US Patent 11338935 Automated flight control functional testing

An automated flight control functional testing system includes a first sensor on a pilot input device for sensing position of the pilot input device, and a distributed network of sensors on a plurality of control surfaces of an aircraft for sensing positions of the control surfaces. A controller determines an expected position of each control surface based on data signals received from the first sensor, and the controller determines an actual position of each control surface based on data signals received from the distributed network of sensors. An automated flight control functional testing method includes transmitting angle information to a controller from a first angle sensor on a pilot input device and a second angle sensor on a control surface of an aircraft, and comparing an expected angle of a control surface based on the first sensor with an actual angle of the control surface based on the second sensor.