A distributed control system and method for decentralized, collaborative platform navigation, routing, and/or control are disclosed employing a distributed, factorized positioning, navigation, and timing chain that can link platforms or nodes having local sensors together by their local inertial and ranging measurements. In the distributed, factorized PNT chain, each platform maintains and contributes local measurements as states to a set of dynamically assigned parent node for a platform cluster, each parent nodes and associated clusters links to at least one other parent node aggregates the states of the platforms in the cluster and passes/propagates states of a linked clustered.

System, methods, and machine-readable media may facilitate control of an aircraft. An actuator may be controlled based on the following. A first control signal may be output, with a first command module, to control the actuator. The first command module may include a first electronic configuration. Commands generated by the first command module and/or system response signals may be monitored with a monitor module. The monitor module may include a third electronic configuration that is different from the first electronic configuration. A second control signal may be output, with a second command module, to control the actuator when the first command module is deactivated or malfunctioning. The second command module may include a second electronic configuration that is different from the first electronic configuration and the third electronic configuration. The actuator may be controlled using the second control signal when the first command module is deactivated or malfunctioning.

A modular vehicle management system includes a vehicle management board configured to interface with any of a plurality of vehicle-specific boards. The vehicle management board includes connectors configured to receive operational data from a vehicle-specific board and to send control data to the vehicle-specific board. The vehicle management board includes processors configured to receive the operational data, generate the control data, and send the control data to the vehicle specific board. The vehicle-specific board includes connectors configured to interface with computing devices, connectors configured to interface with the connectors on the vehicle management board to convey operational data and receive control data, and connectors configured to interface with controllers of the vehicle.

A distributed control system and method for decentralized, collaborative platform navigation, routing, and/or control are disclosed employing a distributed, factorized positioning, navigation, and timing chain that can link platforms or nodes having local sensors together by their local inertial and ranging measurements. In the distributed, factorized PNT chain, each platform maintains and contributes local measurements as states to a set of dynamically assigned parent node for a platform cluster, each parent nodes and associated clusters links to at least one other parent node aggregates the states of the platforms in the cluster and passes/propagates states of a linked clustered.