System and Method for Controlling Rotorcraft

A rotorcraft comprising:

• a flight control computer configured to:
• receive a first sensor signal from a first aircraft sensor of the rotorcraft;
• receive a second sensor signal from a second aircraft sensor of the rotorcraft, the second aircraft sensor being different from the first aircraft sensor;
• combine the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal with a complementary filter to determine an estimated vertical speed of the rotorcraft;
• adjust flight control devices of the rotorcraft according to the estimated vertical speed of the rotorcraft, thereby changing flight characteristics of the rotorcraft;
• and
• reset the complementary filter in response to detecting the rotorcraft is grounded.

A method comprising:

• receiving a first sensor signal from a first aircraft sensor of a rotorcraft;
• receiving a second sensor signal from a second aircraft sensor of the rotorcraft, the second aircraft sensor being different from the first aircraft sensor;
• combining the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal with a complementary filter to determine an estimated vertical speed of the rotorcraft;
• adjusting flight control devices of the rotorcraft according to the estimated vertical speed of the rotorcraft, thereby changing flight characteristics of the rotorcraft;
• and
• resetting the complementary filter in response to detecting the rotorcraft is grounded.