US 12,545,434 B1 · Systems and methods for autonomous aircraft capturing, lifting, and pushback

Abstract

An aircraft tow vehicle comprises a turntable lifting unit configured to automatically rotate and lift for attachment to a nose landing gear of an aircraft. A gate coupled to the turntable lifting unit automatically unlocks, opens to receive the nose landing gear, closes to secure the nose landing gear, and locks. A sensor system detects the nose landing gear. A controller receives data from the sensor system, processes the data to determine a position of the nose landing gear, and controls the turntable lifting unit while automatically adjusting a position of the tow vehicle relative to the nose landing gear. A moving floor adjusts to accommodate different nose wheel sizes. A nose wheel adapter automatically positions itself to hold down the nose landing gear when weight is detected on the moving floor.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A sensor system for an aircraft tow vehicle, the sensor system comprising:

a plurality of sensors;
and
a controller configured to:
receive data from the plurality of sensors,
process the data to detect an aircraft's nose landing gear,
automatically control a turntable lifting unit of the aircraft tow vehicle to maintain the aircraft's nose landing gear in a straight position relative to a roll axis of the aircraft during a towing or pushback operation,
process the data to detect a first line marking in an environment of the aircraft tow vehicle,
detect an intersection of the first line marking with another line marking indicating a turn, receive input indicating a turn direction, and
automatically rotate the aircraft in place based on the detected intersection and the indicated turn direction;
wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of a camera sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, or a laser sensor.

7 more elements

A method for controlling an aircraft tow vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by a controller, data from a plurality of sensors;
processing, by the controller, the data to detect an aircraft's nose landing gear;
automatically controlling, by the controller, a turntable lifting unit of the aircraft tow vehicle to maintain the aircraft's nose landing gear in a straight position relative to a roll axis of the aircraft during a towing or pushback operation;
processing, by the controller, the data to detect a first line marking in an environment of the aircraft tow vehicle;
detecting, by the controller, an intersection of the first line marking with another line indicating a turn;
receiving, by the controller, input indicating a turn direction;
and
automatically rotating, by the controller, the aircraft in place based on the detected intersection and the indicated turn direction;
wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of a camera sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, or a laser sensor.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for autonomous aircraft capturing, lifting, and pushback

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for autonomous aircraft capturing, lifting, and pushback

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18