Flight control device and non-transitory computer readable medium storing flight control program
A technique controls a flight vehicle. In the technique, an operating mode for controlling the flight vehicle is set to one of normal modes when no abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle. The operating mode is changed to one of fail-safe modes causing the flight vehicle to perform landing depending on current one of the normal modes when an abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle.
1 . A flight control device for controlling a flight vehicle having an occupant compartment, the flight control device comprising:
at least one processor with a memory storing a flight control program, wherein
the at least one processor with the memory is configured to cause the flight control device to:
operate the flight vehicle in accordance with an operating mode;
set the operating mode for controlling the flight vehicle to one of normal modes when no abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle; and
change the operating mode to one of fail-safe modes causing the flight vehicle to perform landing depending on a current one of the normal modes when the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle, wherein:
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to operate in:
an abnormal-landing mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to perform vertical landing,
a resetting mode resetting a flight route to enable the flight vehicle having the abnormality to perform landing at a destination, and
a take-off restriction mode preventing the flight vehicle from performing take-off;
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to change the operating mode to the abnormal-landing mode, the resetting mode or the take-off restriction mode depending on the current one of the normal modes when the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle;
the normal modes include a take-off preparation mode causing the flight vehicle to perform take-off preparation;
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to:
change the operating mode to the take-off restriction mode in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the take-off preparation mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle;
output a notification of an inspection request for the flight vehicle based on the operating mode changed to the take-off restriction mode; and
receive a command of releasing the take-off restriction from an external controller to release the take-off restriction when the flight vehicle is diagnosed by the external controller as normal based on the inspection request.
2 . The flight control device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the normal modes include a vertical take-off mode causing the flight vehicle to perform vertical take-off; and
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to change the operating mode to the abnormal-landing mode when the operating mode is the vertical take-off mode and the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle.
3 . The flight control device according to claim 2 , wherein:
the abnormal-landing mode includes a forced landing mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to directly perform vertical landing; and
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to change the operating mode to the forced landing mode when the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle.
4 . The flight control device according to claim 2 , wherein:
the abnormal-landing mode includes
a temporary ascending mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to perform ascending and then perform vertical landing, the ascending includes ascending of the flight vehicle to a predetermined reference altitude or more, and
a direct landing mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to directly perform vertical landing; and
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to:
change the operating mode from the vertical take-off mode to the direct landing mode when the flight vehicle has reached the reference altitude in the vertical take-off mode and the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle; and
change the operating mode to the temporary ascending mode when the flight vehicle has not reached the reference altitude in the vertical take-off mode and the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle.
5 . The flight control device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the normal modes include a cruise mode causing the flight vehicle to perform cruising, and a hovering mode causing the flight vehicle to perform hovering; and
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to change the operating mode to the resetting mode when the operating mode is the cruise mode or the hovering mode and the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle.
6 . The flight control device according to claim 5 , wherein:
the flight vehicle is provided with a power storage device that stores electric power for flying of the flight vehicle; and
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to:
calculate a flight-possible range in which the flight vehicle is capable of flying with a remaining amount of the electric power remaining in the power storage device, and
reset the destination to be included in the flight-possible range.
7 . The flight control device according to claim 6 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to calculate the flight-possible range as a range in which the flight vehicle is capable of flying with an actual remaining amount that is obtained by subtracting a landing consumption amount of electric power from the electric power remaining amount, the landing consumption amount being an amount of electric power required for vertical landing of the flight vehicle.
8 . The flight control device according to claim 6 , wherein:
the flight vehicle includes drive devices that drive to rotate respective rotors of the flight vehicle; and
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to calculate the flight-possible range based on at least one of the drive devices when the abnormality has occurred in the at least one of the drive devices.
9 . The flight control device according to claim 6 , wherein:
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to:
search for a landing-possible place which is a place where the flight vehicle can land and is included in the flight-possible range; and
set the landing-possible place as the destination when the landing-possible place is found.
10 . The flight control device according to claim 5 , wherein:
the fail-safe modes include a search flight mode causing the flight vehicle to perform flying while searching for a landing-possible place where the flight vehicle can land; and
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to change the operating mode to the search flight mode when flight of the flight vehicle having the abnormality is possible.
11 . The flight control device according to claim 5 , wherein:
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to change the operating mode to the abnormal-landing mode to cause the flight vehicle to land on a place that is not the landing-possible place when flight of the flight vehicle having the abnormality is not possible.
12 . The flight control device according to claim 5 , wherein:
the normal modes include a vertical landing mode causing the flight vehicle to perform vertical landing;
the abnormal-landing mode includes a landing continuation mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to continue vertical landing; and
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to change the operating mode to the landing continuation mode when the operating mode is the vertical landing mode and the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle.
13 . The flight control device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to:
execute abnormality diagnosis to determine whether the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle, under a predetermined diagnostic condition; and
set the diagnostic condition based on the current one of the normal modes set as the operating mode.
14 . The flight control device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the flight vehicle is an electric aircraft and includes:
a rotor configured to rotate to drive the flight vehicle to perform flying, and
a drive device that includes a motor configured to be driven to rotate the rotor; and
the drive device is configured to drive the flight vehicle to perform flying.
15 . A flight control device for controlling a flight vehicle having an occupant compartment, the flight control device comprising:
at least one processor with a memory storing a flight control program, wherein
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to:
operate the flight vehicle in accordance with an operating mode;
set the operating mode for controlling the flight vehicle to one of normal modes when no abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle; and
change the operating mode to one of fail-safe modes causing the flight vehicle to perform landing depending on a current one of the normal modes when the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle, wherein:
the normal modes include:
a vertical take-off mode causing the flight vehicle to perform vertical take-off,
a vertical landing mode causing the flight vehicle to perform vertical landing,
a cruise mode causing the flight vehicle to perform cruising,
a hovering mode causing the flight vehicle to perform hovering, and
a take-off preparation mode causing the flight vehicle to perform take-off preparation;
the fail-safe modes include:
an abnormal-landing mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to perform vertical landing,
a resetting mode resetting a flight route to enable the flight vehicle having the abnormality to perform landing at a destination, and
a take-off restriction mode preventing the flight vehicle from performing take-off, and
a landing continuation mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to continue vertical landing;
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to change the operating mode to the abnormal-landing mode, the resetting mode, the take-off restriction mode or the landing continuation mode depending on the current one of the normal modes when the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle;
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to:
change the operating mode to the abnormal-landing mode in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the vertical take-off mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle;
change the operating mode to the landing continuation mode in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the vertical landing mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle;
change the operating mode to the resetting mode in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the cruise mode or the hovering mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle;
change the operating mode to the take-off restriction mode in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the take-off preparation mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle;
output a notification of an inspection request for the flight vehicle based on the operating mode changed to the take-off restriction mode; and
receive a command of releasing the take-off restriction from an external controller to release the take-off restriction when the flight vehicle is diagnosed by the external controller as normal based on the inspection request,
the flight vehicle is provided with a power storage device that stores electric power for flying of the flight vehicle; and
the at least one processor is configured to cause the flight control device to:
calculate a flight-possible range in which the flight vehicle is capable of flying with a remaining amount of the electric power remaining in the power storage device,
search for a landing-possible place which is a place where the flight vehicle can land and is included in the flight-possible range, and
set the landing-possible place as the destination when the landing-possible place is found.
16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a flight control program for controlling a flight vehicle having an occupant compartment, the program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out:
operating the flight vehicle in accordance with an operating mode;
setting the operating mode for controlling the flight vehicle to one of normal modes when no abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle; and
changing the operating mode to one of fail-safe modes causing the flight vehicle to perform landing depending on a current one of the normal modes when the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle, wherein:
the fail-safe modes include
an abnormal-landing mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to perform vertical landing,
a resetting mode resetting a flight route to enable the flight vehicle having the abnormality to perform landing at a destination, and
a take-off restriction mode preventing the flight vehicle from performing take-off;
the changing includes changing the operating mode to the abnormal-landing mode, the resetting mode or the take-off restriction mode depending on the current one of the normal modes when the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle,
the normal modes include a take-off preparation mode causing the flight vehicle to perform take-off preparation;
the changing includes:
changing the operating mode to the take-off restriction mode in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the take-off preparation mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle;
outputting a notification of an inspection request for the flight vehicle based on the operating mode changed to the take-off restriction mode; and
receiving a command of releasing the take-off restriction from an external controller to release the take-off restriction when the flight vehicle is diagnosed by the external controller as normal based on the inspection request.
17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a flight control program for controlling a flight vehicle having an occupant compartment, the program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out:
operating the flight vehicle in accordance with an operating mode;
setting the operating mode for controlling the flight vehicle to one of normal modes when no abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle; and
changing the operating mode to one of fail-safe modes causing the flight vehicle to perform landing depending on a current one of the normal modes when the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle, wherein:
the normal modes include
a vertical take-off mode causing the flight vehicle to perform vertical take-off,
a vertical landing mode causing the flight vehicle to perform vertical landing,
a cruise mode causing the flight vehicle to perform cruising,
a hovering mode causing the flight vehicle to perform hovering, and
a take-off preparation mode causing the flight vehicle to perform take-off preparation;
the fail-safe modes include
an abnormal-landing mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to perform vertical landing,
a resetting mode resetting a flight route to enable the flight vehicle having the abnormality to perform landing at a destination,
a take-off restriction mode preventing the flight vehicle from performing take-off, and
a landing continuation mode causing the flight vehicle having the abnormality to continue vertical landing;
the changing includes changing the operating mode to the abnormal-landing mode, the resetting mode, the take-off restriction mode or the landing continuation mode depending on the current one of the normal modes when the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle;
the changing includes
changing the operating mode to the abnormal-landing mode in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the vertical take-off mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle,
changing the operating mode to the landing continuation mode when in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the vertical landing mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle,
changing the operating mode to the resetting mode in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the cruise mode or the hovering mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle,
changing the operating mode to the take-off restriction mode in response to determining that (i) the operating mode is the take-off preparation mode and (ii) the abnormality has occurred in the flight vehicle,
outputting a notification of an inspection request for the flight vehicle based on the operating mode changed to the take-off restriction mode,
receiving a command of releasing the take-off restriction from an external controller to release the take-off restriction when the flight vehicle is diagnosed by the external controller as normal based on the inspection request;
the flight vehicle is provided with a power storage device that stores electric power for flying of the flight vehicle; and
the program further comprising instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out:
calculating a flight-possible range in which the flight vehicle is capable of flying with a remaining amount of the electric power remaining in the power storage device;
searching for a landing-possible place which is a place where the flight vehicle can land and is included in the flight-possible range; and
setting the landing-possible place as the destination when the landing-possible place is found.