System of an electric aircraft with pitch control using an elevator
A system of an electric aircraft with pitch control using an elevator is presented. In some embodiments, the electric aircraft may include an elevator configured to deflect. In some embodiments, the electric aircraft may further include a lift lever configured to generate a lift command upon activation by a pilot. In some embodiments, the electric aircraft may further include a flight controller communicatively connected with the lift lever and the elevator, wherein the flight controller is configured to receive the lift command from the lift lever and adjust the elevator as a function of the lift command.
1 . A system of an electric aircraft comprising:
a plurality of vertical lift propulsors driven by one or more electric motors;
an elevator coupled with an actuator that causes the elevator to deflect to adjust a pitch of the electric aircraft;
a lift lever configured to receive an input and output a command in response to the input, wherein the command controls a collective output from the plurality of vertical lift propulsors; and
a flight controller communicatively connected with the lift lever and the elevator, wherein the flight controller is configured to:
control, by providing a signal to one or more of the plurality of vertical lift propulsors, a change to a collective thrust generated by the plurality of vertical lift propulsors in response to the command, wherein the command comprises a lift command including a command to increase a drag of the electric aircraft and wherein the flight controller is further configured to provide the signal to incrementally adjust a deflection of the elevator in response to the lift command to change a lift of the electric aircraft until a drag coefficient associated with the electric aircraft is increased by an amount that causes a speed of the electric aircraft to drop below a value associated with safe transition to vertical flight; and
cause, by providing a signal to the actuator, the elevator to deflect simultaneously as at least one of the plurality of vertical lift propulsors is activated.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to:
generate a thrust command in response to the command; and
transmit the thrust command to the one or more of the plurality of vertical lift propulsors.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is configured to provide the signal to cause the elevator to deflect simultaneously with and in proportion to the lift lever.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to:
control a differential thrust to the plurality of vertical lift propulsors to vary an attitude of the electric aircraft; and
control, by providing a signal to the actuator, the elevator as a function of an altitude control of the electric aircraft.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
deflection of the elevator is controlled in part by the flight controller in response to angular deflection of the lift lever; and
the elevator deflects downward in response to upward movement of the lift lever.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein deflection of the elevator is further controlled in part by the flight controller in response to attitude commands to control an attitude of the electric aircraft.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to generate a thrust command as a function of the command, wherein the thrust command is proportional to the command.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the lift lever comprises a linear thrust control and the thrust command is generated as a function of the linear thrust control.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to cause the elevator to deflect downward in response to upward movement of the lift lever.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the lift lever includes a resistance mechanism configured to resist rotation of the lift lever.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the resistance mechanism is configured to increase resistance against rotation of the lift lever in response to a linear thrust control of the lift lever being actuated.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein increasing the drag coefficient includes causing the elevator to be deflected at least 15 degrees with respect to a wing on which the elevator is coupled to.
13 . A method for controlling pitch of an electric aircraft comprising:
receiving, using a flight controller of the electric aircraft, a lift command including a command to increase a drag of the electric aircraft from a lift lever of the electric aircraft wherein:
the electric aircraft comprises a plurality of vertical lift propulsors driven by one or more electric motors; and
the flight controller is configured to control a thrust of the plurality of vertical lift propulsors in response to the lift command;
adjusting, using the flight controller, an elevator of the electric aircraft as a function of the lift command;
incrementally adjusting, by the flight controller, a deflection of the elevator to change a lift of the electric aircraft until a drag coefficient associated with the electric aircraft is increased by an amount that causes a speed of the electric aircraft to drop below a value associated with safe transition to vertical flight; and
causing, by providing a signal to an actuator, the elevator to deflect simultaneously as at least one of the plurality of vertical lift propulsors is activated.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
generating, using the flight controller, a thrust command as a function of the lift command; and
transmitting, using the flight controller, the thrust command to the plurality of vertical lift propulsors.
15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising
initiating, by the flight controller, rotation of the plurality of vertical lift propulsors.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the flight controller is configured to cause the elevator to deflect simultaneously with and in proportion to the lift command.
17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating a thrust command as a function of the lift command wherein the thrust command comprises a forward thrust command, and wherein:
the lift lever comprises a linear thrust control; and
the thrust command is generated as a function of the linear thrust control.
18 . An electric aircraft comprising:
a fuselage;
a plurality of lateral elements that extends from the fuselage;
a plurality of vertical lift propulsors driven by one or more electric motors, the plurality of vertical lift propulsors coupled to corresponding ones of the plurality of lateral elements;
an elevator deflected by an actuator to adjust a pitch of the fuselage;
a lift lever configured to receive an input indicative of an altitude control and output a command in response to the input, wherein the command controls a collective output from the plurality of vertical lift propulsors; and
a flight controller communicatively connected with the lift lever and the elevator, wherein the flight controller is configured to:
control, by providing a signal to the plurality of vertical lift propulsors, an altitude of the electric aircraft;
cause, by providing a signal to the actuator, the elevator to deflect simultaneously as at least one of the plurality of vertical lift propulsors is activated; and
incrementally adjust a deflection of the elevator in response to the command to change a lift of the electric aircraft until a drag coefficient associated with the electric aircraft is increased by an amount that causes a speed of the electric aircraft to drop below a value associated with safe transition to vertical flight.
19 . The electric aircraft of claim 18 , further comprising a forward propulsor coupled to the fuselage and driven by at least one of the one or more electric motors.
20 . The electric aircraft of claim 18 , wherein the command comprises a lift command and wherein the flight controller is further configured to
cause the elevator to deflect simultaneously with and in proportion to a change of a thrust rate of the one or more of the plurality of vertical lift propulsors.