US 11,989,037 B2
Method and controller for turn coordination of an aircraft, and an aircraft with turn coordination
Johannes Stephan, Stuttgart (DE); Christoph Seiferth, Stuttgart (DE); and Burak Yüksel, Heidelberg (DE)
Assigned to Volocopter GmbH, Bruchsal (DE)
Filed by Volocopter GmbH, Bruchsal (DE)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/203,091.
Claims priority of application No. 102020107456.5 (DE), filed on Mar. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0294354 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64D 27/24 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 1/102 (2013.01) [B64C 29/0025 (2013.01); B64D 27/24 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling an aircraft (1) with a plurality of drive units (2) and a controller for flight control (3), the method comprising:
entering at least one lateral control signal into the controller (3) in order to initiate a lateral movement of the aircraft (1);
ascertaining a speed of the aircraft through an airspeed estimation (6) based on a commanded pitch angle (θC) and in dependence on a drag coefficient (cW, cw);
depending on the estimated airspeed (V) and a commanded roll angle (ϕC), calculating a rate of turn (ψ); and
automatically initiating the lateral movement with the calculated rate of turn (ψ) through input of the at least one lateral control signal, wherein the calculated rate of turn (ψ) is zero below a first threshold speed (V0) for the airspeed (V), so that an exclusively translatory movement is initiated.