eVTOL Control Margin Display for Multi-Axis Authority Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Over-actuated aircraft with electric propulsion systems face challenges in providing pilots with intuitive displays of control authority limits, leading to difficulties in understanding proximity to aircraft authority limits, especially during complex flight phases like hover and transition, where actuators control multiple axes and the relationship between pilot inputs and authority limits is not straightforward.
Innovation Solution
A control margin display system that dynamically determines the relationship between pilot input commands and aircraft authority limits, presenting this information on a user interface through graphical elements that move based on calculated proximities, providing real-time feedback on remaining authority and helping prevent pilot-induced oscillations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a one-to-one configuration between actuators and control surfaces is used, then pilots can easily understand proximity to authority limits, but this configuration is not feasible for over-actuated aircraft where actuators control multiple axes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control margin display system as an intermediary between the complex multi-axis actuator system and the pilot. This display translates the complicated relationships between multiple actuators controlling multiple axes into intuitive visual representations showing control margins and proximity to authority limits, allowing pilots to understand system state without needing to comprehend the complex underlying actuator-to-axis relationships
2Device complexity
If conventional aircraft displays are used, then the display structure is simple, but the display does not provide adequate control authority information for over-actuated aircraft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a new dimension to the display by introducing visual metaphors such as a 'control hill' where the aircraft state is represented as a position on a slope. This dimensional transformation converts abstract control authority data into intuitive spatial representations, allowing pilots to grasp control margins and authority limits through visual position and elevation rather than complex numerical data
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of this present disclosure relate to systems and methods for dynamically moving graphical elements of a user interface of a flight control system. In one, a method is disclosed comprising: determining aircraft authority limits based on at least one state signal indicating an aircraft state, wherein the aircraft authority limits indicate an extent to which one or more control signals can command the aircraft; determining one or more proximities between the aircraft state and the determined aircraft authority limits; and automatically moving the graphical elements of the user interface to one or more positions on the user interface based on the determined one or more proximities.