Systems and methods for remote pilot control of an electric aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12049310-B2
Application number	US-202218072112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2022
Priority date	Mar 22, 2022
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

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 a remote computing device, wherein the remote computing device is communicatively connected to a pilot control;
determine an authority status of the control datum, wherein the authority status comprises a level of control from a plurality of levels of control, that a user has over the electric aircraft, wherein the plurality of levels of control comprises a full level of control and a partial 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 , wherein the full level of control comprises full authority over the electric aircraft.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pilot control is located remotely from the electric aircraft.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to transmit the command datum to the remote computing device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein initiating an operation of the flight component of the electric aircraft comprises commanding at least an actuator to actuate the flight component as a function of the command datum.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to transmit the authority status to the remote computing device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the command datum, when authority status comprises the partial level of control, comprises:
generating a flight control algorithm; and
generating the command datum as a function of the command datum and the authority status.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller comprises a plurality of flight controllers.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of flight controllers comprises a first flight controller in a first location and a second flight controller in a second location.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control datum indicates a pilot's desire to change a heading of the electric aircraft.

11. A method for remote pilot control of an electric aircraft during autopilot, the method comprising:
receiving, by a flight controller of an electric aircraft, a control datum from a remote computing device, wherein the remote computing device is communicatively connected to a pilot control;
determining, by the flight controller, an authority status of the control datum, wherein the authority status comprises a level of control from a plurality of levels of control, that a user has over the electric aircraft, wherein the plurality of levels of control comprises a full level of control and a partial level of control;
generating, by the flight controller, a command datum as a function of the control datum and the authority status; and
initiating, by the flight controller, an operation of a flight component of the electric aircraft as a function of the command datum and the authority status.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the full level of control comprises full authority over the electric aircraft.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the pilot control is located remotely from the electric aircraft.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting, by the flight controller, the command datum to the remote computing device.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein initiating an operation of the flight component of the electric aircraft comprises commanding at least an actuator to actuate the flight component as a function of the command datum.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting, by the flight controller, the authority status to the remote computing device.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating, by the flight controller, the command datum, when authority status comprises the partial level of control, comprising:
generating a flight control algorithm; and
generating the command datum as a function of the command datum and the authority status.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the flight controller comprises a plurality of flight controllers.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of flight controllers comprises a first flight controller in a first location and a second flight controller in a second location.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the control datum indicates a pilot's desire to change heading of the electric aircraft.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Moy Nicholas
• Freiheit Collin
• Auerbach Joshua E

Classifications

• B64C39/024 Primary

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

• G05D1/223

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

• 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

• G05D1/0011

  associated with a remote control arrangement · CPC title