Method of propulsor management in electric aircraft
A system and method for management of propulsors for an electric aircraft, where the electric aircraft is configured to transition between a hover state and a fixed-wing flight state. The electric aircraft may include at least one set of a plurality of propulsors coupled to the electric aircraft. A flight controller may be coupled to the electric aircraft and configured to detect a state transition of the electric aircraft from the hover state to the fixed-wing flight state and send a parking command to the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors.
1. A system for propulsion management of an electric aircraft, the system comprising:
an electric aircraft configured to transition between a hover state and a fixed-wing flight state;
at least one set of a plurality of propulsors coupled to the electric aircraft; and
a flight controller coupled to the electric aircraft, wherein the flight controller is configured to:
detect a state transition of the electric aircraft from the hover state to the fixed-wing flight state;
determine a minimal drag axis based on surrounding airflow of the electric aircraft; and
send a parking command to the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors, wherein the parking command causes a first inverter to move a first propulsor to a parked position aligned with the minimal drag axis.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electric aircraft includes an eVTOL aircraft.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors is aligned with the minimal drag axis of a direction of airflow.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the electric aircraft.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors further comprises two blades positioned opposite one another.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the minimal drag axis aligns along a path from one distal end of a first blade of the two blades to a second distal end of the second blade of the two blades.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is configured to send a command to the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors to unpark.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first set of inverters and a second set of inverters, wherein the parking command causes the first set of inverters to hold the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors in a parked position and the second set to generate zero torque.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is configured to send the parking command to park the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors within a 2-degree tolerance level.
10. A method of propulsor management of an electric aircraft, the method comprising:
selecting an electric aircraft configured to transition between a hover state and a fixed-wing flight state, wherein the electric aircraft has at least one set of a plurality of propulsors coupled to the electric aircraft;
determining a state of the electric aircraft via a flight controller, wherein the flight controller is configured to detect a state transition of the electric aircraft;
determining, via the flight controller, a minimal drag axis based on surrounding airflow of the electric aircraft; and
sending, via the flight controller, a parking command to the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors to move the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors into a parked position aligned with the minimal drag axis.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising moving, via at least a first set of inverters, at least one propulsor of the at least one set of propulsors into a parked position.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least first set of inverters is configured to apply a torque to the at least one propulsor in the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising a second set of inverters.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second set of inverters is configured to hold at least one propulsor of the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors in a fixed position.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors is aligned with the minimal drag axis of a direction of airflow.
16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the electric aircraft.
17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one set of a plurality of propulsors further comprises two blades positioned opposite one another.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the minimal drag axis aligns along a path from one distal end of a first blade of the two blades to a second distal end of the second blade of the two blades.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the minimum drag axis is angularly offset from a longitudinal axis of the electric aircraft.
20. The method of claim 10 , wherein the minimum drag axis is angularly offset from a longitudinal axis of the electric aircraft.