Automated aircraft recovery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11947352-B2
Application number	US-202117558170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2021
Priority date	Jul 11, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

Sensor data that includes or more of the following: (1) aircraft state information associated with an aircraft or (2) parachute canopy state information associated with a parachute canopy is received. The parachute canopy is coupled to the aircraft at a point aft of a center of mass of the aircraft. It is determined, based at least in part on the sensor data, whether to generate a control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into a nose-up position. A recovery action is performed, including by deploying the parachute canopy; wherein a load on the parachute canopy is reduced in the event the aircraft is in the nose-up position compared to the aircraft being in a nose-down position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an interface configured to receive sensor data from a sensor, wherein the sensor data includes or more of the following: (1) aircraft state information associated with an aircraft or (2) parachute canopy state information associated with a parachute canopy;
the parachute canopy, wherein the parachute canopy is coupled to the aircraft at a point aft of a center of mass of the aircraft; and
a processor configured to:
determine, based at least in part on the sensor data, whether to generate a control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into a nose-up position, and
perform a recovery action, including by deploying the parachute canopy, wherein a load on the parachute canopy is reduced in the event the aircraft is in the nose-up position compared to the aircraft being in a nose-down position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the parachute canopy state information includes an indication associated with a failure of a first parachute canopy;
it is determined to generate the control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into the nose-up position in response to the indication associated with the failure of the first parachute canopy; and
the parachute canopy that is deployed as part of performing the recovery action is a second parachute canopy.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the parachute canopy state information includes an indication associated with a failure of a first parachute canopy;
the failure of the first parachute canopy includes one or more of the following: a rip in the first parachute canopy or a collapse of the first parachute canopy;
it is determined to generate the control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into the nose-up position in response to the indication associated with the failure of the first parachute canopy; and
the parachute canopy that is deployed as part of performing the recovery action is a second parachute canopy.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the parachute canopy state information includes an indication associated with a failure of a first parachute canopy;
it is determined to generate the control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into the nose-up position in response to the indication associated with the failure of the first parachute canopy;
the first parachute canopy includes a high-altitude and high-speed parachute canopy that is deployed in response to the aircraft state information exceeding both an altitude threshold and a speed threshold;
the parachute canopy that is deployed as part of performing the recovery action is a second parachute canopy.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the parachute canopy state information includes an indication associated with a failure of a first parachute canopy;
it is determined to generate the control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into the nose-up position in response to the indication associated with the failure of the first parachute canopy;
the parachute canopy that is deployed as part of performing the recovery action is a second parachute canopy; and
the second parachute canopy is deployed while the aircraft is maneuvered into the nose-up position.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein performing the recovery action further includes changing a flight path of the aircraft to compensate for a limitation of the second parachute canopy.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein performing the recovery action further includes changing a flight path of the aircraft to compensate for a limitation of the second parachute canopy, including by changing the flight path of the aircraft to avoid an object with a potential to snag a suspension line that is coupled to the second parachute canopy.

8. A method, comprising:
providing an interface configured to receive sensor data from a sensor, wherein the sensor data includes or more of the following: (1) aircraft state information associated with an aircraft or (2) parachute canopy state information associated with a parachute canopy;
providing the parachute canopy, wherein the parachute canopy is coupled to the aircraft at a point aft of a center of mass of the aircraft; and
providing a processor configured to:
determine, based at least in part on the sensor data, whether to generate a control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into a nose-up position, and
perform a recovery action, including by deploying the parachute canopy, wherein a load on the parachute canopy is reduced in the event the aircraft is in the nose-up position compared to the aircraft being in a nose-down position.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the parachute canopy state information includes an indication associated with a failure of a first parachute canopy;
it is determined to generate the control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft is into the nose-up position in response to the indication associated with the failure of the first parachute canopy; and
the parachute canopy that is deployed as part of performing the recovery action is a second parachute canopy.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the parachute canopy state information includes an indication associated with a failure of a first parachute canopy;
the failure of the first parachute canopy includes one or more of the following: a rip in the first parachute canopy or a collapse of the first parachute canopy;
it is determined to generate the control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into the nose-up position in response to the indication associated with the failure of the first parachute canopy; and
the parachute canopy that is deployed as part of performing the recovery action is a second parachute canopy.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the parachute canopy state information includes an indication associated with a failure of a first parachute canopy;
it is determined to generate the control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into the nose-up position in response to the indication associated with the failure of the first parachute canopy;
the first parachute canopy includes a high-altitude and high-speed parachute canopy that is deployed in response to the aircraft state information exceeding both an altitude threshold and a speed threshold;
the parachute canopy that is deployed as part of performing the recovery action is a second parachute canopy.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the parachute canopy state information includes an indication associated with a failure of a first parachute canopy;
it is determined to generate the control signal associated with maneuvering the aircraft into the nose-up position in response to the indication associated with the failure of the first is parachute canopy;
the parachute canopy that is deployed as part of performing the recovery action is a second parachute canopy; and
the second parachute canopy is deployed while the aircraft is maneuvered into the nose-up position.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the recovery action further includes changing a flight path of the aircraft to compensate for a limitation of the second parachute canopy.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the recovery action further includes changing a flight path of the aircraft to compensate for a limitation of the second parachute canopy, including by changing the flight path of the aircraft to avoid an object with a potential to snag a suspension line that is coupled to the second parachute canopy.

15. An aircraft, comprising:
a sensor configured to generate sensor data, wherein the sensor data includ

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Robertson Cameron
• Roop Joseph
• Reichert Todd
• Vander Lind Damon

Classifications

• G05D1/665 Primary

  Releasing payloads, e.g. parachutes · CPC title

• G05D1/0061 Primary

  for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa · CPC title

• B64D17/54

  automatic · CPC title

• B64D17/62

  Deployment · CPC title

• B64D17/80 Primary

  in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof · CPC title