A method of retrofitting a mechanically controlled aircraft with a fly-by-wire system includes removing a mechanical links between mechanical pilot inputs and actuators operable to drive flight surfaces. Electromechanical actuators are coupled between a plurality of vehicle management computers and the actuators. Each of the electromechanical actuators is operable to receive commands from the vehicle management computers and output a mechanical force to an input linkage of one of the actuators. Electromechanical pilot input modules are coupled to the mechanical pilot inputs. Each of the electromechanical pilot input modules is operable to convert a pilot-driven input force of an instance of the mechanical pilot inputs into an electronic signal indicative of the pilot-driven input force. At least one high performance computer is coupled to at least one of the vehicle management computers. The high performance computer executes one or more high level intelligence algorithms to selectively operate the aircraft autonomously.

The invention relates to a device and to a method for the open and closed control of n actuators A.sub.n, n=1, 2, . . . , N, where N≥1, which drive aerodynamic control surfaces of an aircraft. The proposed device includes a first interface at which, by manually inputting of a pilot into an input means, predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n are generated and made available and/or a second interface at which, by means of an automatic flight controller of the aircraft, predefinitions SV.sub.AutoPilot for controlling the actuators A.sub.n are generated and made available, a unit, which on the basis of predefinitions SV.sub.Pilot and/or SV.sub.AutoPilot per actuator A.sub.n, determines a reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint, for controlling the actuator A.sub.n, wherein the reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint specifies a setpoint force or a setpoint torque, and per actuator A.sub.n a force/torque controller REG.sub.n for performing closed control of the actuator A.sub.n on the basis of the assigned reference variable F.sub.An,setpoint and a force/torque F.sub.An generated by the actuator A.sub.n as a closed-control variable which is determined by a sensor device S1.sub.n, which is respectively present at or in the actuator A.sub.n or in the drivetrain of the respective actuator A.sub.n.

A tail sitter aircraft includes a fuselage having a forward portion, an aft portion and a longitudinally extending fuselage axis. At least two wings are supported by the forward portion of the fuselage. A distributed propulsion system includes at least one propulsion assembly operably associated with each fixed wing and is operable to provide forward thrust during forward flight and vertical thrust during vertical takeoff, hover and vertical landing. A tailboom assembly extends from the aft portion of the fuselage and includes a plurality of rotatably mounted tail arms having control surfaces and landing members. In a forward flight configuration, the tail arms are radially retracted to reduce tail surface geometry and provide yaw and pitch control with the control surfaces. In a landing configuration, the tail arms are radially extended relative to the fuselage axis to form a stable ground contact base with the landing members.

Disclosed herein is a method of controlling an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a plurality of actuators, a plurality of actuator control units, and a plurality of flight control systems for generating control signals. The method comprises, at each of the plurality of actuator control units: (a) from each of the plurality of flight control systems, obtaining a respective control signal for controlling an actuator associated with the actuator control unit, the actuator being one of the plurality of actuators; and (b) providing an actuator control signal to the associated actuator, wherein the actuator control signal is based on an analysis of the obtained control signals.

A system and method for controlling two or more actuators acting together to move a component or surface includes Two or more actuators engaged with the component or surface to be moved. Each actuator is displaceable to move the component or surface in response to a component or surface position command. Each actuator has an associated actuator controller to receive the position command and to output an actuator displacement command. The system also includes force fight control means configured to determine a force differential from forces, or a pressure differential from pressures measured at each actuator and to derive a speed and/or a current offset signal, and to provide the offset signal to the actuator controllers to modify the actuator displacement commands.

This technology will allow takeoffs with a single initial horizontal stabilizer or trim tab position while maintaining satisfactory rotation times thus allowing simpler aircraft operation and avoid the scenario in which the crew does not correctly trim the aircraft (mistrim takeoff scenario) which could reduce safety margins.

Some aspects relate to systems and methods for fly-by-wire reversionary flight control including a pilot control, a plurality of sensors configured to: sense control data associated with the pilot control, and transmit the control data, a first actuator communicative with the plurality of sensors configured to receive the control data, determine a first command datum as a function of the control data and a distributed control algorithm, and actuate a first control element according to the first command datum.

A computer-implemented method and system for controlling an aircraft based on detecting and mitigating fatiguing conditions and aircraft damage conditions is disclosed. According to one example, a computer-implemented method includes detecting, by a processing system, a health condition of a component of the aircraft. The method further includes determining, by the processing system, whether the health condition is one of a fatigue condition or a damage condition. The method further includes implementing, by the processing system, a first action based at least in part on determining that the health condition is a fatigue condition to mitigate the fatigue condition. The method further includes implementing, by the processing system, a second action based at least in part on determining that the health condition is a damage condition to mitigate the damage condition.

The aircraft control system 100 includes an inceptor with a set of primary inceptor axes and a set of secondary inceptor inputs. The inceptor can optionally include a hand rest, a thumb groove, a set of finger grooves, passive soft stops, and/or any other additional elements. The aircraft control system can optionally include a flight controller, aircraft sensors, effectors, and a haptic feedback mechanism. However, the aircraft control system 100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable components.

An aircraft is configured with a propulsion system having a rotor with both cyclic and collective control, and an axis of rotation about which the propulsion system rotates with respect to the fuselage. A control system is configured to use torque generated through cyclic control of the rotor to reposition the propulsion system around the axis of rotation without the need for an independent actuator mechanism to rotate the propulsion system, thus reducing the weight and mechanical complexity of the aircraft. The control system may also utilize the torque provided by one or more rotors to position one or more wings with respect to the airflow over the aircraft, exerting torque on the aircraft to control the direction of the aircraft.