US 12,071,231 B2
Online optimization-based flight control system
Zouhair Mahboubi, Palo Alto, CA (US); Gabe Hoffmann, Mountain View, CA (US); Olivier Toupet, Stevenson Ranch, CA (US); and Herve Martins-Rivas, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to Wisk Aero LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Wisk Aero LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/467,322.
Application 18/467,322 is a continuation of application No. 17/325,629, filed on May 20, 2021, granted, now 11,787,535.
Application 17/325,629 is a continuation of application No. 16/441,642, filed on Jun. 14, 2019, granted, now 11,034,441, issued on Jun. 15, 2021.
Application 16/441,642 is a continuation of application No. 15/297,029, filed on Oct. 18, 2016, granted, now 10,370,099, issued on Aug. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0002047 A1, Jan. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64C 27/28 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01)
CPC B64C 29/00 (2013.01) [B64C 27/28 (2013.01); B64C 29/0025 (2013.01); G05D 1/0808 (2013.01); G05D 1/085 (2013.01); G05D 1/101 (2013.01); G05D 1/102 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft comprising:
an airframe;
actuators coupled with the airframe, wherein the actuators comprise lift fans;
sensors via which sensor data is generated, wherein the sensor data is indicative of one or more current operational parameters of the aircraft; and
a flight controller configured to:
receive a set of flight control inputs;
generate a set of flight control parameters indicative of a set of forces and moments to be applied to the aircraft based on the set of flight control inputs;
process the sensor data to determine a current state of the aircraft;
determine a maximum rotations per minute (RPM) for each of at least one of the lift fans based on the current state of the aircraft, wherein the maximum RPM is determined to limit loads applied to the lift fan;
process the set of flight control parameters based on the sensor data to compute a mix of the actuators and associated actuator parameters for use in applying the set of forces and moments to the aircraft, wherein a rotational speed of at least one of the lift fans is limited to the maximum RPM for the lift fan.