Method and system for fly-by-wire flight control configured for use in electric aircraft

In an aspect a system for fly-by-wire flight control configured for use in electric aircraft including at least a sensor, wherein the sensor is communicatively connected a pilot control and configured to detect a pilot input from the pilot control and generate, as a function of the pilot input, command datum. A system includes a flight controller, the flight controller including a computing device and configured to perform a voting algorithm, wherein performing the voting algorithm includes determining that the sensor is an allowed sensor, wherein determining that the sensor is an allowed sensor includes determining that the command datum is an active datum, determining the command datum is an admissible datum, generating, as a function of the command datum and the allowed sensor, a control surface datum wherein the control surface datum is correlated to the pilot input.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of flight controls. In particular, the present invention is directed to a method and system for fly-by-wire flight control configured for use in electric aircraft.

BACKGROUND

In electrically propelled vehicles, such as an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, it is essential to maintain the integrity of the aircraft until safe landing. In some flights, a component of the aircraft may experience a malfunction or failure which will put the aircraft in an unsafe mode which will compromise the safety of the aircraft, passengers and onboard cargo. A method and system for estimating propulsor output is a necessary component of a safe eVTOL aircraft, and aircraft in general to assess maneuverability and capabilities of aircraft through flight envelope.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an aspect a system for fly-by-wire flight control configured for use in electric aircraft, the system includes at least a sensor, wherein the at least a sensor is communicatively connected to at least a pilot control and configured to detect a pilot input from the at least a pilot control and generate, as a function of the pilot input, at least a command datum. A system includes a flight controller, the flight controller including a computing device and configured to perform a voting algorithm, wherein performing the voting algorithm includes determining that the at least a sensor is an allowed sensor, wherein determining that the at least a sensor is an allowed sensor includes determining that the at least a command datum is an active datum, determining the at least a command datum is an admissible datum, generating, as a function of the at least a command datum and the allowed sensor, a control surface datum wherein the control surface datum is correlated to the pilot input.

In another aspect a method for fly-by-wire flight control configured for use in electric aircraft includes detecting, at an at least a sensor, a pilot input from at least a pilot control, generating, as a function of the pilot input, at least a command datum, determining, at a flight controller, as a function of a voting algorithm, that the at least a sensor is an allowed sensor, wherein determining includes: determining the at least a command datum is an active datum and determining the at least a command datum is an admissible datum. The method includes generating, as a function of the at least a command datum and the allowed sensor, a control surface datum wherein the control surface datum is correlated to the pilot input.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

At a high level, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for fly-by-wire flight control configured for use in an electric aircraft. In an embodiment, a system for fly-by-wire flight control configured for use in electric aircraft includes at least a sensor, wherein the at least a sensor is communicatively connected to at least a pilot control and configured to detect a pilot input from the at least a pilot control and generate, as a function of the pilot input, at least a command datum. A system includes a flight controller, the flight controller including a computing device and configured to perform a voting algorithm, wherein performing the voting algorithm includes determining that the at least a sensor is an allowed sensor, wherein determining that the at least a sensor is an allowed sensor includes determining that the at least a command datum is an active datum, determining the at least a command datum is an admissible datum, generating, as a function of the at least a command datum and the allowed sensor, a control surface datum wherein the control surface datum is correlated to the pilot input.

Referring now toFIG. 1, exemplary system100for fly-by-wire control configured for use in electric aircraft is illustrated in block diagram form. System100includes at least a sensor104. At least a sensor104is communicatively coupled to at least a pilot control108. “Communicative coupling”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to two or more components electrically, or otherwise connected and configured to transmit and receive signals from one another. Signals may include electrical, electromagnetic, visual, audio, radio waves, or another undisclosed signal type alone or in combination. At least a sensor104communicatively connected to at least a pilot control108may include a sensor disposed on, near, around or within at least pilot control108. At least a sensor104may include a motion sensor. “Motion sensor”, for the purposes of this disclosure refers to a device or component configured to detect physical movement of an object or grouping of objects. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, after reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, that motion may include a plurality of types including but not limited to: spinning, rotating, oscillating, gyrating, jumping, sliding, reciprocating, or the like. At least a sensor104may include, torque sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer, torque sensor, magnetometer, inertial measurement unit (IMU), pressure sensor, force sensor, proximity sensor, displacement sensor, vibration sensor, among others. At least a sensor104may include a sensor suite which may include a plurality of sensors that may detect similar or unique phenomena. For example, in a non-limiting embodiment, sensor suite may include a plurality of accelerometers, a mixture of accelerometers and gyroscopes, or a mixture of an accelerometer, gyroscope, and torque sensor. The herein disclosed system and method may comprise a plurality of sensors in the form of individual sensors or a sensor suite working in tandem or individually. A sensor suite may include a plurality of independent sensors, as described herein, where any number of the described sensors may be used to detect any number of physical or electrical quantities associated with an aircraft power system or an electrical energy storage system. Independent sensors may include separate sensors measuring physical or electrical quantities that may be powered by and/or in communication with circuits independently, where each may signal sensor output to a control circuit such as a user graphical interface. In an embodiment, use of a plurality of independent sensors may result in redundancy configured to employ more than one sensor that measures the same phenomenon, those sensors being of the same type, a combination of, or another type of sensor not disclosed, so that in the event one sensor fails, the ability to detect phenomenon is maintained and in a non-limiting example, a user alter aircraft usage pursuant to sensor readings. At least a sensor104is configured to detect pilot input112from at least pilot control108. At least pilot control108may include a throttle lever, inceptor stick, collective pitch control, steering wheel, brake pedals, pedal controls, toggles, joystick. One of ordinary skill in the art, upon reading the entirety of this disclosure would appreciate the variety of pilot input controls that may be present in an electric aircraft consistent with the present disclosure. Inceptor stick may be consistent with disclosure of inceptor stick in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/001,845 and titled “A HOVER AND THRUST CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR DUAL-MODE AIRCRAFT”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Collective pitch control may be consistent with disclosure of collective pitch control in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/929,206 and titled “HOVER AND THRUST CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR DUAL-MODE AIRCRAFT”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. At least pilot control108may be physically located in the cockpit of the aircraft or remotely located outside of the aircraft in another location communicatively connected to at least a portion of the aircraft. “Communicatively couple”, for the purposes of this disclosure, is a process whereby one device, component, or circuit is able to receive data from and/or transmit data to another device, component, or circuit; communicative coupling may be performed by wired or wireless electronic communication, either directly or by way of one or more intervening devices or components. In an embodiment, communicative coupling includes electrically coupling an output of one device, component, or circuit to an input of another device, component, or circuit. Communicative coupling may be performed via a bus or other facility for intercommunication between elements of a computing device. Communicative coupling may include indirect connections via “wireless” connection, low power wide area network, radio communication, optical communication, magnetic, capacitive, or optical coupling, or the like. At least pilot control108may include buttons, switches, or other binary inputs in addition to, or alternatively than digital controls about which a plurality of inputs may be received. At least pilot control108is configured to receive pilot input112. Pilot input112may include a physical manipulation of a control like a pilot using a hand and arm to push or pull a lever, or a pilot using a finger to manipulate a switch. Pilot input112may include a voice command by a pilot to a microphone and computing system consistent with the entirety of this disclosure.

With continued reference toFIG. 1, at least a sensor104is configured to generate, as a function of pilot input112, command datum116. A “command datum”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers an electronic signal representing at least an element of data correlated to pilot input112representing a desired change in aircraft conditions as described in the entirety of this disclosure. A “datum”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to at least an element of data identifying and/or a pilot input or command. At least pilot control108may be communicatively connected to any other component presented in system, the communicative connection may include redundant connections configured to safeguard against single-point failure. Pilot input112may indicate a pilot's desire to change the heading or trim of an electric aircraft. Pilot input112may indicate a pilot's desire to change an aircraft's pitch, roll, yaw, or throttle. “Pitch”, for the purposes of this disclosure refers to an aircraft's angle of attack, that is the difference between the aircraft's nose and the horizontal flight trajectory. For example, an aircraft pitches “up” when its nose is angled upward compared to horizontal flight, like in a climb maneuver. In another example, the aircraft pitches “down”, when its nose is angled downward compared to horizontal flight, like in a dive maneuver. “Roll” for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to an aircraft's position about it's longitudinal axis, that is to say that when an aircraft rotates about its axis from its tail to its nose, and one side rolls upward, like in a banking maneuver. “Yaw”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to an aircraft's turn angle, when an aircraft rotates about an imaginary vertical axis intersecting the center of the earth and the fuselage of the aircraft. “Throttle”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to an aircraft outputting an amount of thrust from a propulsor. Pilot input112, when referring to throttle, may refer to a pilot's desire to increase or decrease thrust produced by at least a propulsor. Command datum116may include an electrical signal. Electrical signals may include analog signals, digital signals, periodic or aperiodic signal, step signals, unit impulse signal, unit ramp signal, unit parabolic signal, signum function, exponential signal, rectangular signal, triangular signal, sinusoidal signal, sinc function, or pulse width modulated signal. At least a sensor104may include circuitry, computing devices, electronic components or a combination thereof that translates pilot input112into at least an electronic signal command datum116configured to be transmitted to another electronic component.

With continued reference toFIG. 1, system100includes flight controller120. Flight controller120is communicatively connected to at least a pilot control108and at least a sensor104. Communicative coupling may be consistent with any embodiment of communicative coupling as described herein. Flight controller120is configured to perform voting algorithm124. “Flight controller”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to a component or grouping of components that control trajectory of the electric aircraft by taking in signals from a pilot and output signals to at least a propulsor and other portions of the electric aircraft like control surfaces to adjust trajectory. Flight controller may mix, refine, adjust, redirect, combine, separate, or perform other types of signal operations to translate pilot desired trajectory into aircraft maneuvers. Flight controller, for example, may take in a pilot input of moving an inceptor stick, the signal from that move may be sent to flight controller, which performs any number or combinations of operations on those signals, then sends out output signals to any number of aircraft components that work in tandem or independently to maneuver the aircraft in response to the pilot input. Flight controller may condition signals such that they can be sent and received by various components throughout the electric aircraft.

Additionally, flight controller120may include and/or communicate with any computing device, including without limitation a microcontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP) and/or system on a chip (SoC). Flight controller may be programmed to operate electronic aircraft to perform at least a flight maneuver; at least a flight maneuver may include takeoff, landing, stability control maneuvers, emergency response maneuvers, regulation of altitude, roll, pitch, yaw, speed, acceleration, or the like during any phase of flight. At least a flight maneuver may include a flight plan or sequence of maneuvers to be performed during a flight plan. Flight controller may be designed and configured to operate electronic aircraft via fly-by-wire. Flight controller is communicatively connected to each propulsor; as used herein, flight controller is communicatively connected to each propulsor where flight controller is able to transmit signals to each propulsor and each propulsor is configured to modify an aspect of propulsor behavior in response to the signals. As a non-limiting example, flight controller may transmit signals to a propulsor via an electrical circuit connecting flight controller to the propulsor; the circuit may include a direct conductive path from flight controller to propulsor or may include an isolated coupling such as an optical or inductive coupling. Alternatively, or additionally, flight controller may communicate with a propulsor of plurality of propulsors104a-nusing wireless communication, such as without limitation communication performed using electromagnetic radiation including optical and/or radio communication, or communication via magnetic or capacitive coupling. Vehicle controller may be fully incorporated in an electric aircraft containing a propulsor and may be a remote device operating the electric aircraft remotely via wireless or radio signals, or may be a combination thereof, such as a computing device in the aircraft configured to perform some steps or actions described herein while a remote device is configured to perform other steps. Persons skilled in the art will be aware, after reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, of many different forms and protocols of communication that may be used to communicatively couple flight controller to propulsors. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various ways to monitor resistance levels and apply resistance to linear thrust control, as used and described herein.

Flight controller120is configured to perform a voting algorithm124, wherein performing voting algorithm124includes determining that at least a sensor104is an allowed sensor128. Voting algorithm124may also be configured to translate pilot input112into commands suitable for movement of control surfaces mechanically coupled to an electric aircraft. For example, and without limitation, there may be more than one allowed sensor128with associated command datums116determined to be active and admissible. Active and/or admissible command data116may be received by voting algorithm. Voting algorithm may combine active and/or admissible command data to generate and/or output control surface datum140; combining may include without limitation any form of mathematical aggregation, such as a sum, a weighted sum, a product, a weighted product, a triangular norm such as a minimum, bounded product, algebraic product, drastic product, or the like, a triangular co-norm such as a maximum, bounded sum, algebraic sum, drastic sum, or the like, an average such as an arithmetic and/or geometric mean, or the like. One of ordinary skill in the art, after reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, would appreciate that averaging (finding the mean) of a plurality of command data116from a plurality of allowed sensors128is only one example of mathematical or other operations suitable to take all “votes” into account when generating a control surface datum140. Allowed sensor128includes a sensor that has not been banned by flight controller124. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, after reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, that any number of flight controllers can perform any number of the herein disclosed steps in combination with other computing devices or systems, and perform these calculations relating to any number of components, banning and unbanning any component in system100. Flight controller120determines if at least a sensor104is an allowed sensor104by determining if command datum116is an active datum132. An “active datum”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to a command received within a predetermined and expected time limit. For example and without limitation, flight controller120may calculate when at least a sensor is supposed to transmit command datum116, and if that command datum116arrives outside of that time limit or time range, then command datum116is determined to not be an active datum. If flight controller120receives command datum116within that expected time range, command datum116is determined to be active datum132. Active datum132is a safeguard against old or stale data, wherein stale data may be outdated in view of more recent pilot inputs112. Flight controller120performs voting algorithm124in order to determine if command datum116is an admissible datum136. An “admissible datum”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to an element of data representing a command to move a control surface relating to the electric aircraft within a predetermined and expected admissible range. An “admissible range”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to a control surface movement correlated to an electric aircraft maneuver that is considered safe in view of environmental conditions, aircraft conditions, mission considerations, and aircraft power considerations. For example, and without limitation, pilot input112may be embodied by a pilot moving an inceptor stick to the right, at least a sensor104detects that input and generates command datum116, command datum is transmitted to and determined to be an active datum132by flight controller120. Flight controller120further takes in information from onboard and offboard sensors that measure environmental conditions like airspeed, angle of attack, and air density, as well as aircraft conditions like battery level. Flight controller120then determines, based on command datum116is within an admissible range based on those parameters. For example, and without limitation, command datum116may command an aircraft to bank to the right, but considering environmental conditions like altitude and propulsor health, command datum116may be determined to not be admissible datum136. Flight controller120may perform voting algorithm124consistent with any voting algorithm described herein.

With continued reference toFIG. 1, flight controller120is configured to ban the at least a sensor104that transmitted command datum116determined to not be active datum132. A “ban”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to one or more flight controller's ability to not consider data from one or more sensors or components determined to not be transmitting useful and accurate data. For example, and without limitation, flight controller120may ban one of at least a sensor104that does not transmit command datum116within a time limit, thereby determining that the data being transmitted is not trustworthy and does not represent pilot input112as accurately as possible. Thresholds with which flight controller120will be discussed with greater detail with reference toFIGS. 2 and 3. Similarly, flight controller120is configured to ban the at least a sensor104transmitted command datum116determined to not be admissible datum136. For example, and without limitation, flight controller120may determine command datum116is not representative of a controls surface movement that correlates to an admissible range of flight maneuvers given a certain engine power availability and air density. Voting algorithm124may utilize one or more machine-learning processes consistent with the entirety of this disclosure, and in particular with reference toFIG. 5.

With continued reference toFIG. 1, flight controller120is configured to generate, as a function of the command datum116and the allowed sensor128, control surface datum140correlated to pilot input112. Control surface datum128may be an electrical signal consistent with any electrical signal as described in this disclosure. Control surface datum128may be an electrical signal generated by flight controller120that is both active and admissible. Control surface datum140would constitute one or more command datums116that were determined to be both active datums132and admissible datums136. Control surface datum140may be the mean of a plurality of control surface datums, command datums, active datums, admissible datums, or the like, from any number of allowed sensors128. For example, and without limitation, at least a sensor104includes 10 independent sensors detecting pilot input112. Two sensors were determined to transmit non-active datums and are thus banned. Three sensors were determined to transmit non-admissible datums and are thus banned. The remaining seven allowed sensors would perform one or more mathematical operations on their command datums to output control surface datum140that represents a collective value in some way, hence, each sensor that has been allowed has “voted” on what value control surface datum140should be. Control surface datum140may be a command to move an aileron mechanically coupled to electric aircraft consistent with this disclosure, and with particularity,FIG. 6. Control surface datum140may be a command to a propulsor mechanically coupled to an electric aircraft, like an electric motor, propeller, combustion engine, or the like, with particular reference toFIG. 6.

With continued reference toFIG. 1, system100includes an actuator which is communicatively connected to flight controller120and a control surface of the aircraft. An actuator may include a computing device or plurality of computing devices consistent with the entirety of this disclosure. An actuator may be designed and/or configured to perform any method, method step, or sequence of method steps in any embodiment described in this disclosure, in any order and with any degree of repetition. For instance, an actuator may be configured to perform a single step or sequence repeatedly until a desired or commanded outcome is achieved; repetition of a step or a sequence of steps may be performed iteratively and/or recursively using outputs of previous repetitions as inputs to subsequent repetitions, aggregating inputs and/or outputs of repetitions to produce an aggregate result, reduction or decrement of one or more variables such as global variables, and/or division of a larger processing task into a set of iteratively addressed smaller processing tasks. An actuator may perform any step or sequence of steps as described in this disclosure in parallel, such as simultaneously and/or substantially simultaneously performing a step two or more times using two or more parallel threads, processor cores, or the like; division of tasks between parallel threads and/or processes may be performed according to any protocol suitable for division of tasks between iterations. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various ways in which steps, sequences of steps, processing tasks, and/or data may be subdivided, shared, or otherwise dealt with using iteration, recursion, and/or parallel processing.

An actuator may include a piston and cylinder system configured to utilize hydraulic pressure to extend and retract a piston coupled to at least a portion of electric aircraft. An actuator may include a stepper motor or server motor configured to utilize electrical energy into electromagnetic movement of a rotor in a stator. An actuator may include a system of gears coupled to an electric motor configured to convert electrical energy into kinetic energy and mechanical movement through a system of gears. An actuator may include components, processors, computing devices, or the like configured to detect control surface datum140flight controller120. An actuator may be configured to receive control surface datum140from flight controller120. An actuator is configured to move at least a portion of the electric aircraft as a function of control surface datum140. Control surface datum140indicates a desired change in aircraft heading or thrust, flight controller120translates pilot input112based on a number of operations like voting algorithm124into control surface datum140. That is to say that flight controller120is configured to translate a pilot input, in the form of moving an inceptor stick, for example, into electrical signals to at least an actuator that in turn, moves at least a portion of the aircraft in a way that manipulates a fluid medium, like air, to accomplish the pilot's desired maneuver. At least a portion of the aircraft that an actuator moves may be a control surface. An actuator, or any portion of an electric aircraft may include one or more flight controllers120configured to perform any of the operations described herein and communicate with each of the other flight controllers120and other portions of an electric aircraft.

Still referring toFIG. 1, an actuator is configured to move control surfaces of the aircraft in one or both of its two main modes of locomotion, or adjust thrust produced at any of the propulsors. These electronic signals can be translated to aircraft control surfaces. These control surfaces, in conjunction with forces induced by environment and propulsion systems, are configured to move the aircraft through a fluid medium, an example of which is air. A “control surface” as described herein, is any form of a mechanical linkage with a surface area that interacts with forces to move an aircraft. A control surface may include, as a non-limiting example, ailerons, flaps, leading edge flaps, rudders, elevators, spoilers, slats, blades, stabilizers, stabilators, airfoils, a combination thereof, or any other mechanical surface are used to control an aircraft in a fluid medium. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various mechanical linkages that may be used as a control surface, as used and described in this disclosure. Further, in an embodiment, the actuator may be configured to perform any voting algorithm and/or other algorithm as described in the entirety of this disclosure.

In an embodiment, an actuator may be mechanically coupled to a control surface at a first end and mechanically coupled to an aircraft at a second end. As used herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand “mechanically coupled” to mean that at least a portion of a device, component, or circuit is connected to at least a portion of the aircraft via a mechanical coupling. Said mechanical coupling can include, for example, rigid coupling, such as beam coupling, bellows coupling, bushed pin coupling, constant velocity, split-muff coupling, diaphragm coupling, disc coupling, donut coupling, elastic coupling, flexible coupling, fluid coupling, gear coupling, grid coupling, hirth joints, hydrodynamic coupling, jaw coupling, magnetic coupling, Oldham coupling, sleeve coupling, tapered shaft lock, twin spring coupling, rag joint coupling, universal joints, or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, mechanical coupling can be used to connect the ends of adjacent parts and/or objects of an electric aircraft. Further, in an embodiment, mechanical coupling can be used to join two pieces of rotating electric aircraft components. Control surfaces may each include any portion of an aircraft that can be moved or adjusted to affect altitude, airspeed velocity, groundspeed velocity or direction during flight. For example, control surfaces may include a component used to affect the aircrafts' roll and pitch which may comprise one or more ailerons, defined herein as hinged surfaces which form part of the trailing edge of each wing in a fixed wing aircraft, and which may be moved via mechanical means such as without limitation servomotors, mechanical linkages, or the like, to name a few. As a further example, control surfaces may include a rudder, which may include, without limitation, a segmented rudder. The rudder may function, without limitation, to control yaw of an aircraft. Also, control surfaces may include other flight control surfaces such as propulsors, rotating flight controls, or any other structural features which can adjust the movement of the aircraft.

At least a portion of an electric aircraft may include at least a propulsor. A propulsor, as used herein, is a component or device used to propel a craft by exerting force on a fluid medium, which may include a gaseous medium such as air or a liquid medium such as water. In an embodiment, when a propulsor twists and pulls air behind it, it will, at the same time, push an aircraft forward with an equal amount of force. The more air pulled behind an aircraft, the greater the force with which the aircraft is pushed forward. Propulsor may include any device or component that consumes electrical power on demand to propel an electric aircraft in a direction or other vehicle while on ground or in-flight.

In an embodiment, at least a portion of the aircraft may include a propulsor, the propulsor may include a propeller, a blade, or any combination of the two. The function of a propeller is to convert rotary motion from an engine or other power source into a swirling slipstream which pushes the propeller forwards or backwards. The propulsor may include a rotating power-driven hub, to which are attached several radial airfoil-section blades such that the whole assembly rotates about a longitudinal axis. The blade pitch of the propellers may, for example, be fixed, manually variable to a few set positions, automatically variable (e.g. a “constant-speed” type), or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, propellers for an aircraft are designed to be fixed to their hub at an angle similar to the thread on a screw makes an angle to the shaft; this angle may be referred to as a pitch or pitch angle which will determine the speed of the forward movement as the blade rotates.

In an embodiment, a propulsor can include a thrust element which may be integrated into the propulsor. The thrust element may include, without limitation, a device using moving or rotating foils, such as one or more rotors, an airscrew or propeller, a set of airscrews or propellers such as contra-rotating propellers, a moving or flapping wing, or the like. Further, a thrust element, for example, can include without limitation a marine propeller or screw, an impeller, a turbine, a pump-jet, a paddle or paddle-based device, or the like.

Referring now toFIG. 2, an exemplary embodiment of a voting algorithm200is presented in block diagram form. Voting algorithm200may be the same or similar to voting algorithm124, or another voting algorithm altogether. Voting algorithm200includes component204A-D. Component204A-D may include sensors, sensor suites, flight controllers, computing devices, electronic component, or other aircraft component as described herein. For example, and without limitation, component204A-D, includes four independent sensors, each of which may be at least a sensor104. Component204A would indicate, as an electrical signal or element of data, it's ban status208. A “ban status”, for the purposes of this disclosure, refers to a the status of a component within system100, ban status208may be ‘banned’ or ‘unbanned’. If component204A is banned, its vote will not be counted, as it is not a sensor whose data is usable for generation of control surface datum140. A system that is banned may be unbanned over multiple iterations of banning algorithm, which will be disclosed hereinbelow. For example, and without limitation, component204A is not banned, or in other words, the command datum116transmitted by component204A is taken into consideration by voting algorithm200. Unbanned component204A then includes active datum status212. If command datum116is transmitted from an unbanned sensor, herein component204A, and is transmitted within a predetermined time limit, time range, speed, or in line with another or combination of other temporal considerations, active datum status212is determined. Active datum status212includes whether or not the command datum was transmitted to flight controller120in a temporally appropriate manner. If so, command datum116is determined to contain admissible datum status216. Admissible datum status216includes whether the command datum116is an admissible datum, or that it correlates to an admissible control surface datum. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, after reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, that the determination of active datum status212and admissible datum status212is not necessarily sequential, that there is any particular order in which the determinations are made, that the determinations are made separately, that the same computing systems are used in the determinations of each status relating to a single component, or multiple computing systems are used in the determination of statuses relating to multiple components.

Continuing to refer toFIG. 2, voting algorithm200, after the determination that command datums relating to allowed components204A-D are active datums (at active datum status212) and admissible datums (at admissible datum status216), command datums in the form of electrical signals are transmitted to voter module220. Voter module220may be any computing device or component thereof as described in this disclosure. Voter module220may include an analog circuit, digital circuit, combinatorial logic circuit, sequential logic circuit and/or another circuit suitable for use in an embodiment of the invention. Voter module220may perform any of the method steps, operations, calculations, or other manipulations of command datums relating to allowed components204A-D. Voter module220, for example, may receive four command datums relating to the change in an aircraft's yaw, as described in this disclosure. Voter module220may average the command datums and output the average as output datum224. Output datum224would therefore be the mean of all the command datums associated with each of allowed components204A-D. Output datum224may be the same as or similar to control surface datum140. Output datum224may be transmitted to any portion of an electric aircraft, including but not limited to computing devices, flight controllers, signal conditioners, actuators, propulsors, control surfaces, or the like.

Referring now toFIG. 3, banning algorithm300is presented in block diagram form. Banning algorithm includes current ban status304. Current ban status304may be similar to or the same as any ban status as described herein. Current ban status304includes information or one or more elements of data referring to a component's current status as determined by one or more flight controllers120. Current ban status304may include a binary value like1or0, indicating currently banned or not currently banned. Current ban status304may include an electrical signal representing banned or unbanned status. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, after reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, would appreciate the plurality of electrical indications of a component's current ban status304as used in this disclosure. If current ban status304indicates component is currently banned, currently banned process308is initiated. Tolerance datum316is determined by flight controller120as a range of values corresponding to a previously voted on value, such as output datum224or control surface datum140. Tolerance datum316may be iteratively determined, mathematically manipulated or multiple iterations of a loop, such as in a computer code, or input by one or more personnel. Tolerance datum316indicates the range of values acceptable in currently banned process308that the component may be transmitting to continue to be trusted by flight controller120. For example, and without limitation, if a currently banned component transmits an electrical signal that does not fall within the previously voted on tolerance datum316, the tolerance count re-zero324is initiated. Tolerance count re-zero324is a state wherein the iterative process of unbanning a banned component is brought back to zero, making the process start all over again. If a currently banned component transmits a datum included in tolerance datum716, then tolerance count increment320is initiated. Tolerance count increment320increases the tolerance count wherein a currently banned sensor may be unbanned by provided data that coincides with previously voted on datums. If tolerance count increment320increases past tolerance threshold328, then the unban command332is initiated. For example, and without limitation, tolerance threshold328may be five, wherein an iterative process of reading a currently banned component's data must be within the threshold five times consecutively before the component is unbanned by unban command332. Unban command332may be transmitted to flight controller120, or directly to the newly unbanned component, like at least a sensor104. To reiterate, and one of ordinary skill in the art would understand, after reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, that only unbanned components may participate in the voting performed by any of the herein described algorithms.

Continuing to refer toFIG. 3, if currently banned status304indicates the component is currently unbanned, then currently unbanned process312is initiated. If currently unbanned process312is initiated, then recent ban status336is determined. Recent ban status336indicates if the component was voted out in a previous iteration of signal transmission, i.e., the component was not transmitting active and admissible data consistent with the entirety of this disclosure. If currently unbanned component transmits data out of tolerance with the previously voted on data, vote out count increment340is initiated. Vote out count increment340indicates an increase in vote out count, the vote out count, if raised above vote out threshold348, ban command352is initiated. If currently unbanned component has a recently banned status336indicating it has not been recently voted out, then vote out count decrement344is initiated. Vote out count decrement344decreases vote out count, further removing the currently unbanned component from being banned by ban command352, indicating that the currently unbanned component is transmitting usable and accurate data. Currently banned process308and currently unbanned process312may be repeatedly performed before any components are banned or unbanned, performed in periodic intervals, performed in a specific order, performed simultaneously, performed on some components at a time, performed on all components simultaneously, among others.

Referring now toFIG. 4, method400for fly-by-wire flight control configured for use in electric aircraft is presented in process flow diagram form. Method400, at405includes detecting, at the at least a sensor104, pilot input112from at least a pilot control108. Pilot control108may include a directional control of an electric aircraft such as an inceptor stick, pedals, joysticks, steering wheels, among others. Pilot control108includes a throttle control of an electric aircraft, for example, a gas pedal, electric motor throttle control, or the like. Pilot control108may include any pilot control as described herein. The at least a sensor104may include a motion sensor. The motion sensor may be any motion sensor as described herein.

Method400, at step410, includes generating, as a function of pilot input112, at least a command datum116. Pilot input112may be the movement of pilot control108indicating a pilot's desire to alter aircraft heading. Pilot input112may be any pilot input as described herein.

Method400, at step415, includes determining, at flight controller120, as a function of voting algorithm124, that the at least a sensor104is an allowed sensor128. Flight controller120may be any flight controller as described herein. Allowed sensor128may be any sensor as described herein. Voting algorithm124may be any voting algorithm as described herein. Voting algorithm124may utilize one or more machine-learning processes.

Method400, at step420, includes determining that the at least a command datum116is an active datum. The command datum116may be any command datum as described herein. The active datum132may be any active datum as described herein. Flight controller120is configured to ban the at least a sensor104that transmitted a command datum116determined to not be an active datum132.

Method400, at step425, includes determining that the at least a command datum116is an admissible datum136. The admissible datum136may be any admissible datum as described herein. Flight controller120is configured to ban the at least a sensor104that transmitted command datum116determined to not an admissible datum136.

Method400, at step430, includes generating, as a function of the at least a command datum116and the allowed sensor128, control surface datum140correlated to pilot input112. Allowed sensor128may be any allowed sensor as described herein. Control surface datum140may be any control surface datum or equivalent signal as described herein. Control surface datum140may include the mean of the plurality of included command datums116from the plurality of allowed sensors128. Control surface may include an aileron mechanically coupled to an electric aircraft. Control surface may include a propulsor mechanically coupled to an electric aircraft. Control surface includes any control surface as described herein. Propulsor includes any propulsor as described herein.

Referring now toFIG. 5, an exemplary embodiment of a machine-learning module500that may perform one or more machine-learning processes as described in this disclosure is illustrated. Machine-learning module may perform determinations, classification, and/or analysis steps, methods, processes, or the like as described in this disclosure using machine learning processes. A “machine learning process,” as used in this disclosure, is a process that automatedly uses training data504to generate an algorithm that will be performed by a computing device/module to produce outputs508given data provided as inputs512; this is in contrast to a non-machine learning software program where the commands to be executed are determined in advance by a user and written in a programming language. Machine-learning module may be generated by one or more flight controllers or one or more computing devices consistent with the entirety of this disclosure. A generated machine-learning module may be used to configure or reconfigure one or more voting algorithms consistent with the entirety of this disclosure using software, firmware, and/or configuration or reconfiguration of a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other hardware component. Machine-learning module may configure or reconfigure voting algorithms by tuning one or more coefficients, weights, and/or parameters using in voting algorithms such as tolerance thresholds, vote out thresholds, or other limits within voting algorithm and/or mathematical combinations performed for and/or in voting algorithm. For example, and without limitation, machine-learning module may tune a lower coefficient and/or threshold for a vote out threshold, which may result in a vote out threshold baseline multiplied by the tuned lower weight, resulting in a lesser value for the vote out threshold; that lesser vote out threshold may then be more likely to vote out command datums within voting algorithm.

Referring now toFIG. 6, an embodiment of an electric aircraft600is presented. Still referring toFIG. 6, electric aircraft600may include a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL). As used herein, a vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is one that can hover, take off, and land vertically. An eVTOL, as used herein, is an electrically powered aircraft typically using an energy source, of a plurality of energy sources to power the aircraft. In order to optimize the power and energy necessary to propel the aircraft. eVTOL may be capable of rotor-based cruising flight, rotor-based takeoff, rotor-based landing, fixed-wing cruising flight, airplane-style takeoff, airplane-style landing, and/or any combination thereof. Rotor-based flight, as described herein, is where the aircraft generated lift and propulsion by way of one or more powered rotors coupled with an engine, such as a “quad copter,” multi-rotor helicopter, or other vehicle that maintains its lift primarily using downward thrusting propulsors. Fixed-wing flight, as described herein, is where the aircraft is capable of flight using wings and/or foils that generate life caused by the aircraft's forward airspeed and the shape of the wings and/or foils, such as airplane-style flight.

With continued reference toFIG. 6, a number of aerodynamic forces may act upon the electric aircraft600during flight. Forces acting on an electric aircraft600during flight may include, without limitation, thrust, the forward force produced by the rotating element of the electric aircraft600and acts parallel to the longitudinal axis. Another force acting upon electric aircraft600may be, without limitation, drag, which may be defined as a rearward retarding force which is caused by disruption of airflow by any protruding surface of the electric aircraft600such as, without limitation, the wing, rotor, and fuselage. Drag may oppose thrust and acts rearward parallel to the relative wind. A further force acting upon electric aircraft600may include, without limitation, weight, which may include a combined load of the electric aircraft600itself, crew, baggage, and/or fuel. Weight may pull electric aircraft600downward due to the force of gravity. An additional force acting on electric aircraft600may include, without limitation, lift, which may act to oppose the downward force of weight and may be produced by the dynamic effect of air acting on the airfoil and/or downward thrust from the propulsor of the electric aircraft. Lift generated by the airfoil may depend on speed of airflow, density of air, total area of an airfoil and/or segment thereof, and/or an angle of attack between air and the airfoil. For example, and without limitation, electric aircraft600are designed to be as lightweight as possible. Reducing the weight of the aircraft and designing to reduce the number of components is essential to optimize the weight. To save energy, it may be useful to reduce weight of components of an electric aircraft600, including without limitation propulsors and/or propulsion assemblies. In an embodiment, the motor may eliminate need for many external structural features that otherwise might be needed to join one component to another component. The motor may also increase energy efficiency by enabling a lower physical propulsor profile, reducing drag and/or wind resistance. This may also increase durability by lessening the extent to which drag and/or wind resistance add to forces acting on electric aircraft600and/or propulsors.

Referring still toFIG. 6, Aircraft may include at least a vertical propulsor604and at least a forward propulsor608. A forward propulsor is a propulsor that propels the aircraft in a forward direction. Forward in this context is not an indication of the propulsor position on the aircraft; one or more propulsors mounted on the front, on the wings, at the rear, etc. A vertical propulsor is a propulsor that propels the aircraft in a upward direction; one of more vertical propulsors may be mounted on the front, on the wings, at the rear, and/or any suitable location. A propulsor, as used herein, is a component or device used to propel a craft by exerting force on a fluid medium, which may include a gaseous medium such as air or a liquid medium such as water. At least a vertical propulsor604is a propulsor that generates a substantially downward thrust, tending to propel an aircraft in a vertical direction providing thrust for maneuvers such as without limitation, vertical take-off, vertical landing, hovering, and/or rotor-based flight such as “quadcopter” or similar styles of flight.

With continued reference toFIG. 6, at least a forward propulsor608as used in this disclosure is a propulsor positioned for propelling an aircraft in a “forward” direction; at least a forward propulsor may include one or more propulsors mounted on the front, on the wings, at the rear, or a combination of any such positions. At least a forward propulsor may propel an aircraft forward for fixed-wing and/or “airplane”-style flight, takeoff, and/or landing, and/or may propel the aircraft forward or backward on the ground. At least a vertical propulsor604and at least a forward propulsor608includes a thrust element. At least a thrust element may include any device or component that converts the mechanical energy of a motor, for instance in the form of rotational motion of a shaft, into thrust in a fluid medium. At least a thrust element may include, without limitation, a device using moving or rotating foils, including without limitation one or more rotors, an airscrew or propeller, a set of airscrews or propellers such as contrarotating propellers, a moving or flapping wing, or the like. At least a thrust element may include without limitation a marine propeller or screw, an impeller, a turbine, a pump-jet, a paddle or paddle-based device, or the like. As another non-limiting example, at least a thrust element may include an eight-bladed pusher propeller, such as an eight-bladed propeller mounted behind the engine to ensure the drive shaft is in compression. Propulsors may include at least a motor mechanically coupled to the at least a first propulsor as a source of thrust. A motor may include without limitation, any electric motor, where an electric motor is a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, for instance by causing a shaft to rotate. At least a motor may be driven by direct current (DC) electric power; for instance, at least a first motor may include a brushed DC at least a first motor, or the like. At least a first motor may be driven by electric power having varying or reversing voltage levels, such as alternating current (AC) power as produced by an alternating current generator and/or inverter, or otherwise varying power, such as produced by a switching power source. At least a first motor may include, without limitation, brushless DC electric motors, permanent magnet synchronous at least a first motor, switched reluctance motors, or induction motors. In addition to inverter and/or a switching power source, a circuit driving at least a first motor may include electronic speed controllers or other components for regulating motor speed, rotation direction, and/or dynamic braking. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various devices that may be used as at least a thrust element.

With continued reference toFIG. 6, during flight, a number of forces may act upon the electric aircraft. Forces acting on an aircraft600during flight may include thrust, the forward force produced by the rotating element of the aircraft600and acts parallel to the longitudinal axis. Drag may be defined as a rearward retarding force which is caused by disruption of airflow by any protruding surface of the aircraft600such as, without limitation, the wing, rotor, and fuselage. Drag may oppose thrust and acts rearward parallel to the relative wind. Another force acting on aircraft600may include weight, which may include a combined load of the aircraft600itself, crew, baggage and fuel. Weight may pull aircraft600downward due to the force of gravity. An additional force acting on aircraft600may include lift, which may act to oppose the downward force of weight and may be produced by the dynamic effect of air acting on the airfoil and/or downward thrust from at least a propulsor. Lift generated by the airfoil may depends on speed of airflow, density of air, total area of an airfoil and/or segment thereof, and/or an angle of attack between air and the airfoil.

Computer system700may also include a storage device724. Examples of a storage device (e.g., storage device724) include, but are not limited to, a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical disc drive in combination with an optical medium, a solid-state memory device, and any combinations thereof. Storage device724may be connected to bus712by an appropriate interface (not shown). Example interfaces include, but are not limited to, SCSI, advanced technology attachment (ATA), serial ATA, universal serial bus (USB), IEEE 1394 (FIREWIRE), and any combinations thereof. In one example, storage device724(or one or more components thereof) may be removably interfaced with computer system700(e.g., via an external port connector (not shown)). Particularly, storage device724and an associated machine-readable medium728may provide nonvolatile and/or volatile storage of machine-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and/or other data for computer system700. In one example, software720may reside, completely or partially, within machine-readable medium728. In another example, software720may reside, completely or partially, within processor704.

Computer system700may also include an input device732. In one example, a user of computer system700may enter commands and/or other information into computer system700via input device732. Examples of an input device732include, but are not limited to, an alpha-numeric input device (e.g., a keyboard), a pointing device, a joystick, a gamepad, an audio input device (e.g., a microphone, a voice response system, etc.), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a touchpad, an optical scanner, a video capture device (e.g., a still camera, a video camera), a touchscreen, and any combinations thereof. Input device732may be interfaced to bus712via any of a variety of interfaces (not shown) including, but not limited to, a serial interface, a parallel interface, a game port, a USB interface, a FIREWIRE interface, a direct interface to bus712, and any combinations thereof. Input device732may include a touch screen interface that may be a part of or separate from display736, discussed further below. Input device732may be utilized as a user selection device for selecting one or more graphical representations in a graphical interface as described above.

A user may also input commands and/or other information to computer system700via storage device724(e.g., a removable disk drive, a flash drive, etc.) and/or network interface device740. A network interface device, such as network interface device740, may be utilized for connecting computer system700to one or more of a variety of networks, such as network744, and one or more remote devices748connected thereto. Examples of a network interface device include, but are not limited to, a network interface card (e.g., a mobile network interface card, a LAN card), a modem, and any combination thereof. Examples of a network include, but are not limited to, a wide area network (e.g., the Internet, an enterprise network), a local area network (e.g., a network associated with an office, a building, a campus or other relatively small geographic space), a telephone network, a data network associated with a telephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications provider data and/or voice network), a direct connection between two computing devices, and any combinations thereof. A network, such as network744, may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode of communication. In general, any network topology may be used. Information (e.g., data, software720, etc.) may be communicated to and/or from computer system700via network interface device740.