Granted Patent B2

US 12,725,843 · App. 17/364,442 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Gregor Veble Mikic (Santa Cruz, CA); Joeben Bevirt (Santa Cruz, CA); Alex Stoll (Santa Cruz, CA); Brian Matthew Uznanski (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Joby Aero, Inc.

H01M10/48B60L50/60B60L58/12B60L58/24B64D27/34B64D27/357B64D31/06B64D31/16G05D1/101H01M10/44H01M10/613H01M10/615H01M10/625H01M10/6556H01M10/663B60L2200/10H01M2220/20H02J7/82

Abstract

Claims (66)

1 . A method for landing an electrically powered tiltrotor aircraft in a deep discharge battery condition said tiltrotor aircraft comprising rotors and a battery or batteries, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a landing approach mode, wherein said landing approach mode is a vertical landing approach mode;

determining a descent trajectory;

beginning a descent with rotors in a hover configuration, said rotors having a front side and a back side opposite said front side, wherein said front side of said rotors face forward when said aircraft is in a forward flight mode and the rotors are in a forward configuration, and wherein said front side of said rotors face upwards when said rotors are in a hover configuration;

descending the aircraft with the rotors in a hover configuration such that the airflow flows up through the rotor blades of said rotors from the back side of said rotors;

preparing the battery or batteries for flare control, wherein the step of preparing the battery or batteries for flare control comprises heating up the battery by 10-20° C. prior to the step of arresting the aircraft motion;

controlling the aircraft descent rate; and

arresting the aircraft motion wherein arresting the aircraft motion comprises using an arresting flare, said arresting flare providing a burst of power prior to touchdown.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of arresting the vehicle motion further comprises the steps of:

determining a translational velocity of the aircraft;

determining a maximum instantaneous power of the battery or batteries; and

controlling the rotors at up to the maximum instantaneous power to arrest a vertical rate of the aircraft.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining a landing approach mode.

4 . A method for landing an electrically powered tiltrotor aircraft in a deep discharge battery condition said aircraft comprising rotors and a battery or batteries, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a landing approach mode, wherein said landing approach mode is a vertical landing approach mode;

beginning a descent with rotors in a hover configuration, said rotors having a front side and a back side opposite said front side, wherein said front side of said rotors face forward when said aircraft is in a forward flight mode and the rotors are in a forward configuration, and wherein said front side of said rotors face upwards when said rotors are in a hover configuration;

descending the aircraft with the rotors in a hover configuration such that the airflow flows up through the rotor blades of said rotors from the back side of said rotors;

preparing the battery or batteries for flare control, wherein the step of preparing the battery or batteries for flare control comprises idling the battery;

controlling the aircraft descent rate; and

arresting the aircraft motion wherein arresting the aircraft motion comprises using an arresting flare, said arresting flare providing a burst of power prior to touchdown.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the step of arresting the vehicle motion further comprises the steps of:

determining a translational velocity of the aircraft;

determining a maximum instantaneous power of the battery or batteries; and

controlling the rotors at up to the maximum instantaneous power to arrest a vertical rate of the aircraft.

6 . A method for landing an electrically powered tiltrotor aircraft in a deep discharge battery condition, said aircraft comprising rotors and a battery or batteries, said rotors comprising propellers with a plurality of variable pitch blades, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a landing approach mode, wherein said landing approach mode is a vertical landing approach mode;

determining a descent trajectory;

beginning a descent with rotors in a hover configuration, said rotors having a front side and a back side opposite said front side, wherein said front side of said rotors face forward when said aircraft is in a forward flight mode and the rotors are in a forward configuration, and wherein said front side of said rotors face upwards when said rotors are in a hover configuration;

descending the aircraft with the rotors in a hover configuration such that the airflow flows up through the rotor blades of said rotors from the back side of said rotors;

preparing the battery or batteries for flare control, wherein the step of preparing the battery or batteries for flare control comprises:

selecting a blade pitch angle for regenerating energy during the descent; and

regenerating energy using the rotors of the aircraft;

controlling the aircraft descent rate; and

arresting the aircraft motion wherein arresting the aircraft motion comprises using an arresting flare, said arresting flare providing a burst of power prior to touchdown.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the step of arresting the vehicle motion further comprises the steps of:

determining a translational velocity of the aircraft;

determining a maximum instantaneous power of the battery or batteries; and

controlling the rotors at up to the maximum instantaneous power to arrest a vertical rate of the aircraft.

8 . A method for landing an electrically powered tiltrotor vertical take-off and landing aircraft, said aircraft comprising rotors and a battery or batteries, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a landing approach mode, wherein said landing approach mode is a vertical landing approach mode;

determining satisfaction of a deep discharge condition;

determining a descent trajectory;

beginning a descent with rotors in a hover configuration, said rotors having a front side and a back side opposite said front side, wherein said front side of said rotors face forward when said aircraft is in a forward flight mode and the rotors are in a forward configuration, and wherein said front side of said rotors face upwards when said rotors are in a hover configuration;

descending the aircraft with the rotors in a hover configuration such that the airflow flows up through the rotor blades of said rotors from the back side of said rotors;

preparing the battery or batteries for flare control;

controlling the vehicle descent rate; and

arresting the aircraft motion wherein arresting the aircraft motion comprises using an arresting flare, said arresting flare providing a burst of power prior to touchdown.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the step of preparing the battery or batteries for flare control comprises thermally conditioning the battery prior to the step of arresting the vehicle motion.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the step of preparing the battery or batteries for flare control comprises idling the battery.

11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the step of preparing the battery or batteries for flare control comprises regenerating energy using the rotors of the aircraft.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the step of determining satisfaction of a deep discharge condition comprises a determination that there is no significant hover time remaining.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the step of arresting the vehicle motion further comprises the steps of:

determining a translational velocity of the aircraft;

determining a maximum instantaneous power of the battery or batteries; and

controlling the rotors at up to the maximum instantaneous power to arrest a vertical rate of the aircraft.

14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

determining a landing approach mode; and

determining a descent trajectory.

15 . The method of claim 8 wherein the step of determining satisfaction of a deep discharge condition comprises a determination that there is no significant hover time remaining.

16 . The method of claim 8 wherein the step of arresting the vehicle motion further comprises the steps of:

determining a translational velocity of the aircraft;

determining a maximum instantaneous power of the battery or batteries; and

controlling the rotors at up to the maximum instantaneous power to arrest a vertical rate of the aircraft.

17 . The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

determining a landing approach mode; and

determining a descent trajectory.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (16)