Method and apparatus for aircraft sensor and actuator failure protection using reconfigurable flight control laws

An aircraft comprising:

• flight control actuators;
• a fuselage having a forward wing and an aft wing;
• a first rotor rotatably attached to a left side of the forward wing;
• a second rotor rotatably attached to a right side of the forward wing;
• a third rotor rotatably attached to a left side of the aft wing;
• a fourth rotor rotatably attached to a right side of the aft wing;
• at least one left forward flap and at least one right forward flap on the forward wing;
• at least one left aft flap and at least one right aft flap on the aft wing;
• and
• a reconfigurable flight control system for selectively reconfiguring involvement of the first rotor, the second rotor, the third rotor, the fourth rotor, the at least one left forward flap, the at least one right forward flap, the at least one left aft flap, and the at least one right aft flap, during a failure of any of the rotors and the flaps, the reconfigurable flight control system comprising:
• a risk factor tool for calculating a risk factor, the risk factor being used for determining whether reconfiguration is necessary;
• wherein the risk factor is an empirical representation of a control authority of the aircraft, such that a degradation in the control authority effects the risk factor;
• a mixing/mapping matrix configured to mix the usage of the flight control actuators in response to the failure of any of the rotors and the flaps by employing a first independent actuator system at a first percentage and employing a second independent actuator system at a second percentage, such that the combination of the first independent actuator system and the second independent actuator system produces a desired aircraft flight control response that takes into consideration the failure of any of the rotors and the flaps;
• wherein the mixing/mapping matrix is configured to continuously change the first percentage and the second percentage to optimize flight control of the aircraft in response to the failure of any of the rotors and the flaps;
• wherein the aircraft is configured for flying in an airplane mode wherein the first, second, third, and fourth rotors are rotated to be in a generally horizontal position;
• wherein the aircraft is configured for flying in a helicopter mode wherein the first, second, third, and further rotors are rotated to be in a generally horizontal position.

A method of automatically reconfiguring flight control of an aircraft, comprising:

• detecting a failure of an actuator;
• determining whether reconfiguration is necessary based upon a risk factor, the risk factor is an empirical representation of a control authority of the aircraft, such that a degradation in the control authority effects the risk factor;
• seamlessly transferring flight control authority from a failed actuator to a back-up actuator;
• and
• managing the transfer of flight control authority to a back-up actuator with a sensor management tool so as to smooth any transient conditions that may otherwise occur.