Archer Aviation Inc.

A method of controlling an electric aircraft that has a plurality of actuators that includes a plurality of electric propulsion units includes: receiving force and moment commands for the electric aircraft; determining control commands for the plurality of actuators based on the desired force and moment commands by solving an optimization problem that comprises a noise minimization term for minimizing noise generated by the electric propulsion units; and controlling the plurality of actuators according to the determined control commands to meet the force and moment commands for the electric aircraft.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for flight control of aircrafts driven by electric propulsion systems and in other types of vehicles. In some embodiments, a system of an aircraft is disclosed, configured to determine one or more desired commands for the aircraft, retrieve engine information for at least one electric propulsion unit (EPU) of a plurality of EPUs of the aircraft, wherein the engine information includes at least one time-based metric for temperature associated with the at least one EPU, generates control commands based on the received engine information, and controls effectors according to the generated control commands to meet the desired commands of the aircraft.

This disclosure relates to flight control of electric aircraft and other vehicles. A computer-implemented method for estimating available range of an aircraft in flight is disclosed, comprising: receiving electrical information of one or more batteries measured using a first sensor; estimating aircraft-level energy based on electrical information of the one or more batteries; receiving one or more of an altitude of the aircraft or a current airspeed of the aircraft measured using a second sensor; estimating a steady-state force based on the one or more of the altitude of the aircraft or the current airspeed of the aircraft; estimating one or more of a vertical landing range or a horizontal landing range based on the one or more of the estimated aircraft-level energy or the estimated steady-state force; and displaying the one or more of the estimated vertical landing range or the estimated horizontal landing range on a display.

This disclosure relates to flight control of electric aircraft and other vehicles. A computer-implemented method for estimating available range of an aircraft in flight is disclosed, comprising: receiving electrical information of one or more batteries measured using a first sensor; estimating aircraft-level energy based on electrical information of the one or more batteries; receiving one or more of an altitude of the aircraft or a current airspeed of the aircraft measured using a second sensor; estimating a steady-state force based on the one or more of the altitude of the aircraft or the current airspeed of the aircraft; estimating one or more of a vertical landing range or a horizontal landing range based on the one or more of the estimated aircraft-level energy or the estimated steady-state force; and displaying the one or more of the estimated vertical landing range or the estimated horizontal landing range on a display.

Disclosed embodiments generally relate to systems and methods for flight control of aircrafts. In some embodiments, a flight control system is configured to determine desired commands for the electric aircraft, determine at least one reference command for an effector based on the desired commands and one or more aircraft conditions, monitor energy states of the plurality of battery packs, where at least a first battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is electrically isolated from at least a second battery pack of the plurality of battery packs, adjust the at least one reference command based on the monitored energy states of the plurality of battery packs, generate control commands for the plurality of effectors based on the adjusted at least one effector reference command, and control the plurality of effectors according to the generated control commands to meet the one or more desired commands of the electric aircraft.

An electric propulsion system comprising an electric motor assembly. The electric motor assembly may include a housing having an internal volume, a stator ring disposed about a perimeter of the internal volume, and a rotor positioned within the stator. The electric motor assembly may include a main shaft connected to the rotor via a gear reduction, wherein the main shaft extends through the rotor. The electric motor assembly may include a collar connected to the main shaft, wherein the collar encircles the main shaft, and at least a portion of the collar is configured to direct a fluid away from the main shaft and toward the stator ring.

In a first aspect, described herein is a direct drive electric aircraft propulsion wherein the propulsion rotor torque is decoupled from the primary proprotor mast moment forces. A hub shaft locates the propulsion proprotor assembly in space relative to the aircraft nacelle, while a motor torque coupler transfers torque from the electric motor to the propulsion rotor while resolving a negligible amount of mast moment through the electric motor.

A motor assembly for a propulsion system, the motor assembly including a motor housing; a rotor; a power inverter; a main shaft; wherein the main shaft extends through the rotor; and a fluid distribution system including a fluid reservoir; a pump configured to distribute a fluid to a component of the motor assembly; and a filter having a circumferential side, wherein the filter is configured to filter the fluid through the circumferential side, wherein the filter is located adjacent to the main shaft.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for flight control of aircrafts driven by electric propulsion systems and in other types of vehicles. In some embodiments, a system of an aircraft is disclosed, configured to determine one or more desired commands for the aircraft, retrieve engine information for at least one electric propulsion unit (EPU) of a plurality of EPUs of the aircraft, wherein the engine information includes at least one time-based metric for temperature associated with the at least one EPU, generates control commands based on the received engine information, and controls effectors according to the generated control commands to meet the desired commands of the aircraft.

In a first aspect, described herein is a direct drive electric aircraft propulsion wherein the propulsion rotor torque is decoupled from the primary proprotor mast moment forces. A hub shaft locates the propulsion proprotor assembly in space relative to the aircraft nacelle, while a motor torque coupler transfers torque from the electric motor to the propulsion rotor while resolving a negligible amount of mast moment through the electric motor.