VTOL Flight Plan Ground Effect Prediction for Altitude Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
VTOL aircraft face challenges due to ground effects, including in-ground effects that can cause undesirable lift forces and out-of-ground effects that lead to altitude limitations and potential damage to equipment, necessitating effective prediction and management of these effects along flight plans.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for predicting ground effects along a flight plan by determining weight and temperature of the VTOL aircraft, using terrain and obstacle data to compute ground effect altitudes, and generating commands to control the aircraft based on predicted ground effect regions, with symbology displayed to the pilot for enhanced safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the VTOL aircraft operates in in-ground effect region, then additional lift force is generated, but undesirable effects occur including increased outflow distortion and potential damage to adjacent equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of ground effect change points along the flight plan before the aircraft reaches them. The flight management system computes where the aircraft will enter and exit ground effect regions based on terrain data, aircraft weight, and temperature, then provides advance warning to the pilot or automatically adjusts control surfaces to prevent harmful effects before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors aircraft position, weight, and environmental conditions to dynamically determine ground effect status. This feedback loop allows the system to detect when the aircraft is approaching ground effect change points and trigger appropriate control actions or pilot warnings to manage the lift force changes and prevent outflow distortion issues.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the VTOL aircraft transitions from in-ground effect to out-of-ground effect, then altitude freedom is gained, but noticeable force change occurs requiring careful management
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates ground effect change points in advance along the planned flight path, allowing the pilot or autopilot to prepare for upcoming transitions. By knowing where transitions will occur before reaching them, the system can smoothly manage the force changes associated with entering or exiting ground effect regions, maintaining stability while gaining altitude freedom.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the VTOL aircraft hovers outside of out-of-ground effect region, then flight flexibility is increased, but hovering becomes impossible at certain altitudes
Solution Approach 1:
The flight management system acts as an intermediary between the pilot and ground effect phenomena. It processes terrain data, aircraft parameters, and environmental conditions to determine safe hovering altitudes and ground effect boundaries, then communicates this information to the pilot through symbology or control adjustments, enabling flexible flight while maintaining reliable hovering capability within safe parameters.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively predicts ground effect change points and altitudes, enabling safe navigation and control of VTOL aircraft by managing ground forces, reducing the risk of damage and improving operational safety through accurate symbology and autopilot adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
determining ground effect data along the flight plan based on the temperature and the weight; based on the terrain and obstacles data, the ground effect data and the flight plan, predict where, along the flight plan, the VTOL aircraft will traverse a ground effect region
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for predicting ground effects along a flight plan. The systems and methods provide a processor executed process including the steps: receiving a flight plan for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft; receiving terrain and obstacles geospatial data for the flight plan from the database; determining weight of the VTOL aircraft along the flight plan; determining temperature of the environment along the flight plan; determining ground effect data along the flight plan based on the temperature and the weight; based on the terrain and obstacles data, the ground effect data and the flight plan, predict where, along the flight plan, the VTOL aircraft will traverse a ground effect region, thereby providing prediction data; and generating one or more commands to control a system of the VTOL aircraft based on the prediction data.