Electric vehicles with detachably coupled propulsion units
A vehicle that includes a communications interface that exchanges, with a propulsion unit that includes a battery, a first propeller, and a local flight controller, one or more decoupling communications associated with decoupling the propulsion unit and the vehicle and outputs a motor control signal. The vehicle further includes a central flight controller that obtains a reduced thrust allocation map with the first propeller removed and generates, using the reduced thrust allocation map, a motor control signal for a second propeller that is not included in the propulsion unit.
1. A propulsion unit system, comprising:
a battery;
a communications interface that is configured to exchange, with a vehicle that includes a central flight controller, one or more decoupling communications associated with decoupling the vehicle and the propulsion unit system;
a configuration controller that is configured to:
send, to an attachment interface, a release instruction associated with decoupling the vehicle and the propulsion unit system; and
configure a motor controller to be under the control of a local flight controller;
the local flight controller that is configured to generate a motor control signal for a first propeller; and
the motor controller that is configured to rotate the first propeller as commanded by the motor control signal.
2. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications interface is configured to exchange the one or more decoupling communications over a wireless communications channel.
3. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 , wherein the propulsion unit system further includes a tiltrotor such that the vehicle includes a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle.
4. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle further includes a docking point that communicates configuration information to the propulsion unit system; and
the propulsion unit system configures itself as specified by the configuration information.
5. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 further including a plurality of propellers.
6. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 further including a wing.
7. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 further including a wing, wherein a distal end of the wing is configured to detachably and serially couple to a distal end of a second wing included in a second propulsion unit system.