Modular eVTOL Flight Control for Redundant Actuator Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flight control systems for electric vehicles, particularly eVTOL aircraft, face challenges in maintaining safety due to the complexity and cost of implementing redundancy, which is essential for safeguarding against actuator malfunctions during flight, landing, and takeoff.
Innovation Solution
A distributed flight control system that includes a flight control assembly with sensors capturing input, optimal flight plan, and performance data, and modular flight controllers that generate attitude control data and actuator instructions to ensure safe and efficient flight operations by distributing control tasks among multiple actuators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundancy is implemented in automated flight control systems to safeguard against actuator failures, then safety is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control system is divided into multiple independent modular flight controllers, each capable of independently controlling specific actuators. This segmentation allows redundancy to be implemented at the module level rather than requiring complete system redundancy, reducing overall complexity while maintaining safety through distributed control architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts control parameters and control allocation based on the operational status of actuators and flight conditions. By changing control parameters in response to actuator failures, the system maintains safety without requiring identical redundant hardware, thereby reducing complexity
2Reliability
If redundancy is implemented in automated flight control systems to safeguard against actuator failures, then safety is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each modular flight controller is designed to be universal and multi-functional, capable of controlling multiple different actuators and performing various control functions. This universality allows a single controller design to serve multiple purposes, reducing development and manufacturing costs while providing redundancy across the system
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses software-based control logic that can be copied and distributed across multiple modular controllers rather than requiring unique hardware for each controller. This allows redundancy to be achieved through software replication, significantly reducing manufacturing costs compared to hardware redundancy
3Manufacturing precision
If a pilot manually controls multitude of actuators to follow flight path optimally, then flight control precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The modular flight control system performs self-allocation and self-management of actuator control. Each controller automatically determines the optimal control signals for its assigned actuators based on flight conditions and desired trajectory, eliminating the need for pilot intervention in managing multiple actuators while maintaining precise flight control
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors actuator positions, flight state, and control errors, using this feedback to automatically adjust control signals. This closed-loop feedback control maintains high precision without requiring manual adjustment by the pilot, improving ease of operation while preserving flight control accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for distributed flight control configured for use in an electric vehicle wherein the system includes a flight control assembly which further includes at least a sensor electronically connected to the flight control assembly. The sensor is configured to capture at least an input datum, and at least a performance datum. The system further includes a plurality of modular flight controllers communicatively coupled to at least an actuator of a plurality of actuators, wherein each modular flight controller of the plurality of modular flight controllers is configured to the multitude of data from at least a sensor, generate an attitude control datum, determine at least an actuator instruction datum, and perform a control allocation configured for the at least a actuator from the plurality of actuators to follow as a function of the flight control assembly.