Attitude-Coupled Targeting for Rotary Wing Aircraft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotary wing aircraft face challenges in independently controlling pitch attitude and heading while maintaining pilot control over the aircraft's trajectory, leading to increased complexity, cost, and weight with existing targeting systems.
Innovation Solution
A flight control system with an integrated target and flight control system that allows partial or full pilot control over aircraft parameters such as pitch, heading, roll, altitude, and longitudinal velocity, using a flight control computer interconnected with the main rotor and translational thrust systems, enabling independent control of aircraft attitude and trajectory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional targeting systems (FLIR, sensor turrets, turreted weapons) are utilized to work around aircraft attitude limitations, then the aircraft can point at desired targets, but the system complexity, cost, and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the aircraft's flight control system with the targeting system, allowing the flight control computer to directly control pitch attitude and heading for targeting purposes. This integration eliminates the need for separate, complex targeting subsystems like sensor turrets or FLIR gimbals, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the ability to point at desired targets.
Solution Approach 2:
The flight control computer is designed to perform multiple functions: both conventional flight control and targeting. By making the flight control system universal, the patent eliminates the need for dedicated targeting hardware, reducing complexity, weight, and cost while preserving target acquisition capability.
2Measurement precision
If integrated fire control systems modify flight control commands for optimum aircraft-to-target orientation, then weapon accuracy improves, but the pilot temporarily cedes control over aircraft trajectory and the original vehicle trajectory is altered
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the degree of pilot control versus automated control based on operational needs. The pilot can selectively enable or disable the fire control function, and the system can dynamically modify flight control commands only in the specific axes needed for targeting (pitch and heading) while leaving other trajectory parameters under pilot control. This dynamic approach maintains precision when needed while preserving pilot authority when desired.
3Measurement precision
If the fire control function is maintained indefinitely by prioritizing aircraft orientation for weapons release, then targeting accuracy is preserved, but the original vehicle trajectory is permanently altered
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies fire control modifications only partially - only to the extent necessary for accurate targeting in the pitch and heading axes. Other trajectory parameters remain under full pilot control. This partial action allows the system to achieve sufficient targeting precision without excessively altering the overall vehicle trajectory, maintaining both precision and flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A flight control system for an aircraft includes a flight control computer operatively interconnected with a main rotor system and a translational thrust system of the aircraft. A selectively enabled integrated target and flight control system arranged in communication with the flight control computer. The integrated target flight and control system is configured to control pitch attitude and heading of the aircraft. When the integrated target and flight control system is enabled, at least partial operation of the aircraft is controlled in response to a pilot input via the flight control computer.