Methods and systems for flight control configured for use in an electric aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11822328-B2
Application number	US-202217972856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2022
Priority date	Mar 31, 2021
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A system for flight control configured for use in an electric aircraft includes a sensor configured to capture an input datum. The system includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and configured to detect an aircraft angle and an aircraft angle rate. The system includes a flight controller including an outer loop controller configured to receive the input datum from the sensor, receive the aircraft angle from the IMU, and generate a rate setpoint as a function of the input datum. The system includes an inner loop controller configured to receive the aircraft angle rate, receive the rate setpoint from the outer loop controller, and generate a moment datum as a function of the rate setpoint. The system includes a mixer configured to receive the moment datum, map vehicle level control torques, received from the inner loop controller, to actuator output and generate a motor command datum as a function of the torque allocation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for flight control configured for use in an electric aircraft, the system comprising:
at least a sensor, the at least a sensor configured to capture at least an input datum from a pilot;
an inertial measurement unit, the inertial measurement unit configured to:
detect at least an aircraft angle; and
detect at least an aircraft angle rate;

a flight controller, the flight controller comprising:
an outer loop controller, the outer loop controller configured to:
receive the at least an input datum from at least a sensor;
receive the at least an aircraft angle from the inertial measurement unit; and
generate a rate setpoint as a function of the at least an input datum;

an inner loop controller, the inner loop controller configured to:
receive the at least an aircraft angle rate;
receive the rate setpoint from the outer loop controller; and
generate a moment datum as a function of the rate setpoint; and

a mixer, the mixer configured to:
receive the moment datum;
map vehicle level control torques, received from the inner loop controller, to actuator output as a function of the moment datum; and
generate at least a motor command datum as a function of the torque allocation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a sensor is mechanically and communicatively connected to a throttle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a sensor is mechanically and communicatively connected to an inceptor stick.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a sensor is mechanically and communicatively connected to at least a foot pedal.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller further comprises a processor.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mixer further comprises a logic circuit.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mixer further comprises an inertia compensator.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner loop controller further comprises a lead-lag filter.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner loop controller further comprises an integrator.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the motor torque command is transmitted to a plurality of flight components.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electric aircraft is an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the torque allocation is determined as a function of a torque limit.

13. A method of flight control configured for use in electric aircraft, the method comprising:
capturing, at an at least a sensor, an input datum from a pilot;
detecting, at the inertial measurement unit, at least an aircraft angle;
detecting, at the inertial measurement unit, at least an aircraft angle rate;
receiving, at the outer loop controller, at least an input datum from the at least a sensor;
receiving, at the outer loop controller, the at least an aircraft angle from the inertial measurement unit;
generating, at the outer loop controller, a rate setpoint as a function of the at least an input datum;
receiving, at the inner loop controller, the at least an aircraft angle rate from the inertial measurement unit;
receiving, at the inner loop controller, the rate setpoint from the outer loop controller;
generating, at the inner loop controller, a moment datum as a function of the rate setpoint;
receiving, at a mixer, the moment datum;
mapping, at a mixer, vehicle level control torques, received from the inner loop controller, to actuator output; and generating, at the mixer, at least a motor command datum as a function of the torque allocation.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least a sensor is mechanically and communicatively connected to a throttle.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least a sensor is mechanically and communicatively connected to an inceptor stick.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least a sensor is mechanically and communicatively connected to at least a foot pedal.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the flight controller is implemented using a processor.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mixer is implemented using an electrical logic circuit.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mixer comprises an inertia compensator.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the inner loop controller comprises a lead-lag filter.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Moy Nicholas
• Auerbach Joshua E

Classifications

• B64D27/24

  using steam or spring force (jet aircraft B64D27/16) · CPC title

• G05D1/439

  on the runway during take-off or landing · CPC title

• G05D1/617

  Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards (arrangements for controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions therebetween G05D1/693; arrangements for reacting to or preventing system or operator failure G05D1/80) · CPC title

• G05D1/495

  to ensure stability · CPC title

• G05D2109/23

  Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft; Short take-off and landing [STOL, STOVL] aircraft · CPC title