Motion-Stabilized Visual Cue for GPS-Denied VTOL Landing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous landing systems for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft rely on GPS signals, which are unreliable in GPS-denied environments, and are not adaptable to various types of aircraft or moving landing surfaces, leading to instability and potential crashes.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous landing system using a motion-stabilized visual cue and an onboard camera, with an autonomous control system that includes object detection, machine vision, feedback control, and reinforcement learning modules, allowing the aircraft to land vertically without GPS by tracking a visual indicator on a moving platform.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If GPS-based autonomous landing systems are used, then landing automation is achieved, but reliability deteriorates in GPS-denied environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautonomous landingVSAvoidlanding reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a visual cue as an intermediary object between the aircraft and the landing platform. This visual cue serves as a mediator that enables the aircraft to locate and align with the moving landing surface without relying on GPS signals, thereby maintaining autonomous landing capability in GPS-denied environments while improving reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the GPS-based electronic navigation system with a visual-based optical system. By using an onboard camera to track visual cues on the landing platform, the system substitutes satellite-based positioning with direct visual observation, enabling autonomous operation without external signal dependency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If fixed-orientation visual cues are used, then adaptability to moving surfaces is improved, but stability deteriorates due to platform motion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to moving surfacesVSAvoidvisual cue stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a motion-stabilized visual cue system that dynamically adjusts its orientation to counteract platform motion. The visual cue maintains a fixed orientation with respect to the horizon by actively compensating for platform movements, allowing the aircraft to track a stable visual reference even when the underlying platform is moving

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback control where the motion-stabilized platform continuously monitors its own motion and adjusts the visual cue orientation accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures the visual indicator maintains a constant orientation relative to the horizon despite platform movements, providing stable visual feedback to the aircraft

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12110129B2Autonomous landing systems and methods for vertical landing aircraft

Publication Date: 2024.10.08 TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

AI summary

An autonomous landing system for vertical landing aircraft includes a vertical landing aircraft including a powertrain and an onboard camera, a motion-stabilized visual cue including a visual indicator, wherein the visual cue is configured to maintain a fixed orientation of the visual indicator with respect to a horizon, and an autonomous control system configured to control a position of the aircraft with respect to the visual indicator of the visual cue based on image data captured by the onboard camera.