Rotorcraft Speed Vector Display for Pilot Workload Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for assisting in the piloting of rotorcraft struggle to effectively display and manage varying horizontal speed, as it is difficult to represent geometrically in a three-dimensional space and requires simultaneous control of cyclic pitch and collective pitch, leading to increased pilot workload and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that calculate a ratio between vertical and horizontal speed variations, using this ratio to position a piloting assistance symbol on a display, which includes a symbol representing the aircraft's speed vector, horizon, and target direction, allowing intuitive control adjustments to maintain reference speed without departing from a programmed trajectory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If existing systems display speed information using traditional indicators, then the pilot can see speed data, but the pilot workload increases and the interface becomes complex to interpret
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple speed-related indicators (current speed, reference speed, speed error, vertical speed) into a single integrated speed vector symbol. This symbol displays all speed information simultaneously through its position, orientation, and associated markers, eliminating the need for separate indicators and reducing pilot workload while maintaining comprehensive speed information display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional two-dimensional speed indicators to a three-dimensional speed vector representation that incorporates both horizontal and vertical speed components. The speed vector symbol's position and orientation in 3D space convey speed magnitude, direction, and vertical rate simultaneously, providing intuitive spatial understanding without increasing complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the system provides detailed speed control indicators, then the pilot can maintain reference speed, but the display becomes complex and difficult to interpret
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple speed control indicators into a single speed vector symbol that displays current speed, reference speed, speed error, and vertical speed information simultaneously. The symbol's position relative to the horizon line indicates speed error, while its orientation shows vertical speed component, providing precise speed tracking information in a unified, simple visual format.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different visual properties to different parts of the speed vector symbol to convey specific information: the symbol's position indicates horizontal speed error, its orientation indicates vertical speed, and associated markers indicate reference speed. This localized information encoding provides precise speed control data without increasing overall display complexity.
3Loss of information
If the system displays separate indicators for horizontal and vertical speed, then complete speed information is provided, but the pilot must process multiple indicators increasing workload
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines horizontal speed information and vertical speed information into a single speed vector symbol. The horizontal component is represented by the symbol's position relative to the horizon line, while the vertical component is represented by the symbol's orientation. This integration provides complete speed information while reducing the number of separate indicators the pilot must process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses three-dimensional spatial representation to encode both horizontal and vertical speed information. The speed vector symbol's position in the horizontal plane indicates horizontal speed error, while its tilt or orientation in the vertical plane indicates vertical speed. This dimensional encoding allows complete speed information display in a unified visual element.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for assisting the piloting of a rotorcraft in which vertical speed variation (DVZ) of the rotorcraft is determined as a function of a horizontal speed variation (DVH) of the aircraft and as a function of data representative of the power (W) absorbed for providing the rotorcraft with lift and forward advance, the ratio between variation speed vertical (DVZ) and the horizontal speed (VH) of the rotorcraft is calculated, and a piloting assistance symbol is presented on a display in a position (α) that is a function of the ratio.