# US 2023/0054436 A1 · System and method for the autonomous transition of an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft

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- Number: US 2023/0054436 A1
- Document ID: US20230054436A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/871,017
- Filed: 2022-07-22
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Earliest claimed: 2021-08-17
- Assignees: Beta Air, LLC
- Applicants: Beta Air, LLC
- Inventors: Joshua E. Auerbach; Nicholas Moy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230054436A1

## CPC

- B64C 29/0025: {the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage}
- B64C 13/506: {overriding of personal controls; with automatic return to inoperative position}
- B64D 27/31: within, or attached to, wings
- B64D 27/34: All-electric aircraft
- G05D 1/102: {specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft}
- G05D 1/48: Control of altitude or depth
- G05D 2109/23: {Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft; Short take-off and landing [STOL, STOVL] aircraft}
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

A system for autonomous flight of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The system may include a pusher component, a lift component, a flight controller, and a pilot override switch. The pusher component is mechanically coupled to the eVTOL aircraft. The lift component is mechanically coupled to the eVTOL aircraft. The flight controller is communicatively connected to the pilot override switch. The flight controller is configured to identify a transition point, initiate operation of the pusher component, and terminate operation of the lift component. A method for flight control of an eVTOL aircraft is also provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for flight control of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the system comprising:
a horizontal thrust component attached to an eVTOL aircraft;
a lift component attached to the eVTOL aircraft;
a pilot override switch, wherein the pilot override switch is operable by a pilot of the eVTOL aircraft and is configured to alter control of the eVTOL aircraft; and
a flight controller communicatively connected to the pilot override switch, wherein the flight controller is configured to:
initiate autonomous flight of the eVTOL;
identify a flight transition point;
initiate operation of the horizontal thrust component as a function of the flight transition point;
adjust an attitude of the eVTOL aircraft by modulating at least a control surface;
initiate modulation of the lift component; and
receive a pilot override signal from the pilot override switch, wherein the pilot override signal transitions the eVTOL from the autonomous flight to full control by the pilot.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the flight controller is configured to access information associated with a trajectory from substantially vertical flight of the eVTOL aircraft to substantially horizontal flight of the eVTOL aircraft.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the horizontal thrust component comprises at least a propulsor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the horizontal thrust component is a pusher component.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the lift component is configured to generate an upward thrust for the eVTOL aircraft.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the lift component comprises a plurality of lift components.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the flight controller comprises a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the flight controller is further configured to:
increase a rotational speed of the horizontal thrust component; and
decrease a rotational speed of the lift component.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein initiating operation of the horizontal thrust component as a function of the flight transition point comprises initiating operation of the horizontal thrust component such that the eVTOL aircraft follows a transition flight path.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least a control surface is an aileron.

### Claim 11

A method for flight control of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the method comprising:
initiating, by a flight controller incorporated in an eVTOL aircraft, autonomous flight of an eVTOL;
identifying, by the flight controller, a flight transition point;
initiating, by the flight controller, operation of a horizontal thrust component mechanically coupled to the eVTOL aircraft as a function of the flight transition point;
adjusting, by the flight controller, an attitude of the eVTOL aircraft by modulating at least a control surface;
initiating, by the flight controller, modulation of a lift component mechanically coupled to the eVTOL aircraft; and
receiving, by the flight controller, a pilot override signal from a pilot override switch, wherein a pilot override signal transitions the eVTOL from the autonomous flight to full control by the pilot.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising accessing, by the flight controller, information associated with a trajectory from substantially vertical flight of the eVTOL aircraft to substantially horizontal flight of the eVTOL aircraft.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the horizontal thrust component comprises at least a propulsor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the horizontal thrust component is a pusher component.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the lift component is configured to generate an upward thrust for the eVTOL aircraft.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the lift component comprises a plurality of lift components.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the flight controller comprises a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
increasing, by the flight controller, a rotational speed of the horizontal thrust component; and
decreasing, by the flight controller, a rotational speed of the lift component.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein initiating operation of the horizontal thrust component as a function of the flight transition point comprises initiating operation of the horizontal thrust component such that the eVTOL aircraft follows a transition flight path.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the at least a control surface is an aileron.