Damage Adaptive Control for Aircraft Flight Envelope
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft structures can suffer damage during flight, leading to potential propagation of damage if loads are not minimized near affected areas, posing a risk to the vehicle's integrity and safety.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising sensors and a control computer that measures damage, determines its location and level, and adapts the operational envelope of the aircraft to reduce loads and prevent damage propagation, allowing safe operation or grounding as necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the aircraft continues flight after damage detection, then mission completion is maintained, but damage propagation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The operational envelope is dynamically adjusted based on real-time damage assessment. The system continuously monitors damage indicators and modifies the operational envelope parameters (load factors, maneuver restrictions, speed limits) to prevent damage propagation while allowing continued flight operations. This dynamic adaptation enables the aircraft to maintain productivity by flying with reduced capabilities rather than grounding entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by modifying the operational envelope in response to detected damage. Specific parameters such as maximum load factors, allowable maneuver intensities, and speed ranges are adjusted based on the severity and location of damage. This parameter modification allows the aircraft to continue operations within safe limits, balancing mission completion with damage prevention.
2Reliability
If the operational envelope is adapted to reduce loads on damaged components, then damage propagation is prevented, but mission capabilities are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by implementing only the necessary load reductions required to prevent damage propagation, rather than grounding the aircraft entirely. The operational envelope is adjusted to the minimum extent needed to protect damaged components, allowing the aircraft to continue missions with reduced but sufficient capabilities. This avoids excessive restriction of operational parameters.
3Reliability
If sensors and control systems are added to detect and respond to damage, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The damage detection system utilizes existing multi-functional sensors already present in the aircraft for other purposes (structural health monitoring, flight control, navigation). These sensors serve multiple functions: normal flight operations and damage detection. The control computer also performs multiple roles including flight control and damage assessment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components, thereby limiting complexity increase while maintaining safety improvements.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to measuring, via at least one sensor, at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with a vehicle, determining at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and a level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise, and adapting an operational envelope for the vehicle based on the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise.