US 12,473,076 B2
Controlled flight of a multicopter experiencing a failure affecting an effector
Mark W. Mueller, Berkeley, CA (US); Sergei Lupashin, Zurich (CH); Raffaello D'Andrea, Wollerau (CH); and Markus Waibel, Zurich (CH)
Assigned to ETH ZURICH, Zurich (CH)
Filed by ETH Zürich, Zürich (CH)
Filed on Jan. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/100,010.
Application 18/100,010 is a continuation of application No. 17/195,744, filed on Mar. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,591,071.
Application 17/195,744 is a continuation of application No. 16/742,506, filed on Jan. 14, 2020, granted, now 10,946,950.
Application 16/742,506 is a continuation of application No. 16/390,831, filed on Apr. 22, 2019, granted, now 10,562,611.
Application 16/390,831 is a continuation of application No. 15/833,385, filed on Dec. 6, 2017, granted, now 10,308,349.
Application 15/833,385 is a continuation of application No. 14/893,874, granted, now 9,856,016, previously published as PCT/EP2014/061760, filed on Jun. 5, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/891,479, filed on Oct. 16, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/888,930, filed on Oct. 9, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/832,876, filed on Jun. 9, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2023/0150651 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. B64C 13/24 (2006.01); B64C 27/32 (2006.01); B64D 45/00 (2006.01); B64U 50/10 (2023.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); B64U 40/10 (2023.01)
CPC B64C 13/24 (2013.01) [B64C 27/32 (2013.01); B64D 45/00 (2013.01); G05D 1/0072 (2013.01); B64C 2203/00 (2013.01); B64U 40/10 (2023.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2201/10 (2023.01); B64U 2201/20 (2023.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating a multicopter experiencing a failure during flight, the multicopter comprising,
a body; and
at least four effectors attached to the body, each configured to produce both a torque and a thrust force which can cause the multicopter to fly when not experiencing said failure,
the method comprising the steps of,
receiving at a control unit data which is representative of an orientation of a primary axis of said body with respect to a predefined reference frame; and
receiving at the control unit data which is representative of an angular velocity of said multicopter;
when a failure has occurred in one or more of said at least four effectors, wherein the failure is such that said at least four effectors are unable to collectively produce sufficient thrust force to maintain the vehicle airborne, controlling, using the control unit, one or more of said at least four effectors, based on said received data which is representative of the orientation of the primary axis and said received data which is representative of the angular velocity, such that said one or more of said at least four effectors collectively produce a torque and a thrust force which moves the vehicle into a target orientation so that the vehicle is in said target orientation upon landing.