Methods and systems for fall back flight control configured for use in electric aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11724797-B2
Application number	US-202117365655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2021
Priority date	Feb 19, 2021
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

A system of fall back flight control configured for use in electric aircraft includes an input control configured to receive a pilot input and generate a control datum. System includes a flight controller communicatively coupled to the input control and configured to receive the control datum and generate an output datum. The system includes the actuator having a primary mode in which the actuator is configured to move the at least a portion of the electric aircraft as a function of the output datum and a fall back mode in which the actuator is configured to move the at least a portion of the aircraft as a function of the control datum. The actuator configured to receive the control datum, receive the output datum, detect a loss of communication with the flight controller, and select the fall back mode as a function of the detection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system of fall back flight control configured for use in electric aircraft, the system comprising:
at least a sensor configured to generate an autonomous operation input;
a flight controller, wherein the flight controller is configured to:
receive the autonomous operation input from the at least a sensor;
produce a control datum as a function of the received autonomous operation input;
generate an output datum as a function of the control datum;

an actuator, the actuator communicatively coupled to the flight controller the actuator having a primary mode in which the actuator is configured to move the at least a portion of the electric aircraft as a function of the output datum and a fall back mode in which the actuator is configured to move the at least a portion of the aircraft as a function of the control datum, the actuator further configured to:
receive the control datum from the flight controller;
receive the output datum from the flight controller;
detect a loss of communication with the flight controller using a timer module configured to time communications to and from the actuator; and
select the fall back mode as function of the time module.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller includes a manual override manipulation of an inceptor stick.

3. The system of claim 1 , The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller includes a manual override manipulation of a throttle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to detect, as a function of time, that communication with the flight controller is lost by determining a maximum amount of time without receiving the output datum from the flight controller.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the maximum time the actuator waits before detecting communication is lost with the flight controller is configurable.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the maximum time the actuator waits before detecting communication is lost with the flight controller is input by a user.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a servomotor.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a device configured to convert electrical signals into mechanical movement.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the aircraft includes a propulsor.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the aircraft includes a control surface.

11. A method of fall back flight control configured for use in electric aircraft, the method comprising:
generating, by at least a sensor, an autonomous operation input;
receiving, by a flight controller, the autonomous operation input from the at least a sensor;
producing, by the flight controller, a control datum as a function of the autonomous operation input;
generating, by the flight controller, an output datum as a function of the control datum;
receiving, at an actuator, the control datum from the flight controller;
receiving, at the actuator, the output datum from the flight controller;
detecting, at the actuator, as a function of time, loss of communication with the flight controller using a timer module configured to time communications to and from the actuator; and
selecting, by the actuator, the fall back mode as a function of the timer module.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the output datum is manually overridden as a function of an inceptor stick.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the output datum is manually overridden as a function of a throttle.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein detecting, at the actuator, as a function of time, loss of communication with the flight controller further comprises detecting as a function of determining a maximum amount of time without receiving the output datum from the flight controller.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining a maximum amount of time without receiving the output datum from the flight controller is configurable.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining a maximum amount of time without receiving the output datum from the flight controller is input by a user.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the actuator includes a servomotor.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the actuator includes a device configured to convert electrical signals into mechanical movement.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least a portion of the aircraft includes a propulsor.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least a portion of the aircraft includes a control surface.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Richter Timothy Gerard
• Giroux Andrew
• Trovato Joseph
• Townsend Chris

Classifications

• B64D31/06

  actuated automatically · CPC title

• B64D27/34

  All-electric aircraft · CPC title

• B64D31/16

  for electric power plants · CPC title

• B64C13/505 Primary

  having duplication or stand-by provisions · CPC title

• B64C13/042

  operated by hand · CPC title