Unmanned vehicle operating modes

An aircraft, comprising:

• an airframe;
• drive elements configured to drive movements of the airframe;
• a first computer, including at least one processor, by which flight planning and manual commands are generated;
• and
• a second computer, including at least one processor, configured to receive flight planning and manual commands and to control operations of the drive elements to operate in:
• first and second safe modes in which flight planning commands are accepted but manual commands are refused,
• first and second manual modes in which flight planning commands are refused but manual commands are accepted, and
• an enroute mode and first and second special modes in which manual commands are refused,
• the second computer being further configured to only allow mode transitions directly between the first safe mode and the first manual mode, directly between the second safe mode and the second manual mode, directly between the first safe mode and the second safe mode and directly between the second safe mode and the enroute mode;
• wherein the first computer is configured to prevent generation of the manual commands with the drive elements operating in the first safe mode and the second safe mode, the enroute mode and the first special mode and the second special mode and to prevent generation of the flight commands with the drive elements operating in the first manual mode the second manual mode, the enroute mode and the first special mode and the second special mode;
• and
• wherein the second computer is configured to only allow mode transitions directly between the first safe mode and the manual mode, directly between the second safe mode and the manual mode, directly between the first safe mode and the second safe mode, and directly between the second safe mode and the enroute mode.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a frame;
• drive elements configured to drive movements of the frame;
• and
• a computer, including at least one processor, configured to receive mission planning and manual commands and to control operations of the drive elements to operate in a ground stationary mode in which mission commands are accepted but manual commands are refused, in a hover stationary mode in which mission commands are accepted but manual commands are refused, a ground manual mode in which mission commands are refused but manual commands and a first stop command are accepted, a hover manual mode in which mission commands are refused but manual commands and a second stop command are accepted and an enroute mode in which mission commands are executed and a third stop command is accepted,
• the computer being further configured to only allow mode transitions directly between the ground manual mode and the ground stationary mode upon receipt of the first stop command, directly between the ground stationary mode and the hover stationary mode, directly between the hover manual mode and the hover stationary mode upon receipt of the second stop command and directly between the enroute mode and the hover stationary mode upon receipt of the third stop command.