Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for flight control prioritization. An example apparatus includes a thrust state determiner to determine a first thrust margin between a first limit of first available power for first rotors of a rotorcraft and a first thrust state associated with the first rotors, determine a second thrust margin between a second limit of second available power for second rotors of the rotorcraft and a second thrust state associated with the second rotors, and identify the first thrust margin or the second thrust margin as a selected thrust margin based on a vertical control profile of the rotorcraft, and a command generator to determine a first vertical control command based on the selected thrust margin and a second vertical control command, the second vertical control command being executed by the rotorcraft, and control the rotorcraft based on the first vertical control command.

The disclosure provides for a method for determining a pullover spot for a vehicle. The method includes using a computing device to detect information related to a system of the vehicle or an environment surrounding the vehicle using a sensor of a vehicle and determine a local failure of the vehicle based on the information. The computing device may then be used to determine that the vehicle should pullover before completing a current trip related to transporting a passenger or good by comparing vehicle requirements for the trip with the local failure and determine a pullover spot by identifying a first area for the vehicle to park in part based on a second area being available for a second vehicle to pick up the passenger or good. The computing device may operate the vehicle to the pullover spot and transmit a request for a second vehicle.

A method of operating an aircraft with multiple actuators, such as propulsion units, preferably electrically powered propulsion units, is provided and includes the steps of: i) monitoring an operational state of said multiple actuators; ii) when detecting a malfunctioning or failure of any one of said actuators, indicating said malfunctioning or failure to a pilot in command (2b) of the aircraft; iii) controlling a human machine interface (2ab) of the aircraft to display and enable a limited choice of possible operating measures in connection with said malfunctioning or failure to the pilot in command (2b); and iv) programming at least one control element (2ae) in association with said one actuator to perform said measures when actuated by the pilot in command (2b).

A method of controlling an actuator system including a plurality of k actuators. Each of the actuators-receives a control input u.sub.i, wherein index i denotes a particular actuator, which control input u.sub.i is determined depending on a weight matrix W including a weighting factor w.sub.i for each actuator and depending on at least a physical maximum control limit u.sub.i.sup.max for each of the actuators. The weighting factors w.sub.i and/or physical maximum control limit u.sub.i.sup.max are actively changed during operation if a first comparison of the control input u.sub.i or a function f(u.sub.i) thereof with a set first threshold value yields that the control input u.sub.i or function f(u.sub.i) thereof exceeds the set first threshold value. The first comparison is repeated during operation, and a new control input u.sub.i is determined from the adjusted weighting factor w.sub.i and/or the adjusted physical maximum control limit u.sub.i.sup.max and applied to the actuators.

A nonlinear dynamic control system is defined by a set of equations that include a state vector and one or more control inputs. Via a machine learning method, a sub-optimal controller is derived that stabilizes the nonlinear dynamic control system at an equilibrium point. The sub-optimal controller is retrained to be used as a stabilizing controller for the nonlinear dynamic control system under general operating conditions.

An autonomous vehicle brake failure handling method is provided. The method includes detecting a brake system failure of the autonomous vehicle and transmitting a rescue request signal to a control server when the failure is detected. A bumper of the autonomous vehicle is moved into contact with a preceding autonomous vehicle bumper or the autonomous vehicle is docked with the preceding autonomous vehicle through speed control and steering control. The autonomous vehicle having the failure-detected brake system is completely braked under deceleration control of the preceding autonomous vehicle when the autonomous vehicle bumper and the preceding autonomous vehicle bumper are in contact with each other or when the docking of the autonomous vehicle and the preceding autonomous vehicle has been completed.

Provided are a safety control system and method for an autonomous vehicle. The safety control system includes a sensor installed in a vehicle and including at least a camera and a light detection and ranging (LiDAR), a main domain control unit (DCU) configured to control autonomous driving from an origin to a destination on the basis of various kinds of information transferred through communication with the sensor, and a redundancy DCU configured to ensure safety of the vehicle by performing a safety function when an event occurs in the autonomous driving due to a fault of the main DCU. According to this configuration, the main DCU and the redundancy DCU are provided, and thus it is possible to simultaneously ensure a fully autonomous driving function and a system safety control function.

The disclosure provides for a method for determining a pullover spot for a vehicle. The method includes using a computing device to detect information related to a system of the vehicle or an environment surrounding the vehicle using a sensor of a vehicle and determine a local failure of the vehicle based on the information. The computing device may then be used to determine that the vehicle should pullover before completing a current trip related to transporting a passenger or good by comparing vehicle requirements for the trip with the local failure and determine a pullover spot by identifying a first area for the vehicle to park in part based on a second area being available for a second vehicle to pick up the passenger or good. The computing device may operate the vehicle to the pullover spot and transmit a request for a second vehicle.

A method for controlling an aircraft capable of hovering is described, comprising a first engine; a second engine; at least one rotor; and a transmission interposed between the first and second engine and the rotor; the transmission comprises a first and a second inlet connected respectively to a first outlet member of the first engine and to a second outlet member of the second engine; the method comprises step i) of placing the in a first configuration, in which the first and second engine make available a first and a second power value; or in a second configuration, in which the first engine (makes available a third power value greater than the first power value to the first inlet, and the second engine delivers a nil power value to the second inlet; the method also comprises, characterised in that it comprises the steps of ii) detecting a series of parameters associated with the operating conditions of the aircraft; and iii) enabling the transition of the aircraft from the first configuration to the second configuration, when the parameters assume respective first values.

Systems and methods to improve controllability of an aerial vehicle responsive to degraded operational conditions are described. For example, one or more propeller blades of an aerial vehicle may be modifiable between two or more configurations. The configurations may include a low torque configuration suitable for normal operational conditions, and a high torque configuration suitable for degraded operational conditions. Various aspects or portions of a propeller blade may be modified to increase torque generated by the propeller blade due to drag or air resistance. The additional generated torque may then be used as a source of additional torque to improve controllability of the aerial vehicle responsive to degraded operational conditions.