Electric Aircraft Flight Control with Phase-Adaptive Input Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flight control systems for electric aircraft lack the ability to intuitively adapt to different phases of flight, leading to suboptimal control and pilot workload issues.
Innovation Solution
A flight control system that includes a propulsor, a pilot input mechanically coupled to the aircraft, a sensor to detect and transmit input data to a flight controller, and a flight controller that determines command data to control the propulsor based on the input data and an input mapping that changes with the phase of flight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a fixed input mapping is used in flight control systems, then the system structure is simple, but the control precision and adaptability deteriorate across different flight phases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic input mapping that automatically adjusts control characteristics based on the current flight phase (takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, landing). The flight controller continuously monitors flight parameters and modifies the mapping between pilot inputs and control commands in real-time, transforming a static control system into an adaptive one that optimizes precision for each operational context without requiring manual intervention from the pilot.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the mapping parameters dynamically according to flight phase. Different gain values, dead zones, and scaling factors are applied to control inputs depending on whether the aircraft is taking off, cruising, or landing. This parameter adaptation allows the same physical control device to provide optimal control precision across diverse flight conditions without increasing hardware complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the input mapping is dynamically adjusted for different flight phases, then the adaptability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flight controller serves multiple functions: it monitors flight phase, determines appropriate mapping parameters, and generates control commands all within a single integrated system. The same control computer that manages basic flight stabilization also handles adaptive mapping adjustments, eliminating the need for separate dedicated systems for each function and thereby minimizing the increase in overall system complexity while maximizing adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flight control system automatically determines the current flight phase based on monitored parameters (altitude, speed, vertical rate) and self-adjusts the input mapping without pilot intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously configuring optimal control characteristics for each flight phase, reducing the need for complex manual configuration interfaces or additional pilot workload while maintaining high adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If adaptive input mapping is implemented, then pilot workload is reduced, but the processing requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control system automatically determines the current flight phase based on monitored parameters (altitude, speed, vertical rate) and self-adjusts the input mapping without pilot intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously configuring optimal control characteristics for each flight phase, reducing the need for complex manual configuration interfaces or additional pilot workload while maintaining high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors flight phase parameters and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the input mapping. The flight controller creates a closed-loop system where control characteristics are automatically refined based on real-time flight conditions, eliminating the need for pilots to manually adjust controls for different phases and thereby reducing workload while managing complexity through intelligent feedback-driven adaptation.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for flight control on an electric aircraft. The system includes a propulsor configured to generate lift to propel an electric aircraft, a pilot input mechanically coupled to the electric aircraft, a sensor communicatively connected to the pilot input, and a flight controller communicatively connected to the sensor. Sensor is configured to detect an input datum from the pilot input and convert the input datum into a command datum for the propulsor as a function of input mapping. Input mapping is determined as a function of the phase of flight.