Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Andrew R Markofski

Eric N Anderson

Timothy R Fannin

Keith A Stover

John P Perich

Thomas M Scanlon

John W Roltgen

James E Walton

Juan M Segal

Samuel E Ferdon

Brandon J Burnett

Dale E McPherson

Autonomous systems increase the robustness and safety of current aircraft and to support simplified vehicle, reduced crew, and single pilot operations. The autonomous systems aid air crews in their handling of non-normal, high workload, aircraft upset scenarios. The upset scenarios include the recovery from attitudes outside of the normal operating envelope that even the most robust automatic flight control systems currently in service today do not support.

Multi-axis upset recovery system

A system and related method operates to receive autopilot selection and monitor aircraft systems to control which autopilot is actively flying the aircraft. During certain flight operations in which a single autopilot is in use, the system reverts to the next available autopilot should the active and selected autopilot disconnect for any reason (e.g., faults and/or failures). The system maintains a redundant ability for pilot use of each pilot selectable mode of each autopilot channel including altitude hold, speed hold, heading hold, etc. For an indication to a pilot or remote operator that the system has reverted to a second autopilot, the system commands a momentary aural warning and a visual message/lights. For failures resulting in timely but necessary maneuver requirements, the system maintains autopilot control laws, control authority and roll authority.

Autopilot availability for reduced crew operations system and method

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

Andrew R Markofski