Patents by Inventor Zachais Vawter
Zachais Vawter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10710706Abstract: A self-adjusting flight control system is disclosed. In various embodiments, an input interface receives an input signal generated by an inceptor based at least in part on a position of an input device comprising the inceptor. A processor coupled to the input interface determines dynamically a mapping to be used to map input signals received from the inceptor to corresponding output signals associated with flight control and uses the determined mapping to map the input signal to a corresponding output signal. The processor determines the mapping at least in part by computing a running average of the output signal over an averaging period and adjusting the mapping at least in part to associate a neutral position of the input device comprising the inceptor with a corresponding output level that is determined at least in part by the computed running average.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: Kitty Hawk CorporationInventors: Todd Reichert, Zachais Vawter, Joseph Roop, Mark Johnson Cutler
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Patent number: 10669018Abstract: A multicopter with boom mounted rotors is disclosed. In various embodiments, a multicopter includes multiple rotors, each mounted substantially horizontally on a distal end of a boom. The multicopter further includes a plurality of boom extensions, each boom extension being associated with a corresponding boom and each boom extension being configured to extend an associated distal end of said corresponding boom by an amount determined based at least in part on a swept area associated with a rotor mounted at or near said associated distal end. The multicopter includes a material, such as netting, secured to the aircraft and of a size sufficient to reach a far end of one or more of said boom extensions.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: Kitty Hawk CorporationInventors: Aldo Daniele Longhi, Todd Reichert, Cameron Robertson, Joseph Roop, Christopher Scott Saunders, Zachais Vawter
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Patent number: 10322817Abstract: A ballistic parachute associated with an aircraft is deployed where the aircraft includes a first part and a second part, the two parts are detachably coupled to each other when the ballistic parachute is deployed, and the ballistic parachute is coupled to the first part of the aircraft. A landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is determined and it is decided whether to decouple the two parts, including by deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited. If it is decided to decouple the two parts from each other, they are decoupled from each other.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2018Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: Kitty Hawk CorporationInventors: Zachais Vawter, Todd Reichert
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Patent number: 10287001Abstract: A self-adjusting flight control system is disclosed. In various embodiments, an input interface receives an input signal generated by an inceptor based at least in part on a position of an input device comprising the inceptor. A processor coupled to the input interface determines dynamically a mapping to be used to map input signals received from the inceptor to corresponding output signals associated with flight control and uses the determined mapping to map the input signal to a corresponding output signal. The processor determines the mapping at least in part by computing a running average of the output signal over an averaging period and adjusting the mapping at least in part to associate a neutral position of the input device comprising the inceptor with a corresponding output level that is determined at least in part by the computed running average.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2016Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Kitty Hawk CorporationInventors: Todd Reichert, Zachais Vawter, Joseph Roop, Mark Johnson Cutler
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Publication number: 20190106211Abstract: A multicopter with boom mounted rotors is disclosed. In various embodiments, a multicopter includes multiple rotors, each mounted substantially horizontally on a distal end of a boom. The multicopter further includes a plurality of boom extensions, each boom extension being associated with a corresponding boom and each boom extension being configured to extend an associated distal end of said corresponding boom by an amount determined based at least in part on a swept area associated with a rotor mounted at or near said associated distal end. The multicopter includes a material, such as netting, secured to the aircraft and of a size sufficient to reach a far end of one or more of said boom extensions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Inventors: Aldo Daniele Longhi, Todd Reichert, Cameron Robertson, Joseph Roop, Christopher Scott Saunders, Zachais Vawter
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Patent number: 10183747Abstract: A multicopter with boom mounted rotors is disclosed. In various embodiments, a multicopter includes multiple rotors, each mounted substantially horizontally on a distal end of a boom. The multicopter further includes a plurality of boom extensions, each boom extension being associated with a corresponding boom and each boom extension being configured to extend an associated distal end of said corresponding boom by an amount determined based at least in part on a swept area associated with a rotor mounted at or near said associated distal end. The multicopter includes a material, such as netting, secured to the aircraft and of a size sufficient to reach a far end of one or more of said boom extensions.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2016Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: Kitty Hawk CorporationInventors: Aldo Daniele Longhi, Todd Reichert, Cameron Robertson, Joseph Roop, Christopher Scott Saunders, Zachais Vawter
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Patent number: 10186046Abstract: Sensor information is obtained from a downward facing sensor coupled to an aircraft. A new position is determined using the sensor information, including by: obtaining directional information associated with the aircraft's direction of flight, obtaining a previous position associated with the aircraft, filtering a plurality of datasets in a ground feature database using the directional information and the previous position in order to obtain a reduced group of datasets (where each dataset in the ground feature database is associated with a known in-air position), and comparing the sensor information against the reduced group of datasets in order to determine the new position.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2018Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: Kitty Hawk CorporationInventors: Zachais Vawter, Mark Johnson Cutler
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Publication number: 20180346098Abstract: A self-adjusting flight control system is disclosed. In various embodiments, an input interface receives an input signal generated by an inceptor based at least in part on a position of an input device comprising the inceptor. A processor coupled to the input interface determines dynamically a mapping to be used to map input signals received from the inceptor to corresponding output signals associated with flight control and uses the determined mapping to map the input signal to a corresponding output signal. The processor determines the mapping at least in part by computing a running average of the output signal over an averaging period and adjusting the mapping at least in part to associate a neutral position of the input device comprising the inceptor with a corresponding output level that is determined at least in part by the computed running average.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Todd Reichert, Zachais Vawter, Joseph Roop, Mark Johnson Cutler
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Publication number: 20180162552Abstract: A ballistic parachute associated with an aircraft is deployed where the aircraft includes a first part and a second part, the two parts are detachably coupled to each other when the ballistic parachute is deployed, and the ballistic parachute is coupled to the first part of the aircraft. A landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is determined and it is decided whether to decouple the two parts, including by deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited. If it is decided to decouple the two parts from each other, they are decoupled from each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2018Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: Zachais Vawter, Todd Reichert
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Publication number: 20180165817Abstract: Sensor information is obtained from a downward facing sensor coupled to an aircraft. A new position is determined using the sensor information, including by: obtaining directional information associated with the aircraft's direction of flight, obtaining a previous position associated with the aircraft, filtering a plurality of datasets in a ground feature database using the directional information and the previous position in order to obtain a reduced group of datasets (where each dataset in the ground feature database is associated with a known in-air position), and comparing the sensor information against the reduced group of datasets in order to determine the new position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2018Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: Zachais Vawter, Mark Johnson Cutler
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Patent number: 9911189Abstract: A new area to search in a ground feature database is determined based on a last detected position. Information from a downward facing sensor coupled to an aircraft is obtained. The information from the downward facing sensor is compared with information associated with the new area in order to find a new position.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2016Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Kitty Hawk CorporationInventors: Zachais Vawter, Mark Johnson Cutler
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Patent number: 9908638Abstract: A ballistic parachute is released to slow descent of a cabin and an airframe where the airframe supports a plurality of rotors and the cabin removably attaches to the airframe. A ground condition is detected and it is decided whether to detach the airframe from the cabin. The airframe is detached from the cabin in response to the decision.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Kitty Hawk CorporationInventors: Zachais Vawter, Todd Reichert
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Publication number: 20170361920Abstract: A self-adjusting flight control system is disclosed. In various embodiments, an input interface receives an input signal generated by an inceptor based at least in part on a position of an input device comprising the inceptor. A processor coupled to the input interface determines dynamically a mapping to be used to map input signals received from the inceptor to corresponding output signals associated with flight control and uses the determined mapping to map the input signal to a corresponding output signal. The processor determines the mapping at least in part by computing a running average of the output signal over an averaging period and adjusting the mapping at least in part to associate a neutral position of the input device comprising the inceptor with a corresponding output level that is determined at least in part by the computed running average.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2016Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Todd Reichert, Zachais Vawter, Joseph Roop, Mark Johnson Cutler