Aerovironment, Inc.

William Stuart Sechrist

Rolland Mitchell Koch

Daniel Bailey Hiranandani

Derek Lisoski

Systems, devices, and methods including a first flight control computer (FCC) of two or more FCCs; a second FCC of the two or more FCCs; at least one selector in communication with the first FCC; and at least one watchdog window in communication with the at least one selector, where the at least one watchdog window monitors a performance of the first FCC based on an electrical pulse emitted by the FCC; where the at least one watchdog window is configured to detect a fault pulse of the electrical pulse emitted by the first FCC; and where the selector is configured to toggle to the second FCC based on the detected fault pulse emitted by the first FCC.

Systems and methods for distributed control computing for a high altitude long endurance aircraft

Systems, devices, and methods including: a latching mechanism comprising: a first latch configured to attach to a door of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); a second latch configured to attach to a portion of the UAV distal from the first latch; a string connected between the first and second latch, where the string secures the door shut; at least two radio modules in communication with a ground control station; and at least two burn wires in contact with a portion of the string between the first latch and the second latch; where current from a backup battery passes to at least one burn wire when the burn signal is received, where the burn wire causes the connection between the first latch and the second latch to be broken and the door of the UAV is separated from the UAV, and where the parachute is deployed when the door of the UAV is separated from a rest of the UAV.

Off-center parachute flight termination system including latch mechanism disconnectable by burn wire

A receiving network node () configured to select from received packets differing by time of initial transmission from a sending network node (), and accepting for transmission, based on initial transmission time, the selected packets to an application layer (). An internetworked processor node configured to: (a) read a sequence number and an originator identifier of a received packet message (); (b) compare a stored highest sequence number associated with the originator identifier with the received packet sequence number (); (c) if the received packet sequence number is less than or equal to the stored highest sequence number associated with the originator identifier, then discard () the received packet; and (d) if the received packet sequence number is greater than the stored highest sequence number associated with the originator identifier, then deliver () the message of the received packet to an application based on an upper layer protocol.

Active multi-path network redundancy with performance monitoring

A packet-switched, fault-tolerant, vehicle communication internetwork () comprising port-based VLANs. Two or more VLANs are embodied where a source node () comprises two or more network interface circuits (), and where looping is precluded via specific VLAN tagging and switch ports (-, associated with at least one specific VLAN. A destination node () may feedback packets to the source node via a general VLAN tag along pathways associated with the two or more specific outgoing VLAN tags.

Fault-tolerant, frame-based communication system

An actuator controller with a power supply that steps down a high voltage for use by remote auxiliary loads in an aircraft is provided. A high voltage power bus running through the aircraft may use high gage or smaller diameter wiring, resulting in weight savings in the power bus. A control network running through the aircraft may use fiber optic cabling, providing further weight reductions. An actuator controller may receive the high voltage from the power bus and provide a lower voltage to a remote device. The actuator controller may facilitate communication between the control network and the remote device. The integration of control and power supply may enhance endurance, reliability, and enable localized calibration of the remote device. Modular wing components may include interface controllers, high and low power busswork, and remote devices. The modular wing components may include power and control interconnections.

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Simi Valley, CA, United States of America

William Stuart Sechrist