IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,427,305
Granted Patent B1
US 11,427,305 · App. 17/476,765 · Granted Aug 30, 2022

Methods and systems for flight control for managing actuators for an electric aircraft

Inventor: Herman Wiegman (Essex Junction, VT)
Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
B64C13/16B64C13/38B64D27/24G05B23/02G05B2219/45071G06N20/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,427,305
App. No.
17/476,765
Granted
Aug 30, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

A system for flight control for managing actuators for an electric aircraft is provided. The system includes a controller, wherein the controller is designed and configured to receive a sensor datum from at least a sensor, generate an actuator performance model as a function of the sensor datum, identify a defunct actuator of the electric aircraft as a function of the sensor datum and the actuator performance model, generate an actuator allocation command datum as a function of at least the actuator performance model and at least the identification of the defunct actuator, and perform a torque allocation as a function of the actuator allocation command datum.

Claims (33)

1. A system for flight control for managing actuators for an electric aircraft, the system comprising:

at least a torque sensor configured to detect a sensor datum, wherein the sensor datum comprises an actuator torque datum from at least one actuator of a plurality of lift propulsor actuators on an electric aircraft;

a controller, wherein the controller is designed and configured to:

generate an actuator performance model as a function of measured sensor data during at least a previous aircraft flight;

receive the sensor datum from the at least a torque sensor;

identify a defunct actuator of the plurality of lift propulsor actuators as a function of the sensor datum and the actuator performance model;

generate an actuator allocation command datum as a function of at least the actuator performance model and at least the identification of the defunct actuator, wherein the actuator allocation command datum comprises a command for a torque allocation to be applied to one or more actuators of the plurality of actuators; and

perform the torque allocation on the one or more actuators of the plurality of actuators as a function of the actuator allocation command datum.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor datum further comprises an input datum from a manipulation of a pilot input control and a flight datum describing logistical and/or physical parameters of the electric aircraft.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a sensor is disposed on at least an actuator of the electric aircraft.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises a flight simulator to simulate flight within an environment, wherein the flight simulator is configured to generate the actuator performance model.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate an expected actuator performance model which embodies ideal actuator performance on the electric aircraft.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the actuator performance model with the expected actuator performance model to identify the defunct actuator.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises an outer loop controller configured to generate a rate setpoint as a function of the sensor datum and the identification of the defunct actuator.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller further comprises an inner loop controller configured to generate a moment datum as a function of the rate setpoint.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller further comprises a mixer configured to at least generate the actuator allocation command datum.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein controller is further configured to use a machine-learning model to generate the actuator allocation command datum as an output using the actuator performance model and at least the sensor datum as inputs.

11. A method for flight control for managing actuators for an electric aircraft, the method comprising:

detecting, by a torque sensor, a sensor datum comprising an actuator torque datum from at least one actuator of a plurality of lift propulsor actuators on an electric aircraft;

generating, by a controller, an actuator performance model as a function of measured sensor data during at least a previous aircraft flight;

receiving, by a controller, a sensor datum from at least a torque sensor;

identifying, by a controller, a defunct actuator of the plurality of lift propulsor actuators as a function of the sensor datum and the actuator performance model;

generating, by a controller, an actuator allocation command datum as a function of at least the actuator performance model and at least the identification of the defunct actuator; and

performing, by a controller, the torque allocation on the one or more actuators of the plurality of actuators as a function of the actuator allocation command datum.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the sensor datum further comprises receiving an input datum from a manipulation of a pilot input control and a flight datum describing logistical and/or physical parameters of the electric aircraft.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the sensor datum further comprises the at least a sensor configured to be disposed on at least an actuator of the electric aircraft.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the controller further comprises a flight simulator to simulate flight within an environment, wherein the flight simulator is configured to generate the actuator performance model.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein generating the actuator performance model further comprises generating an expected actuator performance model as a function of the flight simulator, which embodies ideal actuator performance on the electric aircraft.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein identifying the defunct actuator further comprises comparing the actuator performance model with the expected actuator performance model.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises generating a rate setpoint by an outer loop controller as a function of the sensor datum the identification of the defunct actuator.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises generating a moment datum, by an inner loop controller, as a function of the rate setpoint.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises generating the actuator allocation command datum by a mixer.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the actuator allocation command further comprises using a machine-learning model to generate the actuator allocation command datum as an output using the actuator performance model and at least the sensor datum as inputs.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: WIEGMAN, HERMAN
To: BETA AIR LLC
Reel/Frame 068199/0472 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2021
From: WIEGMAN, HERMAN
To: BETA AIR, LLC
Reel/Frame 058230/0352 →
Cited By (4)
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