Unmanned aircraft vehicle state awareness
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorsJohn R. Wittmaak, JR., Joshua A. Edler, Alan H. Steinert, Joshua A. Duckett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are described for increasing the safety of unmanned vehicles. Failure rates of components can be combined and adjusted if necessary given sensor data or statistical or historical data that impacts failure rates. The failure rates of components can be combined to give an overall failure or success rate for a vehicle and can be compared to an accepted failure or success rate in connection with a hazard. Hazards with heightened safety requirements can be avoided by a contingency maneuver if the unmanned vehicle's failure or success rate is not acceptable.
Claims21
-20. (canceled)
A flight control system for an aircraft, the flight control system comprising:
- one or more components, each component of the one or more components having a known failure rate;
- a memory storage module configured to retain each of the known failure rates;
- a sensor configured to sense a parameter of the aircraft;
- and
- a processor in communication with the memory storage module, the processor being configured to determine a flight plan of the aircraft and to thereafter modify the flight plan based on the known failure rate and the sensed parameter.
A flight control system for an aircraft, the flight control system comprising:
- one or more components, each component of the one or more components having a known failure rate;
- a memory storage module configured to retain each of the known failure rate;
- and
- a processor in communication with the memory storage module, the processor being configured to determine a flight plan of the aircraft, the flight plan comprising identified critical elements, the processor being further configured to modify the flight plan based on the known failure rate and the identified critical elements.
A method of determining a flight path of an aircraft, the method including:
- determining a failure rate of a component;
- retaining the failure rate in a memory storage module;
- sensing a parameter of the aircraft via a sensor;
- and
- passing the failure rate from the memory storage module to a processor;
- determining a flight plan with the processor, the flight plan being based on the failure rate and the sensed parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.