Abstract:
A control augmentation system (200) for high aspect ratio aircraft has aileron/ flaperon and throttle position sensors (208, 210, 212, 214); spoiler and flap controls (219, 222); a mode switch (224) with manual, and landing modes; and a controller (202) driving left and right spoiler and flap servos (230, 232, 234), the controller (202) including at least one processor (240) with memory (242) containing firmware configured to: when the mode switch (224) is in manual mode, drive both spoiler servos (230, 232) to a symmetrical position according to the spoiler control (219); when the mode switch (224) is in landing mode, drive the left spoiler to a position dependent on aileron and throttle position, and the right spoiler to a position dependent on aileron and throttle position, the left and right spoiler positions differing whenever ailerons (104) are not centered, and an average of spoiler positions is more fully deployed when the throttle position is at a low-power setting than when the throttle position is at a high-power setting.
Abstract:
A micro unmanned aerial vehicle or drone ("UAV") 10 is remotely controlled through an HMI (309), although this remote control is supplemented by and selectively suppressed by an on-board controller (302). The controller operates to control the generation of a sonar bubble that generally encapsulates the UAV. The sonar bubble, which may be ultrasonic in nature, is produced by a multiplicity of sonar lobes generated by specific sonar emitters associated with each axis of movement for the UAV. The emitters produce individual and beamformed sonar lobes (80-102) that partially overlap to provide stereo or bioptic data in the form of individual echo responses detected by axis- specific sonar detectors (40-68). In this way, the on-board controller is able to interpret and then generate 3-D spatial imaging of the physical environment in which the UAV is currently moving or positioned. The controller is therefore able to plot relative and absolute movement of the UAV through the 3-D space by recording measurements from on-board gyroscopes (342), magnetometers (344) and accelerometers (346). Data from the sonar bubble can therefore both proactively prevent collisions with objects by imposing a corrective instruction to rotors (12-18) and other flight control system and can also assess and compensate for sensor drift.
Abstract:
A guided fire-retardant-containing bomb comprises a container with retractable wings, tail and elevators having the form factor of a conventional release vehicle, where the control surfaces are coupled via a controller to a GPS with inertial guidance control and an ability to receive external instructions, and a charge core to disintegrate and disperse the fire retardant or water.
Abstract:
Propulsion prognostics apparatus and systems for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are provided. One propulsion prognostics apparatus comprises a prognostics module configured to generate prognostics data and a power output sensor configured to be coupled to the engine system and configured to generate power output data representing an actual power output of the engine system. The propulsion prognostics apparatus further comprises a processor coupled to the prognostics module and the power output sensor. The processor is configured to receive the prognostics data and the power output data, compare the prognostics data and the power output data, and determine the airworthiness of the UAV based on the comparison. A propulsion prognostics system includes a UAV having an engine system and the above propulsion prognostics apparatus coupled to the UAV.
Abstract:
Measurement of only one axis of a three-axis magnetometer is used to control the performance of at least one corrective action on an unmanned aerial vehicle ("UAV"). In one example, a method includes receiving from a three-axis magnetometer a measurement representative of an attitude of a UAV, wherein the measurement is of only one axis of the magnetometer, comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes, determining that the measurement is not within the allowable range of attitudes, and performing at least one corrective action on the UAV.