Abstract: A method for assisting a pilot in controlling an aircraft, an assistance system for an aircraft pilot, and an aircraft are disclosed herein. In one example, a method is disclosed of assisting a pilot in controlling an aircraft having a plurality of lift-generating propulsion devices. The method having steps that include, calculation of momentary control limitations for each control of the aircraft around a roll axis, a pitch axis, a yaw axis, and a total thrust T of the propulsion devices, and display of the calculated control limitations by a display device.

Abstract: An all-inclusive method for planning the operation of an aerial vehicle, in particular an eVTOL, which operation is divided into different operational areas each with its own individually validatable and inspectable planning methodology, including (i) pre-processing data on a computer basis on the ground before takeoff of the aerial vehicle; (ii) taking along pre-planned results of the data pre-processing in the form of a database (33, 44) on board the aerial vehicle, preferably after transferring the pre-planned results into the database (33, 44) on board the aerial vehicle; (iii) combining the pre-planned results by means of a computer-based decision logic (28) with planning steps at the flying time in accordance with a state of the aerial vehicle recorded by sensors for generating a current flight path; and (iv) controlling the aerial vehicle along the current flight path.

Abstract: A method for controlling an overdetermined system with multiple power-restricted actuators that perform a primary task and non-primary tasks, including: a) determining a pseudo-control command based on a physical model of the system, which pseudo-control command represents the torques and a total thrust force acting on the system, b) determining a control matrix, c) dissociating the control matrix into sub control matrices, wherein the sub control matrices and the corresponding sub pseudo-control commands correspond to the primary task for i=1 and for i>1 correspond to the non-primary task(s) and a priority of the non-primary tasks decreases with increasing index i, d) determining actuator control commands for solving the primary task, e) projecting the non-primary tasks into the null space of the primary task, and into respective null spaces of all of the non-primary tasks of higher priority, if present, and f) providing the actuator control commands from d) and e) at the actuators.

Abstract: An encapsulated battery cell and a battery cell arrangement are disclosed herein. In one example, an encapsulated battery cell is disclosed including a battery cell of cylindrical shape, and a structure, such as a polygonal structure or a hexagonal structure, and surrounding said battery cell in a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of said battery cell. The encapsulated battery cell further includes an insulating material located in a space between said structure and said battery cell. Said insulating material has a relatively low thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 W/(m*K) at 800° C. Said structure is made from a heat distributing material having a relatively high thermal conductivity of more than 150 W/(m*K) at 25° C. In one example, a battery cell arrangement is disclosed with a plurality of such encapsulated battery cells contained in a meta structure (e.g., honeycomb) made from said heat distributing material.

Abstract: A method for flight control of an aircraft with multiple actuators during flight is disclosed. For each actuator, a control command is computed according to at least one predetermined control law and based on pilot inputs and sensor measurements in relation to a physical state of the aircraft. The respective control commands are provided to the actuators. The control commands are independently monitored by estimating or measuring a current physical state of the aircraft and comparing it with the control commands. This comparison includes checking whether the control commands stabilize the aircraft in a stable state in the absence of both disturbances and pilot inputs according to at least one predefined criterion. If the monitoring indicates a lack of stability, transmission of the control commands is prevented and a backup control command is computed for each actuator.

Abstract: A method for operating an eVTOL multirotor aircraft having distributed actuators activated by controllers that each determines an associated manipulated variable signal at least for a subset of actuators and provides it for the relevant actuator. The method provides that for an actuator: i) assigning a different priority ranking for each controller; ii) determining, by way of a given controller having a given priority ranking, at least one manipulated variable signal for the actuator and transmitting the signal identified by the given priority ranking to the relevant actuator and to a controller having a successive priority ranking; iii) receiving, via a given controller having a given priority ranking, manipulated variable signals from controllers having higher priority ranking and relaying these signals to the actuator and to a controller having a successive priority ranking; and iv) activating the actuator using the manipulated variable signal identified by the highest priority ranking.

Abstract: A VTOL aircraft (1) having a fuselage (2) for transporting passengers and/or load, front and rear wings (3, 4) attached to the fuselage, a right connecting beam (5a) and a left connecting beam (5b), which connecting beams structurally connect the front wing and the rear wing, and which connecting beams are spaced apart from the fuselage, and at least two lifting units (M1-M6) on each one of the connecting beams. The lifting units each include at least one propeller (6b) and at least one motor (6a) driving the propeller, preferably an electric motor, and are arranged with their respective propeller axis in an essentially vertical orientation. The front wing, at least in portions thereof, has a sweep angle ? between ?=45° and ?=135°, and the rear wing, at least in portions thereof, has a forward sweep with sweep angle ??30°.

Abstract: An aircraft with folding mechanism, the aircraft including a fuselage, optionally a payload and/or landing gear attached to the fuselage, at least two longitudinal beams attached to the fuselage that preferably extend parallel to each other and parallel to a first aircraft axis, with lifting units attached to each of the longitudinal beams. At least one crossbeam is attached to the fuselage, and preferably extending parallel to a second aircraft axis and at right angles with respect to the longitudinal beams, with lifting units attached to the crossbeam. The longitudinal beams are rotatably attached to the fuselage by at least one respective first pivot joint configured for pivoting the longitudinal beams around a respective first pivot axis to a pivoted position. The crossbeam is rotatably attached to the fuselage, preferably by at least one second pivot joint, for pivoting the crossbeam around a second pivot axis to a pivoted position.

Abstract: A method for controlling a aircraft with a plurality of drive units, in particular a plurality of electrical drive units, and a controller for flight control. At least one lateral control signal is entered into the controller for flight control in order to initiate a lateral movement of the aircraft. The significant point is that a speed (V) of the aircraft is ascertained through a speed estimation (6) and, depending on the estimated airspeed (V), a commanded roll angle (?C) and a commanded pitch angle (?c), a rate of turn ({dot over (?)}) is calculated. The lateral movement is automatically initiated with the calculated rate of turn ({dot over (?)}) through input of the lateral control signal.

Abstract: A method for controlling an overdetermined system with multiple actuators, for example an aircraft (1) with multiple propulsion units (3). The actuators perform at least one primary task and at least one non-primary task, including: a) determining a pseudo-control command up?p? based on a physical model of the system, which command represents the torques (L, M, N) and a total thrust force (F) acting on the system, b) determining a control matrix D, D?p?×k according to up=Du, where u1=D?1upu1?k represents a control command for the actuators to perform the primary task, c) projecting the non-primary task into the null space N(D) of the primary task, so that Du2=0 if u2u2?k represents a control command for the actuators to perform the non-primary task, and d) providing the control commands from b) and c) to the actuators. In this way, the solution of the primary task is not adversely affected by the non-primary task or its solution.

Abstract: A method for determining a maneuvering reserve in an aircraft having a number of propulsion units, preferably a multirotor VTOL aircraft, most preferably an aircraft with electrically operated drive units for the rotors, including the steps: a) Determining a control vector, ?, for the aircraft, ?=(L M N F)T, the components of which represent control torques of the aircraft around the roll axis, L, the pitch axis, M, and the yaw axis, N, and a total thrust, F, b) Approximating an existing four-dimensional control volume, D, of the aircraft by a four-dimensional ellipsoid, E, the axes of which represent the control torques, L, M, N, of the aircraft and the total thrust, F, c) Determining a normalized control vector, ?ind=(Lind Mind Nind Find)T for the aircraft, using axis dimensions, Lmax, Mmax, Nmax, Fmax, of the ellipsoid, in particular semi-axis dimensions of the ellipsoid; and d) Outputting at least the normalized control vector, ?ind, for determining a permissible flight maneuver in at least one dimension

Abstract: A method of controlling an aircraft that operates in a network of fixed landing platforms, includes defining at least one alternate landing area) having an entry point and an exit point; b) pre-planning at least one flight trajectory to the entry point; c) automatically steering the aircraft along the flight trajectory; d) to perform a landing procedure at the alternate landing area, transferring control of the aircraft to an online planning device, preferably on board the aircraft, upon reaching the entry point; e) automatically scanning the alternate landing area, preferably according to a predetermined search pattern, and searching the alternate landing area for a landing site by active sensor technology; f) if a suitable landing site is identified, automatically carrying out a landing procedure of the aircraft at the landing site by the online planning device, otherwise g) automatically steering the aircraft to the exit point.

Abstract: A battery cell arrangement (1) for use in an aircraft, includes a plurality of battery cells (2), at least one battery housing (3) enclosing the plurality of battery cells (2), the housing (3) having an opening (3a); and separating elements (4) located inside said battery housing (3), for separating individual battery cells (2) from each other. Each battery cell (2) is associated with a respective vent channel (5) that open to the opening (3a). The vent channels (5) define a number of battery cell compartments, each of which holds a subset of said plurality of battery cells (2) and each of the compartments is closed by a cover element (6) that opens if a battery cell (2) in a corresponding compartment goes into thermal runaway and produces gaseous venting products (GP). An aircraft having such a battery cell arrangement is also provided.

Abstract: A method for controlling an aircraft, in particular a VTOL multirotor aircraft, in which flight influencing units of the aircraft a) are supplied with control commands via a first/control channel from a first computer (COM), which control commands originate or are derived from a pilot input (PE), and b) the control commands are monitored by a second/monitoring channel and a second computer (MON), which checks whether the control commands are suitable for a given physical state of the aircraft and the pilot input, c) the second computer determines whether a current navigation state of the aircraft coincides with the pilot input, which has been transformed into a desired navigation state of the aircraft, preferably by the second computer, within a prescribed deviation, and d) a control signal for controlling the aircraft is generated in dependence on a determination result of step c).

Abstract: A method of controlling an aircraft having multiple configurations is provided, wherein each configuration is controlled by a different control law implemented by a flight control device and transition from one configuration to another configuration is achieved by gradually blending out a control law for one configuration and by gradually increasing an impact of a control law for another configuration in the flight control device based on an estimated flight condition of the aircraft by dynamically adjusting, in the flight control device, respective maximum and minimum limit values of control volumes, which control volumes are defined by parameter ranges of control parameters in connection with a corresponding control law for the one configuration and for the other configuration, respectively.

Abstract: Method of verifying data communication integrity in an aircraft which has first and second data generating and sending entities. Data generated at the first entity is sent to the second entity as messages via a number of intermediate entities. The data communication is a blockchain with blocks, each being added to the blockchain by one of the entities and including a cryptographic hash representative of the prior block, thus linking the blocks. The method includes: a) logging a message subgroup and cryptographic hash at one or more of the first, second and intermediate entities; b) collecting message logs from each entity for verification; c) comparing messages sent by the first entity and messages received by the second entity; and d) if not all messages have arrived at said second entity, comparing message logs of intermediate entity(ies) with the message log of the first entity to identify where loss occurred.

Abstract: A method of controlling a transition aircraft having actuators and which transitions between a first take-off/landing regime and a second horizontal flight regime, including: controlling a first actuator subset in the first regime and a second actuator subset in the second regime using the flight controller, by: a) providing measurements or estimates of flight parameters; b) depending on a current regime, checking whether a predefined set of conditions for that regime are fulfilled, by comparing flight parameters with threshold values; c) if conditions are fulfilled, signalling a decision-maker and awaiting confirmation regarding a transition to the other regime; d) instructing the flight controller to make the transition if approved; e) after transitioning in step d), commanding the aircraft according to the other regime; and f) returning to step a). Step e) includes gradually blending in a control law for the other regime over time while blending out the current regime.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a condition of a VTOL-aircraft (1), preferably an electrically propelled, more particularly an autonomous, more particularly a multi-rotor aircraft, with a plurality of spatially distributed actuators (2i, 2o), preferably propulsion units, wherein a primary control (4.1) is used for controlling a flight state of the VTOL-aircraft (1) and at least one secondary control (4.2) is used for controlling the actuators (2i, 2o) of the VTOL-aircraft (1), preferably the propulsion units (2i, 2o); during operation. The primary control (4.1) generates a primary data set, which is subject to a first uncertainty, and is entered into an estimation algorithm, and the secondary control generates a secondary data set, which is subject to a second uncertainty, and is also entered into the estimation algorithm.

Abstract: A method for flight path control of an aircraft in which boundaries of an airspace authorized for a mission of the aircraft are defined, which boundaries a) include a hard boundary, which delimits an area forbidden to the aircraft, and b1) a warning boundary, at which safety measures are initiated when reached by the aircraft, and/or b2) a soft boundary, at which emergency measures are initiated. To calculate a location of the warning and/or soft boundary, parameters of an actual flight status of the aircraft, such as speed, altitude, path angle or other factors, for example wind and/or weather conditions, are continuously determined and dynamically taken into consideration by a computer-assisted flight path controller of the aircraft and/or by an external controller. The aircraft-located and/or external controller subsequently checks whether the aircraft presently or in future infringes the mentioned boundaries at its current position.

Abstract: A method for operating an aircraft with N>4 drive units. A flight control system (FCS) generates control commands u_COM, u_COM?U?R{circumflex over (?)}N, for the drive units, via a first channel. u represents limitations of the drive units. The FCS generates pseudo-control commands ?_COM, ?_COMER{circumflex over (?)}4, in the first channel, which specify torques about corresponding axes of rotation of the aircraft and a thrust, a control matrix M?R{circumflex over (?)}(4×N) with ?=M u establishing a relationship with the control commands u; in the first channel. Admissible control commands u_COM?U are calculated from the pseudo-control commands; and the first channel is monitored and, based on a result, is passivated.