Autonomous propulsion apparatus and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016009404-A1
Application number	US-201314076797-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 11, 2013
Priority date	Nov 11, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Autonomous propulsion apparatus and methods are disclosed. An example autonomous propulsion unit includes a flight controller capable of executing flight control instructions stored in a memory of the autonomous propulsion unit; and a propulsor to generate propulsion in accordance with the instructions for a payload carrier to which the autonomous propulsion unit is coupled, wherein the flight controller is to provide flight control for the propulsor in an absence of flight control instructions from the payload carrier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An autonomous propulsion unit, comprising:
a flight controller capable of executing flight control instructions stored in a memory of the autonomous propulsion unit; and a propulsor to generate propulsion in accordance with the instructions for a payload carrier to which the autonomous propulsion unit is coupled, wherein the flight controller is to provide flight control for the propulsor in an absence of flight control instructions from the payload carrier.

2 . An autonomous propulsion unit as defined in claim 1 , wherein the memory includes a first flight control program corresponding to a first aircraft configuration and a second flight control program corresponding to a second aircraft configuration.

3 . An autonomous propulsion unit as defined in claim 2 , wherein the first aircraft configuration includes a first arrangement of the autonomous propulsion unit and the payload carrier, and the second aircraft configuration includes a second arrangement of the autonomous propulsion unit and the payload carrier different from the first arrangement.

4 . An autonomous propulsion unit as defined in claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable aerodynamic surface, wherein the flight controller is capable of providing flight control for the aerodynamic surface in an absence of flight control instructions from the payload carrier.

5 . An autonomous propulsion unit as defined in claim 1 , further comprising an internal housing to carry an energy source, wherein the flight controller is to control use of the energy source by the propulsor in an absence of flight control instructions from the payload carrier.

6 . An autonomous propulsion unit as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a tilt mechanism to enable the propulsor to be positioned at different angles relative to the payload carrier, wherein the flight controller is to control the tilt mechanism in an absence of flight control instructions from the payload carrier.

7 . An aircraft, comprising:
a body; a first propulsion unit mounted to the body, the first propulsion unit including a first flight controller; and a second propulsion unit mounted to the body, the second propulsion unit including a second flight controller, wherein the first flight controller is to communicate with the second flight controller to provide flight capabilities to the body without receiving a flight control instruction from the body.

8 . An aircraft as defined in claim 7 , wherein the body does not include a flight control processing system.

9 . An aircraft as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first propulsion unit is removably mounted to the body.

10 . An aircraft as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first flight controller is designated as a master device and the second flight controller is designated as a slave device.

11 . An aircraft as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first and second propulsion units are sole sources of propulsion for the aircraft.

12 . An aircraft as defined in claim 7 , wherein the propulsion units are tiltable duct fans.

13 . An aircraft as defined in claim 7 , wherein the aircraft is removably coupled to a second aircraft such that the aircraft can be removed from the second aircraft mid-flight.

14 . An aircraft as defined in claim 13 , wherein the second aircraft includes a native flight controller.

15 . A method, comprising:
determining a configuration of an aircraft formed by an autonomous propulsion unit, wherein the configuration indicates a number of autonomous propulsion units mounted to a body; selecting a flight control program based on the determined configuration; and executing the selected flight control program to provide flight capability to the autonomous propulsion unit without receiving flight control instructions from the body.

16 . A method as defined in claim 15 , wherein the configuration indicates an arrangement of the autonomous propulsion units mounted to the body, and further comprising selecting the flight control program based on the determined arrangement.

17 . A method as defined in claim 15 , further comprising determining that the autonomous propulsion unit has been used to form a second aircraft having a second configuration different that the first configuration.

18 . A method as defined in claim 17 , further comprising selecting a second flight control program different than the first flight control program for the second aircraft, and executing the second flight control program to provide flight capability to the second aircraft.

19 . A method as defined in claim 15 , further comprising establishing communication between the autonomous propulsion unit and a second autonomous propulsion unit mounted to the body.

20 . A method as defined in claim 19 , wherein executing the selected flight control program comprises collaborating with the second autonomous propulsion unit.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Newman Daniel

Classifications

• B64D31/18

  for hybrid-electric power plants · CPC title

• B64D31/00

  Power plant control systems; Arrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft · CPC title

• F02K3/00 Primary

  Plants including a gas turbine driving a compressor or a ducted fan · CPC title

• B64C11/001

  Shrouded propellers · CPC title

• B64D31/06 Primary

  actuated automatically · CPC title