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US 12,006,024 B2Granted
Systems and methods for redundant flight control in an aircraft
AssigneeBeta Air, LLC
InventorsJoshua E. Auerbach, Andrew Giroux, Chris Townsend
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for redundant flight control configured for use in an aircraft. More specifically, a system is provided that includes a plurality of actuators that are configured to move a flight component of an aircraft such that one actuator is configured to move the flight component if the other actuator fails to move the flight component upon receipt of an attitude command from a pilot control.
Claims20
A system for redundant flight control, the system comprising:
- an aerodynamic surface of an electric aircraft, wherein the aerodynamic surface is configured to adjust an attitude of the electric aircraft;
- a plurality of actuators comprising a first actuator and a second actuator, wherein:
- the first actuator comprises a first electric motor configured to convert an electrical signal into a first mechanical movement of the aerodynamic surface,
- the second actuator comprises a second electric motor configured to convert the electrical signal into a second mechanical movement of the aerodynamic surface based at least in part on receiving an alert from a flight controller,
- the alert represents that the first actuator is disabled, and
- the flight controller is configured to transmit the alert to the second actuator based at least in part on determining that the first actuator is disabled;
- and
- a pilot control communicatively connected to the flight controller, the pilot control configured to generate a pilot control signal, wherein the flight controller generates the electrical signal according to the pilot control signal.
5 more elements
A method of redundant flight control, the method comprising:
- generating, by a flight controller, an electrical signal for controlling a position of an aerodynamic surface of an electric aircraft;
- determining, by a flight controller, that a first actuator associated with the aerodynamic surface is disabled;
- and
- based at least in part on determining that the first actuator is disabled, providing, by a flight controller, an alert to a second actuator associated with the aerodynamic surface, wherein the alert represents that the first actuator is disabled, and wherein the second actuator comprises an electric motor that is configured to, based at least in part on receiving the alert, convert the electrical signal into the aerodynamic surface.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.