CPC B64C 25/48 (2013.01) [B60T 8/1703 (2013.01); B60T 1/10 (2013.01); B64C 29/0025 (2013.01); B64D 27/24 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |
1. A braking system for an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, the system comprising:
a wheel configured to allow rolling motion of the aircraft on the ground, wherein the wheel is a part of the aircraft, the wheel comprising a first wheel and a second wheel;
a skid component at an undercarriage of the aircraft and configured to support the aircraft on the ground, wherein the skid component comprises a skid tube comprising:
a recess, wherein the recess houses the wheel and is configured to allow the wheel to rotate freely; and
a biasing mechanism, wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to generate an elastic recoil force to allow the wheel to extend or retract in the recess; and
a brake configured to resist rotation of the wheel, the brake comprising a first brake configured to resist rotation of the first wheel and a second brake configured to resist rotation of the second wheel;
a pilot control device, the pilot control device configured to:
detect a measured pilot input, the measured pilot input comprising selective braking by the first brake to steer the aircraft while the aircraft is in motion on the ground; and
generate a pilot datum as a function of the measured pilot input;
a controller communicatively connected to the aircraft and the pilot control device, the controller configured to:
receive the pilot datum from the pilot control device;
generate an action command based on the pilot datum; and
transmit an action command to at least a control surface, the at least a control surface comprises a caliper, wherein a pressure sensor is used to determine a force applied by the caliper to the brake pad and the caliper interacts with the brake pad to resist rotation of a wheel, the first brake, and a rudder of the aircraft, wherein transmitting the action command comprises:
controlling operation of the caliper of the first brake to resist rotation of the first wheel to steer the aircraft on the ground; and
controlling operation of the rudder to control yaw of the aircraft to steer the aircraft on the ground.
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