Aircraft Flight Envelope Control With Analog Backup Autopilot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drone flight control systems are prone to failures due to non-redundant inertial units and susceptibility to electromagnetic interference, leading to potential collisions with other aircraft or ground crashes, as they lack reliable mechanisms to maintain authorized flight envelopes, especially in the presence of software or electronic malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A secure method involving dual autopilot modes, where a main digital measurement chain is supplemented by an analog backup chain to continuously monitor and correct flight characteristics, ensuring the drone stays within authorized flight parameters by switching to an analog control mode when predetermined limits are exceeded or malfunctions are detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a non-redundant inertial navigation system is used in the flight controller, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to susceptibility to failures and electromagnetic interference
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control system is segmented into two independent measurement chains: a primary digital chain and a secondary analog chain. Each chain operates autonomously to measure flight characteristics, allowing the system to maintain functionality even if one chain fails. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by distributing reliability across separate subsystems without significantly increasing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of the backup measurement chain from digital to analog mode. The analog measurement chain operates in parallel with the digital chain, providing a fundamentally different measurement approach that is less susceptible to electromagnetic interference and software failures. This parameter change enables improved reliability while maintaining acceptable system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If a single measurement chain is used for flight control, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the reliability deteriorates when software or electronic malfunctions occur
Solution Approach 1:
A comparison mechanism acts as an intermediary between the digital and analog measurement chains. This intermediary continuously monitors both chains and automatically detects discrepancies, enabling the system to switch to the reliable chain without requiring complex manual intervention. The intermediary preserves ease of operation while dramatically improving reliability through automatic fault detection and isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously comparing measurements from both digital and analog chains. When a discrepancy exceeds a threshold, the feedback mechanism triggers an automatic switch to the backup chain, ensuring continuous reliable operation. This feedback loop maintains ease of operation while providing robust protection against software and electronic failures.
3Reliability
If redundant measurement chains are implemented, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The analog measurement chain is designed as a simpler, more robust backup system that can be discarded or reset if needed. Unlike complex digital systems, the analog chain uses fundamental physical principles that are inherently more resistant to failure. This approach provides reliable redundancy without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the backup chain uses simpler components and principles.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application relates to a method and a secure control system (1) for an authorized flight envelope of an aircraft (50). The aircraft (50) comprises a primary digital measurement chain (10) for measuring the flight characteristics of the aircraft (50), a flight control system (2) providing autopilot for the aircraft (50), and the secure control system (1). The secure control system (1) comprises an analog backup measurement chain (20) providing at least one analog signal based on at least one flight characteristic, and a toggle device (3) configured so that the flight control system (2) uses the at least one analog signal provided by the backup measurement chain (20) to automatically pilot the aircraft (50) as soon as at least one flight characteristic of the aircraft (50) exceeds a predetermined limit of the authorized flight envelope.