VTOL Landing Profile Control for Minimum-Jerk Touchdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Landing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles pose challenges due to sudden rotor shutdowns, leading to undesired tilting or drifting, especially in turbulent conditions, as existing systems fail to manage the transition smoothly.
Innovation Solution
A vertical landing system comprising a sensor system and a landing manager that determines a landing profile using a third derivative of a position equation, initial position, initial speed, final speed, and touchdown point, reducing jerk and ensuring a smooth landing by performing set actions when the vehicle reaches the touchdown point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If propulsion units are turned off quickly or rotors are slowed down prior to landing, then landing time is reduced, but the vehicle may drop straight to the ground, tilt, or drift in an undesired manner
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of rotor speed control from abrupt shutdown to gradual deceleration following a minimum jerk trajectory. The rotor speed is reduced smoothly according to a predetermined profile that minimizes jerk (third derivative of position), preventing sudden changes in thrust that would cause tilting or drifting while still achieving timely landing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-calculating and implementing a minimum jerk trajectory before landing begins. The landing profile is determined in advance based on initial position, speed, and desired touchdown point, ensuring that rotor deceleration follows an optimal path that prevents instability before it occurs.
2Productivity
If rotor speed is reduced rapidly to achieve faster landing, then productivity is improved, but the vehicle encounters increased tilting or drifting in turbulent conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms the rotor speed control parameter from rapid reduction to controlled deceleration along a minimum jerk trajectory. This parameter change ensures that even in turbulent conditions, the vehicle maintains stability by avoiding abrupt thrust changes that would amplify the effects of turbulence while still achieving efficient landing speeds.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for controlling landing of a vertical landing vehicle. In one example, a method controls landing of a vertical landing vehicle. A landing profile for landing the vertical landing vehicle is determined by the computer system using a third derivative of a position equation, an initial position, an initial speed, a final speed, and a touchdown point for the vertical landing vehicle. Landing of the vertical landing vehicle is controlled using the landing profile.