UAV Flight Control Switching for Autonomous Mission Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in ensuring safe operation, particularly during autonomous missions, as existing systems lack effective mechanisms to detect and respond to unsafe conditions or operations, which is crucial for compliance with emerging regulatory requirements in commercial airspace.
Innovation Solution
A switchable flight control system onboard UAVs, comprising a flight management system, mission control module, safety module, and monitor module, which continuously monitors operations for unsafe conditions and automatically switches to a safe mode when unsafe conditions are detected, ensuring the vehicle's safe operation by prioritizing commands from the safety module over the mission control module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If autonomous mission control is implemented to enable UAVs to operate beyond radio communication range, then mission capability and operational range are improved, but safety control and monitoring become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into multiple independent modules: mission control module for autonomous operations, safety module for safety monitoring, and monitor module for detecting unsafe conditions. Each module operates independently with specific functions, allowing the UAV to maintain autonomous mission capability while ensuring safety through dedicated safety subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication control component acts as an intermediary between the mission control module, safety module, and flight management system. It selectively routes commands from either the mission control module or safety module to the flight management system based on the operational state, enabling seamless switching between autonomous mission mode and safe mode while maintaining system coordination.
2Reliability
If a switchable flight control system with multiple modules is implemented to ensure safety, then safety monitoring and control are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitor module performs multiple functions: it monitors commands from the mission control module, detects unsafe conditions, determines when switching to safe mode is necessary, and manages the switching process. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each monitoring task, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive safety monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety module and monitor module are integrated into a unified safety control subsystem that works together to ensure safe operation. The communication control component merges the command routing functions for both modules, consolidating control pathways and reducing the number of independent control channels needed in the system.
3Reliability
If the system continuously monitors for unsafe conditions and automatically switches to safe mode, then operational safety is improved, but response time and system latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitor module continuously monitors commands and flight conditions in advance to detect unsafe conditions before they result in hazardous situations. By performing preliminary detection and assessment, the system can switch to safe mode proactively rather than reactively, reducing the effective response time to potential safety issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where the monitor module receives commands from the mission control module, assesses their safety, and provides real-time feedback by either allowing command execution or triggering a switch to safe mode. This immediate feedback mechanism ensures rapid response to unsafe conditions while maintaining normal autonomous operation during safe conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
An onboard system for controlling flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle (10). The system comprises: a flight management system (40) configured for controlling flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle (10); a mission control module (2) configured to send commands to the flight management system (40) for guiding the unmanned aerial vehicle (10) to perform a mission; a safety module (8) configured to communicate commands to the flight management system (40) for guiding the unmanned aerial vehicle (10) to fly in a safe mode; a communication control component (6) which is switchable between a mission state in which the flight management system (40) receives commands from the mission control module (2) and a safety state in which the flight management system (40) receives commands from the safety module (8); and a monitor module (4) configured to determine whether a trigger condition warranting a change in mode is present or not and to cause the communication control component (6) to switch from the mission state to the safety state when the trigger condition is present.