Abstract: An aircraft control system for operations close to the ground includes a camera having a rangefinder for measuring the azimuth, elevation and slant range from a fixed point on the aircraft relative to a selected target point on a surface below the aircraft, a navigation system for measuring the latitude and longitude of the aircraft on the surface, a computer for computing the position of the fixed point on the aircraft relative to the target point from the respective measurements of the camera and the navigation system, and a controller for controlling the movement of the aircraft such that the fixed point is positioned at a selected position above the selected target point on the surface. The controller may also include an automatic tracking mechanism for maintaining the position of the fixed point on the aircraft at the selected position above a moving object.

Abstract: An aircraft control system for operations close to the ground includes a camera having a rangefinder for measuring the azimuth, elevation and slant range from a fixed point on the aircraft relative to a selected target point on a surface below the aircraft, a navigation system for measuring the latitude and longitude of the aircraft on the surface, a computer for computing the position of the fixed point on the aircraft relative to the target point from the respective measurements of the camera and the navigation system, and a controller for controlling the movement of the aircraft such that the fixed point is positioned at a selected position above the selected target point on the surface. The controller may also include an automatic tracking mechanism for maintaining the position of the fixed point on the aircraft at the selected position above a moving object.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the flight of a helicopter, in which the pilot commands vehicle state changes, embodies several significant advances to the helicopter control art. Among these are control decoupling to reduce undesired helicopter responses in other axes to pilot inputs in one axis, task oriented control modes which are selected automatically, and automatic control of engine torque and rotor speed constraints. Novel task oriented control modes include independent control of heading and ground track at low speed and turn rate and flight path angle control at higher speeds. Control decoupling is achieved through a combination of force/moment decoupling and open loop prediction methods. Vertical control, traditionally accomplished with collective only, is accomplished in this system with a combination of longitudinal cyclic and collective control, increasing vertical response performance and minimizing engine power change demands.