Variable Energy Management for Aircraft Trajectory Recapture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircrafts often deviate from planned trajectories due to adverse weather, on-board malfunctions, or human errors, leading to instability and non-compliance with altitude, speed, and stability constraints, which can compromise safety and increase operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A system that identifies current aircraft state deviations and provides a recommended flight path to recapture the optimal trajectory by varying kinetic and potential energy, using a variable energy management strategy that adjusts altitude and speed profiles segment-wise to comply with upcoming constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pilot manually operates the aircraft to restore stability when deviating from the FMS-computed trajectory, then the aircraft can regain stability, but fuel consumption and operational costs increase relative to the originally-planned trajectory
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the aircraft's actual trajectory against the FMS-computed reference trajectory and provides real-time guidance commands to the pilot or autopilot system. This closed-loop feedback enables the aircraft to automatically correct deviations and recapture the optimal trajectory, minimizing fuel consumption while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The guidance system enables the aircraft to self-correct trajectory deviations by providing automated guidance commands that reduce the need for manual pilot intervention. The system independently calculates correction strategies based on current flight parameters and constraint violations, allowing the aircraft to restore stability autonomously while optimizing fuel efficiency.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the aircraft follows the FMS-computed optimal trajectory, then fuel efficiency is maximized, but the aircraft risks stability or noncompliance when adverse conditions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the guidance strategy based on real-time flight conditions, constraint violations, and aircraft state. When the aircraft deviates from the optimal trajectory due to adverse conditions, the system dynamically generates corrected flight paths that balance fuel efficiency with trajectory compliance and stability requirements, allowing flexible response to changing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes key flight parameters such as flight path angle, speed, and vertical profile to recapture the optimal trajectory after deviations. By dynamically adjusting these parameters based on the magnitude and nature of the deviation, the system maintains both fuel efficiency and trajectory compliance under varying operational conditions.
3Stability of the object's composition
If existing stabilization techniques are used without trajectory recapture guidance, then the aircraft can restore stability, but noise and other operational costs increase relative to the originally-planned trajectory
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary trajectory optimization by pre-calculating the optimal flight path that satisfies all constraints including noise restrictions. When deviations occur, the system guides the aircraft back to this pre-planned optimal path, ensuring that stability is restored while minimizing noise and other harmful effects that would result from uncoordinated stabilization maneuvers.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for assisting operation of a vehicle deviating from a desired manner of operation, such as an aircraft deviating from a planned trajectory. One method involves identifying a current aircraft altitude, identifying a current aircraft configuration, determining a recommended flight path from the current aircraft altitude for satisfying an upcoming constraint associated with a reference descent strategy based at least in part on the current aircraft configuration in response to a deviation between the current aircraft altitude a target altitude according to the reference descent strategy, and providing an output influenced by the recommended flight path. The recommended flight path includes a recommended vertical profile and a recommended speed profile, and the recommended flight path is configured to vary at least one of a kinetic energy or a potential energy of the aircraft along the recommended flight path en route to the upcoming constraint.