SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AIRCRAFT FUNCTION PRIORITIZATION AND ALLOCATION
Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for flight control of aircrafts driven by electric propulsion systems and in other types of vehicles. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for command prioritization in an aircraft is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a pilot command, analyzing the pilot command to determine characteristics associated with the pilot command, wherein the characteristics to airspeed and climb of an aircraft, assigning weights to characteristics associated with the pilot command based on constraint data, determining priority of execution between airspeed and climb based on the weights assigned to the characteristics associated with the pilot command, calculating a correction factor to be applied to the characteristics associated with the pilot command based on determined priority and generating at least one actuator command to control the aircraft based on determined priority of execution.
1 - 20 . (canceled)
21 . A computer-implemented optimization method for controlling flight of an aircraft, the optimization method comprising:
receiving, using at least one hardware processor, one or more control inputs;
determining, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more constraints based on an engine status of each engine of the aircraft and an aircraft configuration;
computing, using the at least one hardware processor, a weighting factor representing a cost associated with execution of each control input of the received one or more control inputs, wherein the weighting factor is calculated based on a state of flight of the aircraft;
computing, using the at least one hardware processor, a set of one or more actuator commands by solving a minimization problem based on the received one or more control inputs, the determined one or more constraints, and the computed weighting factor associated with each control input to reduce an output of a cost function associated with the set of one or more actuator commands;
generating, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more state parameter commands based on the computed set of one or more actuator commands, the one or more state parameter commands comprising at least one force command or attitude command; and
controlling, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more flight control effectors of the aircraft based on the generated one or more state parameter commands.
22 . (canceled)
23 . The computer-implemented optimization method of claim 21 , wherein receiving the one or more control inputs comprises receiving at least one of a longitudinal control input or a vertical control input.
24 . The computer-implemented optimization method of claim 21 , wherein the one or more constraints are dynamic and based on at least one of an integrity threshold of at least one actuator of the aircraft, a failure scenario of at least one effector of the aircraft, or at least one limit from a flight envelope of the aircraft.
25 . The computer-implemented optimization method of claim 21 , wherein computing the set of one or more actuator commands comprises:
computing a Jacobian matrix indicative of force and moment changes with respect to each control input;
generating a set of actuator displacement vectors using a pseudo-inverse matrix of the Jacobian matrix; and
solving the minimization problem to produce a set of optimized actuator commands for controlling the one or more flight control effectors.
26 . The computer-implemented optimization method of claim 25 , wherein the solving the minimization problem to produce the set of optimized actuator commands further comprises solving a quadratic programming problem to minimize a cost function output associated with the set of actuator commands.
27 . The computer-implemented optimization method of claim 25 , wherein computing of the Jacobian matrix is based on at least one computerized aircraft model, wherein the at least one computerized aircraft model is based on the aircraft configuration and flight conditions of the aircraft.
28 . The computer-implemented optimization method of claim 21 , wherein the method is performed by at least one outer loop allocation function.
29 . An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
at least one wing mounted to the fuselage;
at least one stabilizer mounter to a rear of the fuselage;
a plurality of propellers mounted to the at least one wings, wherein at least one of the propellers is tiltable; and
a flight control system comprising at least one hardware processor configured to carry out operations comprising:
receiving, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more control inputs;
determining, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more constraints based on an engine status of each engine of the aircraft and an aircraft configuration;
computing, using the at least one hardware processor, a weighting factor representing a cost associated with execution of each control input of the received one or more control inputs, wherein the weighting factor is calculated based on a state of flight of the aircraft;
computing, using the at least one hardware processor, a set of one or more actuator commands by solving a minimization problem based on the received one or more control inputs, the determined one or more constraints, and the computed weighting factor associated with each control input to reduce an output of a cost function associated with the set of one or more actuator commands;
generating, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more state parameter commands based on the computed set of actuator commands, the one or more state parameter commands comprising at least one force command or attitude command; and
controlling, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more flight control effectors of the aircraft based on the generated one or more state parameter commands.
30 . A flight control system for outer loop allocation in an aircraft, the system comprising:
a plurality of actuators, each actuator coupled to at least one effector; and
at least one processor configured to:
receive one or more control inputs;
determine one or more constraints based on an engine status of each engine of the aircraft and an aircraft configuration;
compute a weighting factor representing a cost associated with execution of each control input of the received one or more control inputs, wherein the weighting factor is calculated based on a state of flight of the aircraft;
compute one or more forces and aircraft state parameters by solving a minimization problem based on the received one or more control inputs, the determined one or more constraints, and the computed weighting factor associated with each control input, the one or more aircraft state parameters comprising at least one force or aircraft attitude to reduce an output of a cost function associated with a set of one or more actuator commands;
generate a set of actuator commands based on the computed one or more forces and aircraft state parameters; and
control one or more flight control effectors of the aircraft based on the generated set of actuator commands.
31 . The system of claim 30 , further comprising a memory configured to store an aircraft model database.
32 . The system of claim 31 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
compute a Jacobian matrix indicative of force and moment changes with respect to each control input;
generate a set of actuator displacement vectors using a pseudo-inverse matrix of the Jacobian matrix; and
solve a minimization problem to produce a set of optimized actuator commands for controlling the one or more flight control effectors.
33 . The system of claim 32 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to compute the Jacobian matrix based on at least one aircraft model from the aircraft model database, wherein the at least one aircraft model is based on the aircraft configuration and flight conditions.
34 . (canceled)
35 . The system of claim 32 , wherein solving the minimization problem to produce the set of optimized actuator commands further comprises solving a quadratic programming problem to minimize a cost function output associated with the set of actuator commands.
36 . The system of claim 30 , wherein receiving the one or more control inputs comprises receiving at least one of a longitudinal control input or a vertical control input.
37 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the one or more constraints are dynamic and based on at least one of an integrity threshold of at least on actuator of the aircraft, a failure scenario of at least one effector of the aircraft, or at least one limit from a flight envelope of the aircraft.
38 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by at least one hardware processor, cause the at least one hardware processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more control inputs;
determining, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more constraints based on an engine status of each engine of an aircraft and an aircraft configuration;
computing, using the at least one hardware processor, a weighting factor representing a cost associated with execution of each control input of the received one or more control inputs, wherein the weighting factor is calculated based on a state of flight of the aircraft;
computing, using the at least one hardware processor, a set of one or more actuator commands by solving a minimization problem based on the received one or more control inputs, the determined one or more constraints, and the computed weighting factor associated with each control input to reduce an output of a cost function associated with the set of one or more actuator commands;
generating, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more state parameter commands based on the computed set of one or more actuator commands, the one or more state parameter commands comprising at least one force command or attitude command; and
controlling, using the at least one hardware processor, one or more flight control effectors of the aircraft based on the generated one or more state parameter commands.
39 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to:
compute a Jacobian matrix indicative of force and moment changes with respect to each control input;
generate a set of actuator displacement vectors using a pseudo-inverse matrix of the Jacobian matrix; and
solve the minimization problem to produce a set of optimized actuator commands for controlling the one or more flight control effectors.
40 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 39 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is configured to compute the Jacobian matrix based on at least one aircraft model from an aircraft model database, wherein the at least one aircraft model is based on the aircraft configuration and flight conditions.
41 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38 , wherein receiving the one or more control inputs comprises receiving at least one of a longitudinal control input or a vertical control input.
42 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38 , wherein the one or more constraints are dynamic and based on at least one of an integrity threshold of at least one actuator of the aircraft, a failure scenario of at least one effector of the aircraft, or at least one limit from a flight envelope of the aircraft.
43 . The aircraft of claim 29 , wherein receiving the one or more control inputs comprises receiving at least one of a longitudinal control input or a vertical control input.
44 . The aircraft of claim 29 , wherein the one or more constraints are dynamic and based on at least one of an integrity threshold of at least one actuator of the aircraft, a failure scenario of at least one effector of the aircraft, or at least one limit from a flight envelope of the aircraft.
45 . The aircraft of claim 29 , wherein computing the set of one or more actuator commands comprises:
computing a Jacobian matrix indicative of force and moment changes with respect to each control input;
generating a set of actuator displacement vectors using a pseudo-inverse matrix of the Jacobian matrix; and
solving the minimization problem to produce a set of optimized actuator commands for controlling the one or more flight control effectors.
46 . The aircraft of claim 45 , wherein solving the minimization problem to produce the set of optimized actuator commands further comprises solving a quadratic programming problem to minimize a cost function output associated with the set of actuator commands.
47 . The aircraft of claim 45 , wherein computing of the Jacobian matrix is based on at least one computerized aircraft model, wherein the at least one computerized aircraft model is based on the aircraft configuration and flight conditions of the aircraft.
48 . The aircraft of claim 29 , wherein the operations are performed by at least one outer loop allocation function of the flight control system.