초록 ▼

A flight control system and method for controlling the flight of a fixed-wing model aircraft is disclosed. The flight control system may actively sense the condition when the wings of the model aircraft are not level to the horizon. The flight control system may then command the servo(s) to control

A flight control system and method for controlling the flight of a fixed-wing model aircraft is disclosed. The flight control system may actively sense the condition when the wings of the model aircraft are not level to the horizon. The flight control system may then command the servo(s) to control movement about the roll and the yaw axes of the aircraft in order to level the wings to the horizon. In addition, the flight control system may limit the maximum bank angle that can be achieved even when full roll control is commanded by the operator. The flight control system in accordance with the present disclosure may allow inexperienced operators to fly model aircraft successfully by eliminating/mitigating adverse effects that may cause the operators to lose control.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A flight control system for a fixed-wing model aircraft, the flight control system comprising: a wing leveling module for leveling wings of the model aircraft with respect to a horizontal plane, the wing leveling module comprising: a gyroscope mounted on the model aircraft, the gyroscope having a

1. A flight control system for a fixed-wing model aircraft, the flight control system comprising: a wing leveling module for leveling wings of the model aircraft with respect to a horizontal plane, the wing leveling module comprising: a gyroscope mounted on the model aircraft, the gyroscope having a spin axis, the spin axis is positioned in a plane defined by a roll axis and a yaw axis of the model aircraft and is offset by a predetermined angle from the yaw axis, the gyroscope is configured for detecting a condition when the wings of the model aircraft are not level to the horizontal plane, and the gyroscope is further configured for controlling movement of the model aircraft with respect to at least one of the roll axis or the yaw axis; anda bank angle limiting module for conditionally reducing a response rate for a roll command, the bank angle limiting module comprising: a deflection determination module for determining a percentage of deflection of a control stick, the control stick associated with providing the roll command;a timing module for determining a time delay at least partially based on the percentage of deflection of the control stick; anda rate reduction module for reducing the response rate for the roll command when the percentage of deflection of the control stick is maintained after the time delay has elapsed. 2. The flight control system of claim 1, wherein the spin axis of the gyroscope is offset by approximately 30° from the yaw axis. 3. The flight control system of claim 1, wherein the movement of the model aircraft with respect to the roll axis is controlled utilizing a plurality of ailerons. 4. The flight control system of claim 1, wherein the wing leveling module further comprises: a second gyroscope mounted on the model aircraft, the second gyroscope having a spin axis positioned on the yaw axis of the model aircraft, the second gyroscope is configured for controlling a rudder of the aircraft when the yaw axis of the model aircraft is not perpendicular to the horizontal plane. 5. The flight control system of claim 4, wherein the movement of the model aircraft with respect to at least one of the roll axis or the yaw axis is controlled utilizing the rudder. 6. The flight control system of claim 1, wherein the time delay is inversely proportional to the percentage of deflection of the control stick. 7. The flight control system of claim 1, wherein a rate reduction module is configured to reduce an amount of deflection to be applied to at least one aileron of the model aircraft. 8. A flight control system for a fixed-wing model aircraft, the flight control system comprising: a receiver located on the model aircraft, the receiver is configured for receiving a control signal;a first gyroscope communicatively connected to the receiver, the first gyroscope having a spin axis, the spin axis is positioned in a plane defined by a roll axis and a yaw axis of the model aircraft and is offset by a predetermined angle from the yaw axis, the first gyroscope is configured for detecting a condition when wings of the model aircraft are not level to a horizontal plane, the first gyroscope is further configured for providing a modified control signal based on the condition detected; andat least one servo communicatively connected to the first gyroscope, the at least one servo is configured for receiving the modified control signal from the first gyroscope, the at least one servo is further configured for controlling movement of the model aircraft with respect to at least one of the roll axis or the yaw axis based on the modified control signal received from the first gyroscope. 9. The flight control system of claim 8, wherein the spin axis of the first gyroscope is offset by approximately 30° from the yaw axis. 10. The flight control system of claim 8, wherein the at least one servo is configured to control an aileron of the model aircraft. 11. The flight control system of claim 8, wherein the at least one servo is configured to control a rudder of the model aircraft. 12. The flight control system of claim 8, further comprising: a second gyroscope communicatively connected to the receiver, the second gyroscope having a spin axis positioned on the yaw axis of the model aircraft, the second gyroscope is configured for detecting a condition when the yaw axis of the model aircraft is not perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the second gyroscope is further configured for providing another modified control signal based on the condition detected; anda rudder servo communicatively connected to the second gyroscope, rudder servo is configured for receiving the modified control signal from the second gyroscope, the rudder servo is further configured for controlling a rudder of the model aircraft based on the modified control signal received from the second gyroscope. 13. A bank angle limiting method for a fixed-wing model aircraft, the method comprising: determining a percentage of deflection of a control stick;determining a time delay at least partially based on the percentage of deflection of the control stick; andconditionally reducing a response rate for a command generated by the control stick, the response rate for the command is reduced when the percentage of deflection of the control stick is maintained after the time delay has elapsed. 14. The bank angle limiting method of claim 13, wherein the time delay is inversely proportional to the percentage of deflection of the control stick. 15. The bank angle limiting method of claim 13, wherein the command generated by the control stick is a roll command. 16. The bank angle limiting method of claim 15, wherein reducing the response rate for the roll command further comprising: reducing an amount of deflection to be applied to at least one aileron of the model aircraft. 17. The bank angle limiting method of claim 13, further comprising: resetting the response rate for the command to a normal level when the control stick is returned to a neutral position.