Systems and methods for remote pilot control of an electric aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11542003-B1
Application number	US-202217701205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 22, 2022
Priority date	Mar 22, 2022
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

A system for remote pilot control of an electric aircraft in autopilot mode including a remote computing device configured to receive a user input and generate a control datum as a function of the pilot input, a flight controller configured to receive the control datum from the remote computing device, and generate a command datum as a function of the control datum and an authority status, and the remote computing device configured to receive the command datum from the flight controller, and display the command datum.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for remote pilot control of an electric aircraft during autopilot, the system comprising:
a flight controller communicatively connected to a remote computing device and an electric aircraft, wherein the flight controller is configured to:
receive a control datum from an input control;
determine an authority status of the control datum, wherein determining the authority status further comprises:
establishing a control threshold of a plurality of predetermined control thresholds, wherein the authority status comprises a level of control, as determined by the established control threshold, a user has over the electric aircraft while the electric aircraft is engaged in an autopilot mode, wherein the plurality of predetermined control thresholds includes a first level of control of the electric aircraft by the user and a second level of control of the electric aircraft by the user, wherein the second level of control allows the user greater control of the electric aircraft compared to the first level of control;

generate a command datum as a function of the control datum and the authority status; and
initiate an operation of a flight component of the electric aircraft as a function of the command datum and the authority status.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator connected to the flight controller, wherein the actuator is configured to:
receive the command datum from the flight controller; and
move the flight component as a function of the command datum and the authority status.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the actuator is configured to convert the command datum into mechanical movement of the flight component of the electric aircraft.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the authority status comprises full control by the remote computing device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is configured to generate a command datum that is the same as the control datum.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the authority status comprises modified control by the remote computing device, which includes temporary control of the electric aircraft by the remote computing device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the authority status comprises no control so that the flight controller maintains autonomous control of the electric aircraft.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is configured to generate the command datum as a function of a user input.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electric aircraft is an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

10. A method for autopilot in an electric aircraft, the method comprising:
receiving, at a flight controller communicatively connected to a remote computing device and an electric aircraft, a control datum from an input control;
determining, at the flight controller, an authority status of the control datum, wherein determining the authority status further comprises:
establishing a control threshold of a plurality of predetermined control thresholds, wherein the authority status comprises a level of control, as determined by the established control threshold, a user has over the electric aircraft while the electric aircraft is engaged in an autopilot mode, wherein the plurality of predetermined control thresholds includes a first level of control of the electric aircraft by the user and a second level of control of the electric aircraft by the user, wherein the second level of control allows the user greater control of the electric aircraft compared to the first level of control;

generating, at the flight controller, a command datum as a function of the control datum and the authority status; and
initiating, at the flight controller, an operation of a flight component of the electric aircraft as a function of the command datum and the authority status.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, by an actuator connected to the flight controller, the command datum from the flight controller; and
moving, by the actuator, the flight component as a function of the command datum and the authority status.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising converting, by the actuator, the command datum into mechanical movement of the flight component of the electric aircraft.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, by the remote computing device, the command datum from the flight controller; and
displaying, by the remote computing device, the command datum.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the authority status comprises full control by the remote computing device, which includes indefinite control of the electric aircraft by the remote computing device.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating, by the flight controller, a command datum that is the same as the control datum.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the authority status comprises modified control by the remote computing device, which includes temporary control of the electric aircraft by the remote computing device.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the authority status comprises no control so that the flight controller maintains autonomous control of the electric aircraft.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating, by the flight controller, the command datum as a function of a user input.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the electric aircraft is an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Moy Nicholas
• Freiheit Collin
• Auerbach Joshua E

Classifications

• B64C19/00

  Aircraft control not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C29/0016

  the lift during taking-off being created by free or ducted propellers or by blowers · CPC title

• B64C39/024 Primary

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• G05D1/0011

  associated with a remote control arrangement · CPC title

• G05D1/223

  Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens · CPC title