VTOL Actuator Health Monitoring With Dual-Control State Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring the condition of VTOL-aircraft, particularly autonomous multi-rotor aircraft with spatially distributed actuators, face reliability issues due to uncertainties in assessing component health and stress exposure, leading to inaccurate remaining operational time predictions and potential spontaneous failures.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic method and system that uses an equation of motion to determine the spatial and temporal behavior of the aircraft by linking motion states with forces and torques, employing state feedback control laws, external disturbance observers, and a dual-control architecture to estimate the condition of actuators, combining primary and secondary data sets through an estimation algorithm to reduce uncertainty.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the actual run-/lifetime of a component is compared to its nominal lifetime to determine health status, then the assessment process is simple, but the reliability of the information is low due to uncertainties and lack of consideration for stress exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring actual operating conditions (stress, load, environmental factors) and using this information to dynamically adjust the health status assessment. Sensors provide real-time data on component stress exposure, which feeds into the evaluation algorithm to update the remaining operational time prediction, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to actual operating conditions rather than relying solely on nominal lifetime data
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple chronological time-based assessment with a physics-informed model that substitutes mechanical/physical measurements of stress, force, and environmental exposure for straightforward time comparison. This substitution uses measured physical quantities to calculate equivalent damage accumulation, providing more reliable health status information while managing system complexity through targeted sensor placement
2Reliability
If known methods for determining remaining time do not take into account stress during operation, then the assessment method is simple, but the reliability of the information is low
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the stress exposure assessment into distinct measurable components: mechanical stress from actuators, thermal stress from motor operation, and environmental stress from flight conditions. Each segment is measured by dedicated sensors and processed separately before being integrated into the overall health status evaluation, making the complex measurement task manageable and reliable
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary sensors and measurement devices that translate complex stress exposures into measurable signals. These intermediaries include strain gauges on actuators, temperature sensors on motors, and vibration sensors that convert physical stress into electrical signals for processing, bridging the gap between difficult-to-measure stress conditions and the evaluation system
3Productivity
If technical systems are operated toward the end of their scheduled lifecycle, then productivity is maintained, but fatigue effects and spontaneous failure risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously monitoring component health status and predicting remaining operational time before actual failure occurs. The evaluation algorithm processes current stress exposure data to forecast when components will reach their fatigue limits, allowing operators to schedule maintenance proactively rather than reactively, maintaining productivity while preventing spontaneous failures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by creating a safety buffer through continuous health monitoring and prediction. The system calculates remaining operational time with uncertainty margins and alerts operators before the predicted failure point, providing a cushion period for maintenance planning that prevents unexpected failures while maximizing productive utilization of components near the end of their scheduled lifecycle
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is proposed for monitoring a condition of a VTOL-aircraft (1), preferably an electrically propelled, more particularly an autonomous, more particularly a multi-rotor aircraft, with a plurality of spatially distributed actuators (2i, 2o), preferably propulsion units for generating propulsion forces and/or for maintaining a spatial position of the VTOL-aircraft (1), wherein a primary control (4.1) is used for controlling a flight state of the VTOL-aircraft (1) and at least one secondary control (4.2) is used for controlling the actuators (2i, 2o) of the VTOL-aircraft (1), preferably the propulsion units (2i, 2o); during operation of the VTOL-aircraft (1), the primary control (4.1) generates a primary data set, which is subject to a first uncertainty, which primary data set is entered into an estimation algorithm, and the secondary control generates a secondary data set, which is subject to a second uncertainty, which secondary data set is also entered into the estimation algorithm; the estimation algorithm processes the primary data set and the secondary data set and the estimation algorithm generates an estimation result, which estimation result is representative of a condition of the VTOL-aircraft (1), preferably a health status of at least one actuator (2i, 2o) of the VTOL-aircraft, which estimation result is subject to a third uncertainty, which third uncertainty is equal to or lower than the first uncertainty and/or the second uncertainty.