Ground vehicle-like control for remote control aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9268336-B2
Application number	US-201514839844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2015
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

A hand-held radio transmit controller for remotely controlling an aircraft, and a method for controlling a remote control aircraft offering ground vehicle-like control.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of remotely controlling an aircraft, comprising:
the aircraft receiving one or more an aircraft turn radius control signals from a transmit controller, the one or more turn radius control signals determining a turn radius of the aircraft;
an electronic state estimation process comprising estimating the attitude and speed of the aircraft;
an electronic steering control process comprising commanding a yaw rate and bank angle of the aircraft based at least in part on the speed estimate and the one or more turn radius control signals;
wherein the commanded yaw rate and bank angle cause the aircraft to turn with the turn radius; and
an electronic flight control process comprising controlling the aircraft to the commanded yaw rate and bank angle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a throttle control signal from the transmit controller, the throttle control signal determining at least forward/reverse speed or braking of the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing an electronic altitude control.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic steering control process comprises adjusting the commanded yaw rate and bank angle to maintain a substantially constant turn radius while the speed estimate varies.

5. A hand-held radio transmit controller for remotely controlling an aircraft, the controller comprising:
a trigger; and a rotatable knob;
wherein the radio transmit controller is configured to transmit one or more radio signals for controlling an aircraft, the one or more radio signals comprising:
one or more trigger signals corresponding at least to actuation of the trigger; and one or more rotatable knob signals corresponding at least to the position of the rotatable knob;
wherein the one or more trigger signals when transmitted control at least forward motion of an aircraft; and
wherein the one or more rotatable knob signals when transmitted control at least a turn radius of the aircraft;
wherein the one or more rotatable knob signals command a turn radius of the aircraft emulating a substantially constant turn radius of a ground vehicle;
wherein a plurality of the one or more rotatable knob signals command a plurality of predetermined turn radii of the aircraft, herein each of the plurality of predetermined turn radii of the aircraft corresponds to one of a plurality of rotational displacements of the rotatable knob, thereby simulating steering of a ground vehicle: and
wherein the predetermined turn radius of the aircraft for each of the plurality of rotational displacements of the rotatable knob corresponds to a steering profile of a ground vehicle, the steering profile comprising each of a plurality of turn radii values corresponding to one of a plurality of different rotational displacement values of the rotatable knob.

6. The hand-held radio transmit controller of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of the steering profiles electronically stored in and selectable for use by the transmit controller.

7. A method of remotely controlling an aircraft, comprising:
the aircraft receiving one or more aircraft turn radius control signals from a transmit controller, the one or more turn radius control signals determining a turn radius of the aircraft;
an electronic state estimation process comprising estimating the attitude and speed of the aircraft;
an electronic steering control process comprising commanding a yaw rate and bank angle of the aircraft based at least in part on the speed estimate and the one or more turn radius control signals;
wherein the commanded yaw rate and bank angle cause the aircraft to turn with the turn radius; and
wherein the electronic steering control process comprises holding the turn radius substantially constant during variation of at least the speed of the aircraft, thereby emulating steering of a ground vehicle with steered wheels.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electronic steering control process further comprises varying at least one or both of the yaw rate and bank angle of the aircraft as the estimated speed varies.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the commanded yaw rate and bank angle cause the aircraft to turn with the turn radius corresponding to a steering profile of a ground vehicle with steered wheels.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electronic steering control process further comprises varying the turn radius without variation of at least the speed of the aircraft, thereby emulating steering of a ground vehicle with steered wheels.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the electronic steering control process further comprises varying at least one or both of the yaw rate and bank angle of the aircraft while holding the speed constant.

Assignees

• Traxxas Lp

Inventors

• Erhart Wesley Ronald
• Schmitz Scott Rollin Michael
• Kawamura Thomas Michael
• Hohnholt Richard Douglas
• Poteet Kent

Classifications

• G05D1/0016 Primary

  characterised by the operator's input device (input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00) · CPC title

• A63H17/38

  actuated by hand · CPC title

• A63H30/00

  Remote-control arrangements specially adapted for toys, e.g. for toy vehicles (steering mechanisms for toy vehicles A63H17/36; for model railways A63H19/24, A63H19/28) · CPC title

• A63H30/04

  using wireless transmission · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title