Wind-Over-Vehicle Envelope for Aircraft Retrieval Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current guidance techniques for aircraft takeoff, landing, and retrieval at vehicles are overly conservative, making these operations unnecessarily difficult, especially for small aircraft, due to the complexity introduced by wind, weather, and vehicle-related conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that calculate and utilize a wind-over-vehicle envelope to determine optimal aircraft retrieval conditions by considering vehicle and aircraft speeds and directions, wind conditions, and aircraft retrieval system design limits, enabling more accurate control for safe retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conservative guidelines are used for aircraft takeoff, landing, and retrieval at vehicles, then safety is improved, but operational difficulty increases and mission readiness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms complex, multi-parameter guidance requirements into a simplified two-parameter wind-over-vehicle envelope (wind speed and wind direction relative to the vehicle). This parameter reduction allows operators to make safer decisions more easily by comparing current conditions against pre-calculated envelope boundaries, rather than navigating complex conservative guidelines.
Solution Approach 2:
The wind-over-vehicle envelope acts as an intermediary tool between complex retrieval system design limits and operational decision-making. It translates intricate aircraft-vehicle-wind interaction constraints into an accessible visual framework that guides operators while maintaining safety margins.
2Reliability
If conservative guidelines are used for aircraft takeoff, landing, and retrieval at vehicles, then safety is improved, but mission readiness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wind-over-vehicle envelope is dynamically calculated based on specific aircraft and vehicle configurations, allowing the guidance system to adapt to different mission requirements. Unlike static conservative guidelines, the envelope can be regenerated for different aircraft weights, vehicle speeds, and retrieval system configurations, enabling operational flexibility while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the representation from multiple restrictive parameters to a focused two-parameter envelope, the system enables operators to assess whether marginal conditions (such as slightly higher wind speeds or unconventional approach angles) can safely support mission execution, thereby improving adaptability without compromising safety.
3Measurement precision
If complex guidance techniques are used to account for wind, weather, and vehicle conditions, then accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential guidance information from complex multi-factor analysis by identifying and isolating the two dominant parameters: wind-over-vehicle speed and wind-over-vehicle direction. This extraction process maintains guidance accuracy by focusing on the most critical factors while eliminating unnecessary complexity from the operational interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The transformation of complex retrieval system design limits into a simplified wind-over-vehicle envelope reduces the number of parameters operators must simultaneously consider. The envelope methodology maintains precision by mathematically incorporating aircraft performance limits, vehicle characteristics, and wind effects into pre-calculated boundary curves that guide real-time decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for controlling an aircraft and/or a vehicle are described. A vehicle speed and direction are received. A wind-over-vehicle speed and direction of wind at the vehicle are measured. An aircraft ground speed and direction are received. An aircraft-relative-to-vehicle speed and an aircraft-relative-to-vehicle direction are calculated based on the aircraft ground speed and direction and the wind-over-vehicle speed and direction. A wind-over-vehicle envelope is calculated based on system design limits for retrieving the aircraft at the vehicle. The wind-over-vehicle envelope maps limits of wind-over-vehicle speeds over a range of directions that enable retrieval of the aircraft at the vehicle. The aircraft and/or the vehicle are controlled using the wind-over-vehicle envelope, the aircraft-relative-to-vehicle speed, and/or the aircraft-relative-to-vehicle direction.