METHOD FOR OPERATING AN AT LEAST TEMPORARILY UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OR SPACECRAFT AND AN AIRCRAFT OR SPACECRAFT OF THIS TYPE

Abstract

A method for operating an, at least temporarily, unmanned aircraft or spacecraft wherein a flight procedure of the aircraft or spacecraft is carried out in controlled airspace using a previously cleared flight plan, wherein a C2 link is at least temporarily unavailable, and wherein at least one sensor device of the aircraft or spacecraft identifies a dangerous and/or emergency situation which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan. To have available a method which makes it possible for an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft to react independently to particular dangerous and/or emergency situations and to avoid damaging events, a control device of the aircraft or spacecraft independently uses a wireless data link to a supervisory authority in order to agree to a changed flight plan containing at least one change.

Claims

1. A method for operating an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft, wherein a flight procedure of the aircraft or spacecraft is carried out in controlled airspace using a previously cleared flight plan, wherein a C2 link, via which the aircraft or spacecraft can be or is controlled, is at least temporarily unavailable, and wherein at least one sensor device of the aircraft or spacecraft identifies a situation which is at least one of dangerous or an emergency and which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan, comprising the step of: using independently a wireless data link to a supervisory authority by a control device of the aircraft or spacecraft to agree to a changed flight plan containing at least one change.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the supervisory authority is formed by a control center.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the supervisory authority is formed by an air traffic control station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device transmits at least one clearance request to the supervisory authority and, following the response therefrom, reacts based on the result.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is formed by at least one sensor arranged on the aircraft or spacecraft.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is formed by a data receiving device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is formed by a telemetry system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is formed by a function monitoring device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the situation to be identified by the sensor device is at least one of the development of severe weather conditions, damage to a drive system, the failure of at least one system which is important to or necessary for the flight operation, a hailstorm, or a fuel shortage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a VHF or UHF wireless data link is established as the wireless data link.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a VDL link is established as the wireless data link.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a VDL Mode 2 link is established as the wireless data link.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft comprises at least a flight management system or is itself part of such a system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft comprises at least a flight control system or is itself part of such a system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft comprises at least an autopilot system or is itself part of such a system.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one change to the flight plan comprises at least one of a change in altitude and a change of course of the aircraft or spacecraft.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein after the situation has been identified, a possible deviation from the flight plan is established by the at least one control device of the aircraft or spacecraft and at least one dialogue having the following points is carried out with the supervisory authority via the wireless data link: a. transmitting a clearance request regarding the deviating flight plan by the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft; b. assessing the clearance request by the supervisory authority and producing a positive or negative assessment result; c. transmitting the assessment result together with the original clearance request back to the aircraft or spacecraft; d. comparing the returned assessment result with the originally transmitted clearance request, along with a plausibility check, by the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft; e. changing the original flight plan based on the assessment result.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the change to the original flight plan under point e., in the event of a positive assessment result, is converted to an updated flight plan of the aircraft or spacecraft as proposed.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein on account of the change to the original flight plan under point e., in the event of a negative assessment result, a further dialogue regarding an alternative change to the flight plan for the aircraft or spacecraft is initiated.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein on account of the change to the original flight plan under point e., in the event of a negative assessment result, a different measure is taken.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the different measure comprises the original flight plan being retained.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the different measure comprises the control device carrying out an unauthorized change to the flight plan.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the supervisory authority initiates a dialogue with the at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft and communicates, to the control device thereof, a deviation from the flight plan as a proposal or as a counterproposal to a clearance request.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the supervisory authority checks the change to the flight plan with a remote PIC via an independent communication path.

25. An at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft which travels through a controlled airspace in accordance with a previously cleared flight plan, in which aircraft or spacecraft a C2 link, via which the aircraft or spacecraft can be or is controlled, is least temporarily unavailable, and which aircraft or spacecraft is provided with a sensor device which is configured to identify a situation being at least one of dangerous or an emergency, which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan, wherein the aircraft or spacecraft has a control device which is configured to independently use a wireless data link to a supervisory authority in order to agree to a changed flight plan containing at least one change.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The FIGURE shows a schematic view of an aircraft connected to a ground station via various links in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] In the following, the invention will be described in more detail on the basis of on an embodiment in the FIGURE of the drawings.

[0037] The FIGURE of the drawings is a highly schematic view of an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft 10 which is connected bidirectionally, i.e., both in uplink and in downlink, to a ground station (GCS) via various C2 links 12, 14, 16, such that a pilot (PIC) (not shown in more detail) who is present in the ground station (GCS, ground control station or ground control segment) 20 can control the aircraft or spacecraft 10.

[0038] The various C2 links 12, 14, 16 represent the cases in which the aircraft or spacecraft is addressable by a C2 link 12, on the one hand, via a radio line of sight (RLOS) between a ground switching exchange 21 and the aircraft or spacecraft 10 and, on the other hand, in the absence of a radio line of sight (beyond radio line of sight, BRLOS), by a combination of a plurality of C2 links 14, 16 firstly between a satellite ground station 22 and a satellite 23 and then between the satellite 23 and the aircraft or spacecraft 10. Provided that the delay times during the signal transmission can be kept short, the ground station (GCS) can also be arranged at a distance from the ground stations 21, 22.

[0039] A telephone link by which the ground station (GCS) can communicate with the supervisory authority 31, even if the C2 link fails, is not shown in the FIGURE.

[0040] The FIGURE also shows a CPDLC link 30 as a wireless data link between the aircraft or spacecraft 10 and a supervisory authority, the ATC controller 31. According to the invention, if the C2 link 12, 14, 16 to the control center is lost, it is intended for it to be possible to agree a changed flight plan, which may be necessary under particular failure/emergency conditions. The flight plan of the aircraft or spacecraft 10 is adapted after clearance from the ATC controller 31 has been received via the wireless data link 30 by means of CPDLC and a data compliance check (comparison between transmitted and received data) has been carried out.

[0041] Consequently, a method for operating an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft 10 is established according to the invention, a flight procedure of the aircraft or spacecraft 10 being carried out using a previously cleared flight plan in controlled airspace, a C2 link 12, 14, 16 via which the aircraft or spacecraft 10 can be or is controlled being at least temporarily unavailable, and at least one sensor device of the aircraft or spacecraft identifying a dangerous and/or emergency situation which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan.

[0042] The method according to the invention is characterized in that a wireless data link 30, via VHF, UHF or another suitable frequency, to a supervisory authority 31 is used independently by a control device of the aircraft or spacecraft 10 to agree a changed flight plan containing at least one change.

[0043] In particular, after a dangerous and/or emergency situation has been identified, a possible deviation from the flight plan is established by the at least one control device of the aircraft or spacecraft 10, and at least one dialogue containing the following points is carried out with the supervisory authority 31 via the wireless data link 30: [0044] transmitting a clearance request regarding the deviating flight plan by the control device of the aircraft or spacecraft 10; [0045] assessing the clearance request by the supervisory authority and producing a positive or negative assessment result; [0046] transmitting the assessment result together with the original clearance request back to the aircraft or spacecraft 10; [0047] comparing the returned assessment result with the originally transmitted clearance request, along with a plausibility check; and [0048] changing the original flight plan of the at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft 10 based on the assessment result.

[0049] A C2 link 12, 14, 16, via which the aircraft or spacecraft 10 can be or is controlled, is at least temporarily unavailable to the particular at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft 10 which flies through a controlled airspace according to a previously cleared flight plan.

[0050] The aircraft or spacecraft 10 is provided with a sensor device, which identifies a dangerous and/or emergency situation which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan, and thus according to the invention agrees a changed flight plan, having at least one change, by means of a control device which independently uses a wireless data link 30 to a supervisory authority 31.

[0051] The described mechanism can be used for all relevant conditions without time pressure, i.e., when sufficient time is available for the RPA to identify appropriate deviations from the flight plan and to communicate the clearance requests to the ATC controller 31 so that said ATC controller can assess these clearance requests and send a response via a wireless data link 30, for example a CPDLC link.

[0052] A system and method as described above have the advantage of making it possible to make a change to the cleared flight plan when the link has been lost and, while so doing, making use of established methods of manned air travel using minimal effort.

[0053] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to various embodiments, it is not restricted thereto, but can be modified in many different ways. In particular, the invention can be altered or modified in various ways without departing from the crux of the invention.

[0054] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.