System and method for unwanted force rejection and vehicle stability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016200420-A1
Application number	US-201514865706-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Sep 25, 2014
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aircraft comprising a fuselage and a plurality of wings. The fuselage may be positioned between a first wing and a second wing, wherein said first wing and said second wing each comprise (a) a plurality of sensors and (b) a plurality of flaperons. A flight controller may be configured to (1) receive measurement data from each of said plurality of sensors and, (2) independently actuate each of said plurality of flaperons.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage; a plurality of wings,
wherein the fuselage is positioned between a first wing and a second wing,
wherein said first wing and said second wing each comprise (a) a plurality of sensors and (b) a plurality of flaperons; and
a flight controller,
wherein the flight controller is configured to
(1) receive measurement data from each of said plurality of sensors and,
(2) independently actuate each of said plurality of flaperons.

2 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein said one or more of said plurality of sensors provide torque measurement data.

3 . The aircraft of claim 2 , wherein the flight controller is configured to detect an unwanted force imparted upon the aircraft via said one or more of said plurality of sensors.

4 . The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein, in response to a detection of an unwanted force, the flight controller actuates one or more of said plurality of flaperons so as to counter the effect of the unwanted force.

5 . The aircraft of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is a strain gauge.

6 . The aircraft of claim 5 , wherein said strain gauge is a fiber optic strain gauge embedded within a groove of said first wing or said second wing.

7 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein said first and second wings are fabricated using Fused Deposition Modeling.

8 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of sensors are positioned along the leading edge of said first and second wings.

9 . The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein said flight controller uses spatial weighting patterns to convert instantaneous strain patterns to feedback commands.

10 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein said flight controller uses an optimization routine to choose a deflections for each of said plurality of flaperon to achieve a desired wing profile for said first wing or said second wing.

11 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein a separator is positioned between said fuselage and said first wing or said second wing, said separator having a sensor positioned thereon.

12 . The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein said sensor is a strain gauge.

13 . The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein said separator is fabricated using a grade G-10 phenolic material.

14 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein said one or more of said plurality of sensors are positioned on the leading edge of said first and second wings.

Assignees

• Aurora Flight Sciences Corp

Inventors

• Mckenna Terrence
• Humbert J Sean
• Thompson Rhoe Anthony

Classifications

• B64C13/16 Primary

  actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors · CPC title

• B64C3/56

  Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft · CPC title

• B64C9/18

  by single flaps · CPC title

• B64U30/10

  Wings · CPC title

• B64U10/25

  Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) · CPC title