JP2000005451A - Emergency attitude control device of radio-controlled airplane - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively prevent the crash of an aircraft due to unexpected high winds, or the like. SOLUTION: A light sensor 11i (i=a, b...d) for detecting individual light beams from the top and bottom and right and left of an airframe, a regulating unit 12, and an attitude control unit 20 are provided. The regulating unit 12 can adjust the individual levels Vi (j=1, 2,...) of signals Saj (j=1, 2,...) outputted by the light sensor 11i, and when an emergency signal S4 from a controller is inputted to the attitude control unit 20, the attitude control unit 20 can keep the airframe in a predetermined set attitude by controlling a rudder and an elevator via actuators 35, 36 in accordance with the signals Saj outputted from the light sensor 11i.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an emergency attitude control device for a radio-controlled airplane, which can effectively prevent the radio-controlled airplane from crashing due to unexpected strong wind or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A radio control airplane incorporates a control unit for controlling a rudder and an elevator of an airframe.

A conventional control unit can fly a radio control aircraft in a direction desired by an operator based on a control signal for remote control from a controller operated by an operator on the ground.

[0004]

According to the prior art, since the radio control airplane is controlled by a control unit via a control signal from a controller based on a control signal from a controller, the rudder and the elevator are not controlled by the operator. If the flight attitude is disturbed by a sudden strong wind or the like, it is difficult for the operator to correct the flight attitude, and there is a problem that the aircraft may crash and be destroyed.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a radio control airplane which is unexpectedly strong wind or the like by combining an optical sensor for detecting light from the upper, lower, left and right sides of an airframe with an attitude control unit in view of the problems of the prior art. It is an object of the present invention to provide an emergency attitude control device for a radio-controlled airplane that can effectively prevent a crash.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, a configuration of the present invention comprises an optical sensor for individually detecting light from the upper, lower, left and right sides of an airframe, and individually adjusting the level of an output signal from the optical sensor. An adjustment unit to be set, and an attitude control unit connected to the adjustment unit, the attitude control unit, when an emergency signal from the controller is input, based on the output signal from the optical sensor, the aircraft to a predetermined set attitude The main point is to maintain.

[0007] Each optical sensor may have a guide member for limiting a light detection range.

The attitude control unit may control at least the rudder and the elevator of the fuselage, and may further control the propeller of the fuselage.

[0009]

According to the structure of the present invention, each optical sensor can individually detect light from the upper, lower, left and right sides of the airframe, and the adjusting unit outputs the output signal of the optical sensor prior to the flight of the radio-controlled airplane. Can be individually adjusted, and the level of the input signal of the attitude control unit in a specific set attitude can be set to the same level for each set of the upper and lower optical sensors and the left and right optical sensors. Therefore, when the attitude control unit receives an emergency signal from the controller during the flight, the attitude of the aircraft is adjusted so that the level of the input signal for each set of the upper and lower optical sensors and the left and right optical sensors input via the adjustment unit is equal. By controlling the flight attitude, the aircraft can be maintained at a predetermined set attitude and fall can be prevented.

A guide member provided for each optical sensor limits the detection range of the light detected by each optical sensor, and the detection range of the upper and lower optical sensors or the detection range of the left and right optical sensors overlaps more than necessary. This prevents each corresponding set of optical sensors from erroneously outputting an output signal of the same level.

[0011] The attitude control unit controls at least the rudder and the hoist of the fuselage so that in an emergency,
It is possible to maintain the aircraft in a predetermined set attitude. This is because the rudder and the elevator move determine the flight attitude of the aircraft. The attitude control unit can also reduce the turning radius of the aircraft and further improve the attitude control performance of the aircraft by controlling the auxiliary rudder of the aircraft.

The attitude control unit controls the aircraft's propeller to keep the aircraft at a constant flight speed in an emergency, thereby preventing the aircraft from stalling and crashing.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The emergency attitude control device for a radio-controlled airplane includes a plurality of optical sensors 11i (i = a, b... D), an adjustment unit 12, and an attitude control unit 20 (FIGS. 1 and 2). However, the optical sensor 11i, the adjustment unit 1
2. The attitude control unit 20 is the airframe A of the radio-controlled airplane.
It is installed in.

The fuselage A has a fuselage A1 having a propeller A1a.
On the other hand, the main wings A2, A2 with the auxiliary rudder A2a, the elevator A3a
A tail wing A3, A3, and a vertical wing A4 with a rudder A4a are provided. The optical sensors 11i are installed on the upper and lower sides and the left and right sides of the body A1. The fuselage A is combined with a controller B for remote operation. The controller B has an operation switch B1 for outputting control signals S1 and S2 for direction control and an operation switch for outputting a control signal S3 for speed control. B2, emergency signal S4 for emergency attitude control
An emergency switch B3 for outputting the same is incorporated. Further, the control signal Sj from the controller B
(J = 1, 2,...), The antenna 3 for receiving the emergency signal S4
A receiver 31 with 1a is mounted.

Output signals Sa1 and Sa2 of the upper and lower optical sensors 11a and 11b are output from the adjusters 12a and 12
b is input to the subtractor 21a of the attitude control unit 20. The output of the subtracter 21a is supplied to an actuator 35 for driving the elevators A3a, A3a via the changeover switch 22a of the selection unit 22 and the elevator control means 23a.
It is connected to the. The output signals Sa3 and Sa4 of the left and right optical sensors 11c and 11d are output from the controller 12 of the controller 12.
Subtractor 21 of attitude control unit 20 via c and 12d
b and the output of the subtractor 21b is
Rudder control means 23 via the second changeover switch 22b
b, branched and connected to the auxiliary steering control means 23c. The outputs of the rudder control means 23b and the auxiliary rudder control means 23c are output from the actuator 3 which drives the rudder A4a.
6. The auxiliary rudder A2a, A2a is connected to an actuator 37 for driving the reverse direction.

The control signals S 1 and S 2 from the receiver 31 are:
The signals are input to the elevator control unit 23a, the rudder control unit 23b, and the auxiliary rudder control unit 23c via the changeover switches 22a and 22b, respectively. The control signal S3 from the receiver 31 is input to the speed control means 23d, and the emergency signal S4 from the receiver 31 is output to the speed control means 23d.
The input is branched to the selection unit 22. The speed control means 23d is provided with a setting device 23d1 for setting the set flight speed va. The output of the speed control means 23d is an actuator for driving an accelerator (not shown) of an engine (not shown) for rotating the propeller A1a. 38.

Prior to the flight of the aircraft A, the adjusting unit 1
2. The input signals Sb1 and Sb2 of the subtractor 21a based on the output signals Sa1 and Sa2 from the upper and lower optical sensors 11a and 11b after setting the body A in a horizontal direction with the body A oriented in a predetermined direction.
Controller 12a, 12b so that the level V1 = V2
And input signals Sb3, Sb4 of the subtractor 21b based on output signals Sa3, Sa4 from the left and right optical sensors 11c, 11d.
Controller 12c, 12d so that the level V3 = V4
Adjust However, the optical sensor 11i individually detects light from the upper, lower, left and right sides of the body A due to external light such as the sun.

When the emergency signal S4 is not input during the flight of the aircraft A, the selection unit 22 connects the changeover switches 22a and 22b to the receiver 31 side. Therefore, the elevator control means 23a receives the control signal S1 from the controller B via the receiver 31, controls the elevators A3a and A3a arbitrarily via the actuator 35, and controls the body A to an arbitrary elevation angle. can do. Further, the rudder control means 23b receives a control signal S2 from the controller B.
Is input, the rudder A4a is controlled via the actuator 36, and the aircraft A can be arbitrarily turned. At the same time, the auxiliary rudder control means 23c can drive the auxiliary rudder A2a, A2a in the reverse direction via the actuator 37 by the control signal S2 to assist the turning operation of the body A. Further, the speed control means 23d can control the rotation speed of the propeller A1a via the actuator 38 by the control signal S3 from the controller B, thereby controlling the flight speed of the aircraft A.

When the flight attitude of the aircraft A is disturbed by a strong wind or the like, the operator operates the emergency switch B3 of the controller B to transmit the emergency signal S4. Therefore, the selection unit 22 inputs the emergency signal S4 from the controller B via the receiver 31, and switches the changeover switches 22a, 22b to the subtracters 21a, 21b.

The subtractor 21a comprises upper and lower optical sensors 11a,
11b, the input signals Sb1, S2 based on the output signals Sa1, Sa2.
The level difference Va = V1−V2 of b2 is calculated and sent to the elevator control means 23a. The elevator control means 23a controls the elevators A3a, A3a via the actuator 35 so that the level difference Va = 0. Can be controlled. Similarly, the subtracter 21b calculates the level difference Vb between the input signals Sb3 and Sb4 based on the output signals Sa3 and Sa4 of the left and right optical sensors 11c and 11d.
= V3 -V4 to the rudder control means 23b and the auxiliary rudder control means 23c, and the rudder control means 23b and the auxiliary rudder control means 23c turn the rudder via the actuators 36 and 37, respectively, so that the level difference Vb = 0. A4a and the auxiliary rudder A2a, A2a can be controlled. That is, the elevator control unit 23a, the rudder control unit 23b, and the auxiliary rudder control unit 23c can maintain the body A in a predetermined set posture by realizing the level difference Va = Vb = 0.

The speed control means 23d outputs the emergency signal S
When 4 is input, the set flight speed va of the setting device 23d1 is read, and the flight speed of the aircraft A can be maintained at the set flight speed va via the actuator 38 and the propeller A1a.

When the fuselage A is corrected to the set attitude in this way, the fuselage A can fly stably in a predetermined direction while maintaining a horizontal state, and there is no possibility of falling. When the emergency signal S4 from the controller B disappears, the attitude control unit 20 switches the changeover switch 22a,
22b is switched to the receiver 31 side, and the aircraft A can be arbitrarily remotely controlled again by the control signal Sj from the controller B.

In the above description, the attitude control unit 2
0 indicates that when the emergency signal S4 is input, the auxiliary rudder A2a, A2
2a and the propeller A1a need not necessarily be controlled. That is, the attitude control unit 20 only needs to control at least the rudder A4a and the elevators A3a, A3a in order to maintain the body A in the set attitude.

[0025]

[Other Embodiments] The body A can set a vertical posture in which the back side and the abdomen side of the body A are directed to specific directions as an emergency setting posture (FIG. 3). That is, prior to the flight, the aircraft A is set to the set attitude of the vertical attitude, and the adjusters 12a, 12b, 12c, 12
What is necessary is just to adjust d. However, the set flight speed va at this time is set so that the propeller A1a exerts a propulsive force corresponding to the weight of the aircraft A.

In FIG. 3, when the body A1 is rotated by the rotation of the propeller A1a, the subtractors 21a, 2a
A sampling circuit 24 can be provided before 1b (FIG. 4). The sampling circuit 24 receives an input signal Sbj (j = 1, 2,...) Of the attitude control unit 20 based on the sampling signal Sc from the peak detection circuit 24a, for example.
Is sampled and sent to the subtracters 21a and 21b.
However, the input signal Sb1 is input to the peak detection circuit 24a, and the peak detection circuit 24a receives the input signal Sb1.
And outputs a sampling signal Sc.
The sampling circuit 24 keeps the body A in a predetermined posture by sampling the input signal Sbj at the peak of the input signal Sb1, even if the body A1 rotates and the input signal Sbj changes periodically. Can be. In FIG. 4, the peak detection circuit 24a may input any one signal of the input signal Sbj, and may detect an arbitrary phase including a zero-cross point instead of detecting the peak of the input signal Sbj. Good.

Each optical sensor 11i has a guide member 11i.
1 (i = a, b... D) may be added (FIG. 5). By forming each guide member 11i1 in a cylindrical shape (FIG. 7A), only the light in the axial direction can be introduced, and the light detection range of the optical sensor 11i can be limited. Further, each guide member 11i1 may be formed in a substantially fan-shaped groove-shaped member (FIG. 2B), and the optical sensor 11i may be incorporated at the bottom.
By mounting the guide member 11i1 so as to be fitted into the concave portion A1b of the body A1, the light detection range of the optical sensor 11i can be limited to 180 ° or less in the circumferential direction of the body A1. It is preferable that a light-transmitting protective material continuous with the surface of the body A1 be provided at the tip of the guide member 11i1.

Each guide member 11i1 in FIG. 5B may be a half-moon lens of the same shape (FIG. 6). Optical sensor 11i
By embedding the light receiving portion in the bottom surface of the guide member 11i1, it is possible to detect the average luminous intensity of the light (in the direction of the arrow in the figure) entering the curved surface of the guide member 11i1. It is preferable that the guide member 11i1 performs a light shielding process on each surface other than the curved surface on which light enters.

In the above description, the optical sensor 11i is
Instead of being incorporated in the fuselage A1 of the fuselage A, all or a part thereof may be incorporated in the main wing A2, A2, the tail wing A3, A3, or the vertical wing A4.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, an optical sensor for detecting light from the upper, lower, left and right sides of an airframe, an adjusting unit for individually adjusting and setting the output signal level of the optical sensor, and an adjusting unit When the emergency control signal is input from the controller, the attitude control unit compares the level of the input signal based on the output signal for each pair of the upper and lower optical sensors and the left and right optical sensors. As a result, the aircraft can be automatically controlled and maintained in a predetermined set attitude, and therefore, there is an excellent effect that the aircraft can be effectively prevented from crashing due to unexpected strong wind or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the overall configuration

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a use state.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a use state showing another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a main part showing another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part configuration showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A: Aircraft A1a: Propeller A2a: Auxiliary rudder A3a: Elevating rudder A4a: Direction rudder B: Controller Saj (j = 1, 2,...) Output signal S4: Emergency signal 11i (i = a, b ... d) Optical sensor 11i1 (I = a, b... D) ... guide member 12 ... adjustment unit 20 ... posture control unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An optical sensor for individually detecting light from the upper, lower, left and right sides of an airframe, an adjusting unit for individually adjusting and setting the level of an output signal from the optical sensor, and an attitude control unit connected to the adjusting unit. The attitude control unit receives an emergency signal from the controller,
An emergency attitude control device for a radio-controlled airplane, wherein the aircraft is maintained at a predetermined attitude based on an output signal from the optical sensor. 2. The emergency attitude control device for a radio-controlled airplane according to claim 1, wherein each of the optical sensors has a guide member for limiting a light detection range. 3. The emergency attitude control device for a radio-controlled aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the attitude control unit controls at least rudder and elevator of the body. 4. The emergency attitude control device for a radio-controlled airplane according to claim 3, wherein the attitude control unit controls a propeller of the airframe.