IP Library Granted Patent US 12,235,657
Granted Patent B2
US 12,235,657 · App. 18/199,580 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

System and method for producing a control signal of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft

Inventor: Herman Wiegman (Essex Junction, VT)
Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
G05D1/102B64C29/0008B64D27/24B64D47/02G05D1/0011
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,235,657
App. No.
18/199,580
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for producing a control signal of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft includes a flight controller configured to obtain a requested aircraft force, generate an optimal command mix, wherein the optimal command mix includes a plurality of commands to a plurality of actuators as a function of the requested aircraft force, wherein generating further comprises receiving an ideal actuator model includes at least a performance parameter, producing a model datum as a function of the ideal actuator model, and generating the optimal command mix as a function of the request aircraft force and the model datum, and produce a control signal as a function of the optimal command mix.

Claims (59)

1. An electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with dedicated lift thrusters, the eVTOL aircraft comprising:

a fuselage;

a boom, wherein the boom extends parallel to the fuselage;

a first flight component coupled to a first actuator, wherein the first flight component comprises a lift component configured to provide lift to the eVTOL aircraft, wherein the first flight component is attached to the boom;

a second flight component coupled to a second actuator; and

a flight controller communicatively connected to the eVTOL aircraft, wherein the flight controller is configured to:

obtain a requested aircraft force;

generate a command mix, wherein the command mix includes a plurality of commands to a plurality of actuators as a function of the requested aircraft force, wherein generating the command mix further comprises:

receiving an actuator model including at least a performance parameter;

producing a model datum as a function of the actuator model; and

generating the command mix as a function of the requested aircraft force and the model datum; and

produce a control signal as a function of the command mix, wherein the control signal comprises:

a first command directed to the first actuator; and

a second command directed to the second actuator.

2. The eVTOL aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the second flight component comprises a longitudinal thrust component configured to provide a forward thrust to the eVTOL aircraft.

3. The eVTOL aircraft of claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal thrust component is attached to a tail end of the fuselage.

4. The eVTOL aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the performance parameter comprises an airspeed.

5. The eVTOL aircraft of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the requested aircraft force comprises obtaining the requested aircraft force as a function of a collective control.

6. The eVTOL aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising a laterally extending element attached to the fuselage, wherein the boom is attached to the laterally extending element.

7. The eVTOL aircraft of claim 6 , wherein:

the second flight component comprises a second lift component configured to provide lift to the eVTOL aircraft;

the first flight component is attached to a first end of the boom; and

the second flight component is attached to a second end of the boom.

8. The eVTOL aircraft of claim 1 , wherein generating the command mix further comprises determining an effectivity element, wherein determining the effectivity element further comprises identifying an effectiveness of a flight component.

9. The eVTOL aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the second flight component comprises an aileron.

10. The eVTOL aircraft of claim 1 , wherein producing the control signal further comprises generating an autonomous function configured to enact the control signal automatically.

11. A method for producing a signal of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the method comprising:

obtaining an eVTOL aircraft, the eVTOL aircraft comprising:

a fuselage;

a boom, wherein the boom extends parallel to the fuselage;

a first flight component coupled to a first actuator, wherein the first flight component comprises a lift component configured to provide lift to the eVTOL aircraft, wherein the first flight component is attached to the boom;

a second flight component coupled to a second actuator;

obtaining, by a flight controller of the eVTOL aircraft, a requested aircraft force; generating, by the flight controller, a command mix, wherein the command mix includes a plurality of commands to a plurality of actuators as a function of the requested aircraft force, wherein generating the command mix further comprises:

receiving an actuator model including at least a performance parameter; producing a model datum as a function of the actuator model; and

generating the command mix as a function of the requested aircraft force and the model datum; and

producing, by the flight controller, a control signal as a function of the command mix, wherein the control signal comprises:

a first command directed to the first actuator; and

a second command directed to the second actuator.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second flight component comprises a longitudinal thrust component configured to provide a forward thrust to the eVTOL aircraft.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the longitudinal thrust component is attached to a tail end of the fuselage.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the performance parameter comprises an airspeed.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein obtaining the requested aircraft force comprises obtaining the requested aircraft force as a function of a collective control.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the eVTOL aircraft further comprises a laterally extending element attached to the fuselage, wherein the boom is attached to the laterally extending element.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the second flight component comprises a second lift component configured to provide lift to the eVTOL aircraft;

the first flight component is attached to a first end of the boom; and

the second flight component is attached to a second end of the boom.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the command mix further comprises determining an effectivity element, wherein determining the effectivity element further comprises identifying an effectiveness of a flight component.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second flight component comprises an aileron.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein producing the control signal further comprises generating an autonomous function configured to enact the control signal automatically.

21. An electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, comprising:

a plurality of electric propulsion motors;

a first flight component coupled to a first one of the plurality of electric propulsion motors, wherein the first flight component comprises a lift component configured to provide lift to the eVTOL aircraft;

a second flight component coupled to a second one of the plurality of electric propulsion motors; and

a flight controller, wherein the flight controller is configured to:

obtain a requested aircraft force; and

generate a command mix, wherein the command mix includes a plurality of commands to the plurality of electric propulsion motors as a function of the requested aircraft force, wherein generating the command mix includes:

generating the command mix as a function of the requested aircraft force and an actuator model; and

producing control signals as a function of the command mix, wherein the control signals include a first command directed to the first one of the plurality of electric propulsion motors and a second command directed to the second one of the plurality of electric propulsion motors.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2024
From: WIEGMAN, HERMAN
To: BETA AIR, LLC
Reel/Frame 066901/0474 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17852133 · Jun 28, 2022
Continuation 17383572 · Jul 23, 2021
Related Publication 20240103534A1 · Mar 28, 2024
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