Method for landing an aircraft which takes off and lands vertically, aircraft and landing system

Abstract

A method for landing an aircraft, which takes off and lands vertically, at a predetermined landing site defined by a circular marking that can be captured optically and has a circular outer contour utilizes a landing system. A camera arranged on the aircraft and directed to the landing site is used to capture images electronically, each of which represents a reproduction of the marking detected at least in sections. Each camera image is evaluated in a control device. The control device is used to fit a geometric object with at least one straight line, which has a predetermined line slope in relation to the camera image, into the reproduction in such a way that the line constitutes a tangent through a contact point to the marking detected at least in sections. The control device steers the aircraft in the direction of the contact point determined in this way.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A method for landing an aircraft (1) at a landing site (9), wherein the aircraft (1) takes off and lands vertically, and wherein the landing site (9) is defined by a circular marking that can be detected optically (10) and has a circular outer contour, the method comprising: continuously electronically capturing camera images (11) by a camera device (5) arranged on the aircraft (1) and directed towards the landing site (9), which images each show a reproduction of the circular marking (10) detected at least in sections; evaluating each of the camera images (11) in a control device in an automated manner; using the control device to fit a geometric object with a straight line (12), which has a predetermined line slope in relation to the camera image (11), into the reproduction in such a way that the straight line (12) constitutes a tangent through a contact point (13) to the marking (10) detected at least in sections; and controlling the aircraft (1), by the control device, in the direction of the contact point (13).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the straight line (12) constitutes a tangent to the circular outer contour.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the marking (10) is of circular design and the straight line (12) constitutes a tangent to an inner contour.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the geometric object is fitted into the reproduction in such a way that the straight line (12) forms the tangent in a predetermined camera image area when the reproduction includes two opposite sections of the marking (10).

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the geometric object is fitted into the reproduction such that the straight line (12) forms the tangent at an upper semicircle of the marking (10), as seen from the aircraft (1) in the direction of flight, when the camera device (5) is located in front of a landing target point (7) in the direction of flight with respect to the landing target point (7), and wherein the geometric object is fitted into the reproduction such that the straight line (12) forms the tangent at a lower semicircle of the marking (10), as seen from the aircraft (1) in the direction of flight, when the camera device (5) is located behind the landing target point (7) in the direction of flight with respect to the landing target point (7).

18. An aircraft (1), comprising: an aircraft base body (4); a control device; and a camera (5), wherein the camera (5) is arranged on the aircraft base body (4) at a distance from various landing target points (7) of the aircraft base body (4), wherein camera distances (8) to the various landing target points (7) differ from one another, and wherein the control device is configured to evaluate camera images (11) captured by the camera in an automated manner, the camera images (11) showing a reproduction of a marking (10) having a circular outer contour identifying a landing site (9), to fit a geometric object with at least one straight line (12), which has a predetermined line slope in relation to the camera image (11), into the reproduction in such a way that the straight line (12) constitutes a tangent through a contact point (13) to the marking (10) detected at least in sections, and to control the aircraft (1) towards the contact point (13).

19. The aircraft (1) according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined line slope in relation to a two-dimensional aircraft coordinate system, which is defined by a longitudinal axis (16) and a transverse axis (17) of the aircraft (1), is predetermined for each respective landing target point (7) such that the predetermined line slope corresponds to a vertical line slope of a vertical line (15) projected into the aircraft coordinate system on a connecting line (14) between the respective landing target point (7) and a center point of the camera (5).

20. A landing system, comprising: a landing site (9); and the aircraft (1) according to claim 18, wherein a circular radius of the marking (10) corresponds to at least one camera distance (8).

21. The landing system according to claim 20, wherein the landing site (9) comprises multiple circular markings that can be detected optically (10), wherein radii of the markings (10) correspond to different camera distances (8).

22. The landing system according to claim 20, wherein the markings (10) are designed in different colors.

23. The landing system according to claim 20, wherein the markings (10) are arranged concentrically to one another.

24. The landing system according to claim 20, wherein the markings (10) are of annular design.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a landing system.

[0035] FIGS. 2a to 2c a schematically illustrate a method for landing an aircraft in a landing system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 schematically shows an aircraft 1, wherein the aircraft 1 is an airplane that takes off and lands vertically. For take-off and landing, rotors 3 arranged on the wings 2 of the aircraft 1 can be pivoted into a vertical-flight position. In the illustration, a wing 2 and a rotor 3 are denoted with a reference character by way of example.

[0037] The aircraft 1 comprises an aircraft base body 4, a control device (not shown separately) and a camera device 5. The aircraft base body 4 comprises, inter alia, the wings 2. The camera device 5 is arranged on one of the wings 2 at a distance from three parcels 6, the parcel center points of which each form landing target points 7 of the aircraft base body 4. The camera distances 8 to the three landing target points 7 differ from one another.

[0038] FIG. 1 also shows a landing site 9 schematically. The landing site 9 has three circular markings 10 that can be detected optically, each with a circular outer contour. The radii of the markings 10 correspond to the different camera distances 8. The markings 10 are in color and arranged concentrically to one another.

[0039] In addition, FIG. 1 schematically shows the determination of the line slope on the basis of a vertical line slope of a vertical line 15 to a connecting line 14. The line slope is specified for each landing target point 7 in relation to a two-dimensional aircraft coordinate system, which is defined by a longitudinal axis 16 and a transverse axis 17 of the aircraft 1, in such a way that the line slope corresponds to a vertical line slope of the vertical line 15 projected into the aircraft coordinate system on the connecting line 14 between the respective landing target point 7 and a center point of the camera device 5. The vertical line slope in the aircraft coordinate system is adopted as the line slope in a camera image coordinate system.

[0040] FIGS. 2a to 2c schematically show an approach to a landing site 9 with a circular marking 10 that can be detected optically. A schematically illustrated rectangular camera image 11 can be captured with the camera device 5 arranged on the wing 2. The camera images 11 shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c each represent a reproduction of the marking 10 detected in sections. The control device, which is not shown, is used to fit a straight line 12, which has a predetermined line slope in relation to the camera image 11 and corresponds to a vertical line slope of the vertical line 15, into the reproduction in such a way that the line 12 constitutes a tangent through a contact point 13 to the marking 10 detected in sections. The aircraft 1 is then steered in the direction of the contact point 13 determined in this way by means of the control device.

[0041] In the illustration in FIG. 2b, the aircraft 1 has already flown somewhat closer to the contact point 13 already determined in the illustration in FIG. 2a. In the illustration in FIG. 2c, the aircraft 1 has rotated around its vertical axis due to varied wind conditions. As a result, the camera image 11 that can be captured by the camera device 5 was also shifted. When fitting the line 12 into the reproduction determined in FIG. 2c, the contact point 13 was shifted and the aircraft 1 is steered further in the direction of the shifted contact point 13.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0042] 1 Aircraft [0043] 2 Wings [0044] 3 Rotor [0045] 4 Aircraft base body [0046] 5 Camera device [0047] 6 Parcel [0048] 7 Landing target point [0049] 8 Camera distance [0050] 9 Landing site [0051] 10 Marking [0052] 11 Camera image [0053] 12 Line [0054] 13 Contact point [0055] 14 Connecting line [0056] 15 Vertical line [0057] 16 Longitudinal axis [0058] 17 Transverse axis