtual reality flight emulator system that includes a pilot control interface with a motion-control seat and head-mounted display, allowing users to simulate control of remote vehicles by articulating the seat and adjusting imagery in response to user inputs, effectively reducing latency through virtual teleportation into remote vehicles via a wireless network, enabling real-time feedback and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If remote vehicle control is implemented via traditional ground control stations, then operators can control vehicles from distant locations, but signal latency and communication delays occur due to large distances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an aircraft as an intermediary platform that positions itself between the ground control station and the remote vehicle. This intermediary role allows the operator to control the remote vehicle from the aircraft's location, which is geographically closer to the vehicle than a ground station, thereby reducing signal latency while maintaining remote control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional two-dimensional ground-based control to three-dimensional airborne control. By elevating the control platform to aerial space, the system achieves superior line-of-sight conditions and reduced distance to the remote vehicle, eliminating the latency issues inherent in ground-based remote control
2Reliability
If operators control remote vehicles from ground control stations, then centralized control is maintained, but real-time feedback is delayed due to distance
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft serves as a mobile intermediary control platform that maintains centralized control authority while physically positioning closer to the remote vehicle. This reduces the distance for feedback transmission while preserving the hierarchical control structure, enabling real-time feedback without compromising centralized command
3Loss of information
If virtual reality systems are used to simulate remote vehicle control, then situational awareness is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy of the remote vehicle's environment and transmits it to the operator's head-mounted display. This optical copy provides comprehensive situational awareness by replicating the vehicle's perspective and surroundings, allowing the operator to perceive the environment as if physically present, while the complexity is managed through modern VR technology
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods include providing a virtual reality ("VR") flight teleport system (200) that include a master aircraft (202) and a plurality of remote slave aircraft (204a1-n) connected through a network (208). A flight emulator (100) in the master aircraft (202) allows a user (110) in the master aircraft (202) to "teleport" into a remote slave vehicle in order to observe and/or assume control of the remote slave aircraft (204a1-n). Motion of, orientation of, and/or forces acting on the remote slave vehicle are emulated to the user (110) of the master vehicle through a pilot control interface (102), a motion-control seat (104), and a head-mounted display (108) to provide real-time feedback to the user (110) of the master aircraft (202). Inputs made via the pilot control interface (102) of the flight emulator system in the master aircraft (202) are transferred through the network (208) into the flight control system (206) of the remote slave vehicle to control operation of the remote slave vehicle.