IP Library Granted Patent US 12,346,129
Granted Patent B2
US 12,346,129 · App. 18/074,350 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Systems and methods for wind compensation of an electric aircraft

Inventor: Collin Freiheit (Burlington, VT)
Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
G05D1/0825B64D43/00G05D1/0858G05D1/102
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,346,129
App. No.
18/074,350
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided in this disclosure is a system and methods for wind compensation of an electric aircraft. More specifically, provided in this disclosure is a controller of an aircraft configured to use a plant model for compensating for wind forces. The processor is configured to receive, from the sensor, at least a geographical datum of the electric aircraft.

Claims (36)

1. A system for an aircraft, the system comprising:

a sensor attached to the aircraft, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a geographical datum; and

a processor communicatively connected to the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive sensor data comprising the geographical datum from the sensor;

generate an optimal flight trajectory of the aircraft based on the geographical datum, wherein generating the optimal flight trajectory comprises:

generating, based on a geographical datum and by solving a plant model iteratively, the optimal flight trajectory;

generate, based on the optimal flight trajectory, an aircraft command, wherein the aircraft command is associated with a first change in at least one of a heading, a trim, a pitch, a roll, a yaw, or a thrust of the aircraft; and

control the aircraft based on the aircraft command, wherein controlling the aircraft based on the aircraft command causes one or more mechanical movements of the aircraft, the one or more mechanical movements being configured to cause the first change.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the geographical datum comprises coordinates of the aircraft.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the coordinates of the aircraft comprise local coordinates.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plant model is associated with one or more objective functions and the one or more objective functions comprises a pitch moment model.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plant model is associated with one or more objective functions and the one or more objective functions comprises a roll moment model.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plant model is associated with one or more objective functions and the one or more objective functions comprises a rotational transformation model.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein solving plant model comprises:

optimizing one or more objective functions associated with the plant model; and

solving the one or more objective functions.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plant model comprises a plurality of time-varying thrust coefficients.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plant model comprises a mass coefficient.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein solving the plant model comprises solving the plant model using a linear program.

11. A method for controlling an electric aircraftaircraft, the method comprising:

receiving sensor data comprising a geographical datum from a sensor communicatively connected to a processor;

generating, by the processor, an optimal flight trajectory of the electric aircraftaircraft based on the geographical datum, wherein generating the optimal flight trajectory comprises:

generating, based on the geographical datum and by solving a plant model iteratively, the optimal flight trajectory;

generating, based on the optimal flight trajectory, an aircraft command, wherein the aircraft command is associated with a first change in at least one of a heading, a trim, a pitch, a roll, a yaw, or a thrust of the aircraft; and

controlling the aircraft based on the aircraft command, wherein controlling the aircraft based on the aircraft command causes one or more mechanical movements of the aircraft, the one or more mechanical movements being configured to cause the first change.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the geographical datum further comprises receiving coordinates of the aircraft.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the coordinates of the aircraft comprises receiving local coordinates.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plant model is associated with a pitch moment model.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plant model is associated with a roll moment model.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plant model is associated with a rotational transformation model.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein solving the plant model comprises:

optimizing one or more objective functions associated with the plant model; and

solving the one or more objective functions.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plant model comprises a plurality of time-varying coefficients.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plant model comprises one or more mass coefficients.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein solving the plant model comprises solving the plant model using a linear program.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2024
From: FREIHEIT, COLLIN
To: BETA AIR, LLC
Reel/Frame 066897/0724 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17515420 · Oct 30, 2021
Related Publication 20230137649A1 · May 4, 2023
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