VTOL Deceleration Blending for Stable Hover Stop Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing VTOL aircraft systems face inaccuracies in predicting hover stop points due to sensor noise and disturbances during approach operations, particularly at lower speeds, leading to dynamic changes in vehicle performance and potential control difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that blends predicted deceleration performance based on pre-determined data with real-time performance data, adjusting the emphasis on predicted performance according to the degree of correlation to real-time performance to create a stable and accurate blended display for pilots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If real-time sensor data is used to predict hover stop point, then the system responds to current flight conditions, but sensor noise and disturbances cause inaccuracies in prediction
Solution Approach 1:
A blended display system acts as an intermediary between predicted performance (from pre-determined data) and real-time performance (from sensors). The system combines both data sources with adjustable weighting, allowing pilots to rely more on predicted performance when sensor noise is high, thereby filtering out harmful sensor disturbances while maintaining responsiveness to actual flight conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the correlation between predicted and real-time performance data. When sensor noise degrades accuracy, the system automatically adjusts the weighting toward pre-determined predicted performance. This feedback mechanism dynamically optimizes prediction accuracy by reducing reliance on noisy sensor data when disturbances are detected
2Stability of the object's composition
If pre-determined performance data is used for prediction, then the system provides stable and accurate baseline performance, but it cannot adapt to dynamic changes in flight conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The blended display system dynamically adjusts the weighting between pre-determined predicted performance and real-time sensor performance based on flight conditions. During stable conditions, it relies more on pre-determined data for stability; during dynamic changes, it increases real-time data weighting to maintain adaptability. This dynamic blending resolves the contradiction between stability and adaptability
3Reliability
If real-time sensor data is relied upon during approach operations, then the system captures current flight state, but pilot-induced oscillations may occur due to noise and disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides beforehand cushioning by offering a blended display that smooths out sensor noise and disturbances before they can cause pilot reactions. By presenting a more stable and accurate representation of flight performance that filters out high-frequency noise, the system prevents pilots from making corrective adjustments in response to false signals, thereby cushioning against the development of oscillations
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and system for computing the deceleration performance to a destination point of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft has been developed. First, predicted performance of the deceleration of the VTOL aircraft is generated and based on pre-determined data for the VTOL aircraft. Sensors of the VTOL aircraft are monitored to capture real-time performance of the deceleration of the VTOL aircraft. A blended display is created of deceleration of the VTOL aircraft by blending the predicted performance and the real-time performance and is shown to the pilot of the VTOL aircraft. The blended display is continuously adjusted by weighting emphasis on the predicted performance based on the degree of correlation to the real-time performance.