Path correction of a vehicle relative to projected magnetic flight path

A system for guiding a vehicle over a flight path, the system comprising:

• a plurality of guideway sensors associated with a metallic track, the plurality of guideway sensors generate guideway data corresponding to one or more track segments disposed between two or more supports, wherein the guideway data includes a length of the track segment;
• a plurality of levitation generators that provide lift to a vehicle relative to a track segment;
• and
• a controller comprising at least one processor unit configured to:
• receive guideway data generated by one or more guideway sensors associated with a metallic track, the guideway data including information corresponding to a track segment disposed between two or more supports;
• receive flight path data for the vehicle, the flight path data representing a set of coordinates in three-dimensional (3-D) space;
• determine a deflection of the track segment in the 3-D space based at least on the length of the track segment and a velocity of the vehicle relative to the length of the track segment;
• determine an amount of deviation between one or more coordinates of the flight path data and a position of the vehicle based on the guideway data and the deflection of the track segment;
• and
• adjust one or more of the levitation generators to change the position of the vehicle relative to the track segment to minimize the amount of deviation in at least one dimension in the 3-D space.

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processor, are operable to:

• receive guideway data generated by one or more guideway sensors associated with a metallic track, the guideway data including information corresponding to a track segment disposed between two or more supports, wherein the guideway data includes a length of the track segment;
• receive flight path data for a vehicle configured to traverse the track segment, the flight path data representing a set of coordinates in three-dimensional (3-D) space;
• determine an amount of deviation between one or more coordinates of the flight path data and a position of the vehicle based on the guideway data;
• instruct a magnetic suspension system to adjust the position of the vehicle relative to the track segment to minimize the amount of deviation in at least one dimension in the 3-D space;
• determine a deflection of the track segment in the 3-D space based at least on the length of the track segment and a velocity of the vehicle relative to the length of the track segment;
• and
• determine the amount of deviation between the one or more coordinates of the flight path data and the position of the vehicle based on the deflection of the track segment.