Aircraft having a fault tolerant distributed propulsion system
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsJohn Richard McCullough, Paul K. Oldroyd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In some embodiment, an aircraft includes a flying frame having an airframe, a distributed propulsion system attached to the airframe, the distributed propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion assemblies and a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system. The flying frame has a vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode. The flight control system is operable to independently control the propulsion assemblies. The flight control system is also operable to detect faults in individual propulsion assemblies and to perform corrective action responsive to detected faults at a distributed propulsion system level.
Claims20
An aircraft comprising:
- a flying frame including an airframe;
- a distributed propulsion system attached to the airframe, the distributed propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion assemblies;
- a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system;
- and
- a pod assembly selectively attachable to the flying frame,
- wherein, the flying frame has a vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode;
- wherein, the flight control system is operable to independently control the propulsion assemblies;
- wherein, the flight control system is operable to detect faults in individual propulsion assemblies and to perform corrective action responsive to detected faults at a distributed propulsion system level;
- wherein, responsive to a fault detected in a first propulsion assembly, the flight control system is configured to initiate a pod assembly jettison sequence;
- and
- wherein, responsive to the pod assembly being jettisoned, the flight control system is configured to command the distributed propulsion system to land the aircraft proximate to the pod assembly.
An aircraft comprising:
- a flying frame including an airframe;
- a distributed propulsion system attached to the airframe, the distributed propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion assemblies;
- a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system;
- and
- a pod assembly selectively attachable to the flying frame,
- wherein, the flying frame has a vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode;
- wherein, the flight control system is operable to independently control the propulsion assemblies;
- wherein, the flight control system is operable to detect faults in individual propulsion assemblies and to perform corrective action responsive to detected faults at a distributed propulsion system level;
- wherein, responsive to a fault detected in a first propulsion assembly, the flight control system is configured to initiate a pod assembly jettison sequence;
- and
- wherein, responsive to the pod assembly being jettisoned, the flight control system is configured to command the distributed propulsion system to perform an emergency landing remote from the pod assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.