Patent · US Active

Automatic flight control method for a rotorcraft enabling the rotorcraft to maintain a path by tracking manual flight controls

US8977412B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
1References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 3, 2013
Grant dateMar 10, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 3, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05D1/102
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of enabling an autopilot (9) to cause a rotorcraft (1) to follow a path. At least one guide mode (G) relative to at least one progression axis (P, R, V, Y) of the rotorcraft (1) is selected by the rotorcraft pilot. Said selection causes the selected guide mode (G) to be inhibited (19) and causes a path setpoint (C) to be acquired (20) from the pilot of the rotorcraft (1) operating a manual control member (4) for controlling the progression of the rotorcraft (1). The path setpoints (C) relating to other guide modes (G) of the rotorcraft (1) that continue to be engaged are conserved in their initial states and the autopilot (9) adapts the commands relating to the progression axes (P, R, V, Y) relating to these other guide modes (G).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.