Dual Flight Control Computer Switching for HALE UAV Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flight control systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in efficiently managing communication lines, maintaining flight in case of malfunction, and dealing with complex architectures that are costly and power-intensive.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system with two flight control computers (FCCs) and a selector that monitors electrical pulses to toggle between them, using a simplified watchdog window and serial ports to ensure continuous flight, reducing complexity and power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a complex flight control architecture is used to ensure reliable flight control, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflight control reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides flight control functionality into two separate FCCs (Flight Control Computers), each capable of independently controlling the UAV. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability through redundancy while keeping each individual FCC relatively simple in design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The watchdog window continuously monitors the active FCC before failure occurs, detecting faults in advance. The selector is pre-configured to automatically switch to the backup FCC when a fault is detected, eliminating the need for complex manual intervention or post-failure analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If redundant flight control systems are implemented to maintain continuous flight, then reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous flight capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between active and standby states for the two FCCs. The watchdog window continuously monitors the active FCC, and the selector automatically transitions to the backup FCC when needed, allowing the system to maintain reliability while minimizing power consumption by keeping one FCC in a lower-power standby mode rather than running both at full power continuously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If multiple communication lines are used to manage FCC switching, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveFCC switching reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication lines

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The watchdog window serves multiple functions: it monitors the active FCC, detects faults, and triggers the selector to switch to the backup FCC. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated communication lines for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable FCC switching capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250378721A1Systems And Methods For Distributed Control Computing For A High Altitude Long Endurance Aircraft

Publication Date: 2025.12.11 AEROVIRONMENT INC

AI summary

Systems, devices, and methods including a first flight control computer (FCC) of two or more FCCs; a second FCC of the two or more FCCs; at least one selector in communication with the first FCC; and at least one watchdog window in communication with the at least one selector, where the at least one watchdog window monitors a performance of the first FCC based on an electrical pulse emitted by the FCC; where the at least one watchdog window is configured to detect a fault pulse of the electrical pulse emitted by the first FCC; and where the selector is configured to toggle to the second FCC based on the detected fault pulse emitted by the first FCC.