Distributed Aircraft Pilot Control Against Single-Point Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern aircraft rely on centralized flight control computers that are susceptible to common mode failures, which can lead to catastrophic system failures if a single point of failure occurs, compromising the reliability and safety of flight operations.
Innovation Solution
A distributed pilot control system is implemented, comprising a plurality of flight components and aircraft components that receive commands from sensors and attitude sensors to produce response commands, distributing the control functions to prevent reliance on a single point of failure and enhancing system reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a centralized flight control computer is used, then the control system is simpler to manage, but the system becomes susceptible to common mode failures and single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized flight control computer is divided into multiple independent flight control computers (at least three), with each computer responsible for processing sensor inputs and generating control commands independently. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Each flight control computer is assigned specific control functions and sensor inputs, creating localized control zones. For example, different computers may handle different aircraft axes or control surfaces, allowing independent operation and failure isolation while maintaining overall system functionality.
2Reliability
If multiple flight control computers are distributed across the aircraft, then common mode failures are prevented, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flight control computers are merged into a coordinated system where they share common sensor inputs and collectively control aircraft actuators. The computers operate in parallel with identical functionality, merging their outputs through a voting mechanism or master-slave configuration to produce unified control commands.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback monitoring where each flight control computer monitors the outputs and status of other computers. Discrepancies in control commands or sensor readings are detected and resolved through cross-checking, ensuring consistent and reliable control while managing system complexity through automated coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for distributed pilot control of an aircraft includes a plurality of flight components, an aircraft control located within the aircraft, and an aircraft component attached to a flight component of the plurality of flight components. The aircraft component may be configured to receive, from a command sensor attached to the aircraft control, an aircraft command. The aircraft component may further be configured to obtain, from an attitude sensor, an aircraft orientation. The aircraft component may further be configured to command the flight component to produce a response command as a function of a pilot signal.