US 11,745,885 B2
Method for operating an aircraft, flight control device for an aircraft, and aircraft having multiple drive units
Burak Yüksel, Heidelberg (DE); Johannes Stephan, Stuttgart (DE); and Benjamin Kirsch, Heidelberg (DE)
Assigned to Volocopter GmbH, Bruchsal (DE)
Filed by Volocopter GmbH, Bruchsal (DE)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/485,671.
Claims priority of application No. 102020125095.9 (DE), filed on Sep. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0097828 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. B64D 31/00 (2006.01); B64D 31/06 (2006.01); B64D 27/24 (2006.01); G05D 1/08 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 31/06 (2013.01) [B64D 27/24 (2013.01); G05D 1/0858 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating an aircraft having multiple drive units, the method comprising:
a) providing a first flight control unit that activates the drive units according to a first control implementation when the first flight control unit is active;
b) providing a second flight control unit that activates the drive units according to a second control implementation when the second flight control unit is active;
c) continuously monitoring a function of a currently active one of the first and second flight control units;
d) changing an active flight control unit from the currently active one of the first and second flight control units to a newly active one of the first and second flight control units in dependence on a result of the monitoring in step c);
wherein the changing in d) for the newly active one of the flight control units includes:
d1) initializing starting values of a movement equation of the aircraft implemented in the newly active one of the flight control unit using currently known state values (x) of the aircraft;
d2) initializing integrators of the newly active flight control unit using control commands for the drive units from the currently active flight control unit; and
d3) difference equalization between control commands (u1) for the drive units from the currently active one of the flight control units and control commands (u1) for the drive units from the newly active one of the flight control units.