System and method for controlling an unarmed air vehicle

An unmanned air vehicle control system, comprising:

• flight control means designed for providing control signals to control components of the vehicle such that the vehicle follows an active route according to data indicating said active route stored in the control system;
• means for storing data indicating a mission route comprising a plurality of mission route segments;
• the system being designed such that in one mission mode, the mission route is the active route, such that the control means provide the control signals calculated from the data indicating the mission route, so that the vehicle follows the mission route;
• further comprising
• means for storing data indicating at least one auxiliary route different from the mission route, such that each of a plurality of the mission route segments is assigned at least part of at least one auxiliary route;
• flight mode determination means designed for determining if the flight should continue in the mission mode or if it should abandon the mission mode, and for generating a mission mode abandonment event if they determine that the mission mode should be abandoned;
• route change means associated to the flight mode determination means and designed for, as a response to a mission abandonment event,
• determining which part of which auxiliary route is assigned to the mission route segment where the vehicle is located;
• calculating a transition route to said part of the auxiliary route;
• defining the transition route as the active route, such that the flight control means provide control signals so that the vehicle follows said transition route to the corresponding part of the auxiliary route;
• once the transition route is completed, defining the corresponding auxiliary route as the active route, such that the flight control means provide control signals so that the vehicle follows said auxiliary route;
• and
• wherein said route change means are designed for calculating a transition route such that:
• if the movement to the part of the auxiliary route involves a climb to a height exceeding the current height of the vehicle and a movement in the horizontal direction, the transition route is calculated such that it starts with a climb substantially up to said greater height, followed by the movement in the horizontal direction;
• and
• if the movement to the part of the auxiliary route involves a descent to a height less than the current height of the vehicle and a movement in the horizontal direction, the transition route is calculated such that it starts with the movement in the horizontal direction, followed by a descent to said lower height.

An unmanned air vehicle control method, comprising the steps of:

• providing control signals via a processor to control components of the vehicle such that the vehicle follows an active route according to data indicating said active route stored in a control system of the vehicle;
• in one mission mode, defining the mission route as the active route, such that the control means provide the control signals calculated from data indicating the mission route, so that the vehicle follows the mission route, the mission route comprising a plurality of mission route segments;
• further comprising the steps of
• having data indicating at least one auxiliary route different from the mission route, such that each of a plurality of the mission route segments, is assigned at least part of at least one auxiliary route;
• determining if the flight should continue in the mission mode or if it should abandon the mission mode, and generating a mission mode abandonment event if it is determined that the mission mode should be abandoned;
• as a response to a mission abandonment event,
• determining which part of which auxiliary route is assigned to the mission route segment where the vehicle is located;
• calculating a transition route to said part of the auxiliary route;
• providing control signals so that the vehicle follows said transition route to the corresponding part of the auxiliary route;
• once the transition route is completed, providing control signals so that the vehicle follows said auxiliary route;
• and
• wherein the data indicating a mission route and the data indicating at least one auxiliary route are stored in a configuration comprising:
• a list of the mission route segments;
• for each auxiliary route, a list of the parts of the auxiliary route;
• associated to the list of the mission route segments, for each of a plurality of the segments of said list,
• at least one indicator of the auxiliary route specifying, for said segment, an auxiliary route, and
• at least one indicator of part of the auxiliary route specifying, for said segment, the part of said auxiliary route associated to the segment.

An unmanned air vehicle control method, comprising the steps of:

• providing control signals via a processor to control components of the vehicle such that the vehicle follows an active route according to data indicating said active route stored in a control system of the vehicle;
• in one mission mode, defining the mission route as the active route, such that the control means provide the control signals calculated from data indicating the mission route, so that the vehicle follows the mission route, the mission route comprising a plurality of mission route segments;
• further comprising the steps of
• having data indicating at least one auxiliary route different from the mission route, such that each of a plurality of the mission route segments, is assigned at least part of at least one auxiliary route;
• determining if the flight should continue in the mission mode or if it should abandon the mission mode, and generating a mission mode abandonment event if it is determined that the mission mode should be abandoned;
• as a response to a mission abandonment event,
• determining which part of which auxiliary route is assigned to the mission route segment where the vehicle is located;
• calculating a transition route to said part of the auxiliary route;
• providing control signals so that the vehicle follows said transition route to the corresponding part of the auxiliary route;
• once the transition route is completed, providing control signals so that the vehicle follows said auxiliary route;
• and
• wherein transition route is calculated such that:
• if the movement to the part of the auxiliary route involves a climb to a height exceeding the current height of the vehicle and a movement in the horizontal direction, the transition route is calculated such that it starts with a climb substantially up to said greater height, followed by the movement in the horizontal direction;
• and
• if the movement to the part of the auxiliary route involves a descent to a height less than the current height of the vehicle and a movement in the horizontal direction, the transition route is calculated such that it starts with the movement in the horizontal direction, followed by a descent to said lower height.