System for assessing airline operational efficiency and environmental impact

Abstract

This application relates to systems for evaluating airline operational efficiency and environmental impact. In some implementations, a flight evaluation system can reconstruct a flight trajectory of a flight based on surveillance data associated with the flight. The flight evaluation system can generate one or more reference trajectories for the flight based on the surveillance data or flight plan data. The flight evaluation system can calculate one or more performance indicators for the flight based on a comparison of the flight trajectory to the one or more reference trajectories.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to flight planning and the assessment of the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight. Background Technology

[0002] Flight planning is the process of generating flight plans for aircraft. Flight plans typically include recommended parameters for aircraft flight, such as route, altitude (e.g., elevation), speed, and fuel load. Airlines often use flight planning software to plan flight operations in advance (e.g., before the flight). During this pre-tactical flight planning phase, airlines can use flight planning software to attempt to minimize their direct operational costs while meeting time and environmental constraints. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method comprising: reconstructing a flight trajectory based on surveillance data associated with the flight; generating one or more reference trajectories for the flight based on the surveillance data or flight plan data; and calculating one or more performance metrics for the flight based on a comparison between the flight trajectory and the one or more reference trajectories.

[0004] Another embodiment of this disclosure provides a system comprising: a trajectory computing infrastructure (TCI) configured to: reconstruct a flight trajectory based on flight-associated surveillance data, an aircraft performance model associated with the flying aircraft, and flight-associated meteorological information, and generate a reference trajectory based on one or more of the flight trajectory, surveillance data, aircraft performance model, meteorological information, or flight plan data; and a trajectory evaluation module configured to: calculate one or more performance indicators of the flight based on a comparison between the flight trajectory and the reference trajectory.

[0005] Another embodiment of this disclosure provides a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions including: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to: extract aircraft intent information from surveillance data associated with flight; reconstruct a flight trajectory of the flight based on the aircraft intent information; generate one or more reference trajectories of the flight based on at least one of an estimated initial aircraft mass associated with the flight trajectory and the aircraft intent information or flight plan data; and calculate one or more performance metrics of the flight based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with the one or more reference trajectories.

[0006] The features, functions, and advantages described herein can be implemented independently in different implementations or combined in other implementations, further details of which are shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figures 1A to 1G This is a diagram of an example implementation associated with a system used to assess the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight.

[0008] Figure 2 A diagram is a sample environment in which the systems and / or methods described herein can be implemented.

[0009] Figure 3 This is a diagram of exemplary components of a device associated with a system used to assess the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight.

[0010] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an exemplary process associated with a system used to assess the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight.

[0011] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of an exemplary process associated with a system used to assess the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight.

[0012] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of an exemplary process associated with a system used to assess the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The following detailed description of exemplary implementations refers to the accompanying drawings. In the different drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar elements.

[0014] Airspace users (AUs) (e.g., airlines and / or other aircraft operators) typically use flight planning software to plan flight operations before tactics (e.g., prior to flight). During such a pre-tactical flight planning phase, AUs can use flight planning software to attempt to minimize their direct operational costs while meeting time and environmental constraints. Direct operational costs associated with flight constitute a significant portion (e.g., up to 50%) of an AU's total operational costs and are highly influenced by how the aircraft is operated during flight. For example, differences in cruise speed and / or altitude can increase direct operational costs by up to 5%. While pre-tactical flight planning attempts to plan flight operations that minimize direct operational costs while meeting the time and environmental constraints of the flight day, flight operations can be affected by different types of disruptions and uncertainties (e.g., weather, air traffic control, network latency) that reduce the operational and / or environmental efficiency of flight operations. Currently, there is a lack of high-fidelity post-flight analysis tools capable of assessing the operational efficiency and environmental impact (e.g., caused by the actual flight operations) of a flight's actual flight trajectory. For example, existing tools are not accurate enough to estimate fuel consumption and aircraft emissions for the actual flight trajectory of a flight (to identify operational and / or environmental efficiency in flight operations). Furthermore, accurately assessing the operational and / or environmental efficiency of actual flight trajectories without using airline-sensitive data that may not be available (such as takeoff quality, cost indices, and / or thrust values) is challenging.

[0015] Some implementations described herein enable flight evaluation systems to be configured to assess the operational efficiency and / or environmental impact of a flight based on a flight trajectory corresponding to the actual flight operations. The flight evaluation system reconstructs the flight trajectory based on surveillance data and generates one or more reference trajectories based on the surveillance data or flight plan data. For example, one or more reference trajectories may include trajectories associated with planned operations in the flight plan, one or more trajectories associated with flight operations performed by others (e.g., the trajectory of a competitor's flight), and / or one or more trajectories associated with flight operations in a hypothetical (e.g., what the hypothesis is) scenario. The flight evaluation system compares the flight trajectory to one or more reference trajectories and calculates one or more performance metrics for the flight based on the comparison. These performance metrics may be associated with the operational efficiency and / or environmental impact of the flight. In some implementations, the flight evaluation system may determine one or more corrective actions based on one or more performance metrics. As a result, the operational efficiency and environmental impact of the flight can be assessed with improved accuracy. Furthermore, the one or more corrective actions can result in improved operational efficiency and / or reduced environmental impact on flight and / or one or more subsequent flights.

[0016] In some implementations, surveillance data and flight plan data are retrieved from publicly available data sources. Therefore, the flight evaluation system utilizes publicly available data sources to generate and compare aircraft trajectories without requiring airline-sensitive data (e.g., takeoff quality, cost indices, and / or thrust values, among others). In some implementations, the flight evaluation system extracts intent information from surveillance data and generates the flight trajectory based on this intent information. In this way, the flight evaluation system is able to reconstruct the flight trajectory corresponding to the flight maneuvers performed for the flight with a high level of accuracy.

[0017] Figures 1A to 1G This is a diagram of an example implementation 100 associated with a system used to evaluate the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight. (See diagram for example.) Figures 1A to 1G As shown, Example 100 includes a flight evaluation system and communication equipment. The flight evaluation system includes a trajectory calculation infrastructure (TCI) and a trajectory evaluation module. The following will combine... Figure 2 and Figure 3 Describe these devices in more detail.

[0018] like Figure 1A As shown, and via reference numeral 105, a flight evaluation system (e.g., the TCI of the flight evaluation system) obtains surveillance data associated with one or more flights. The surveillance data associated with the flights includes location information (e.g., latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the aircraft at various times during flight (e.g., at regular time intervals). In some examples, the surveillance data may also include the aircraft's velocity at various times during the duration of flight. In some implementations, the surveillance data includes Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data associated with one or more flights. Additionally or alternatively, the surveillance data may include radar tracking data and / or other flight tracking data associated with one or more flights. The flight evaluation system obtains the surveillance data from surveillance data sources (or multiple surveillance data sources). In some implementations, the surveillance data source is an open access data source, such as an ADS-B database or repository. In some examples, the flight evaluation system may retrieve the surveillance data from the surveillance data source, for example, by sending a request for surveillance data to the surveillance data source and receiving the surveillance data based on that request. In some other examples, the monitoring data source can send monitoring data, and the flight evaluation system can receive the monitoring data, without the flight evaluation system sending a request for the monitoring data (e.g., as a reservation or broadcast transmission). In some implementations, the flight evaluation system obtains (e.g., retrieves or receives) the monitoring data at regular time intervals (e.g., daily) and stores the monitoring data (e.g., in the flight evaluation system's memory).

[0019] The surveillance data acquired by TCI includes surveillance data associated with the target flight to be evaluated by the flight evaluation system. In addition to the target flight, the surveillance data acquired by TCI may also include surveillance data associated with one or more other flights. In some implementations, TCI acquires the surveillance data of the target flight after the target flight has ended, in order to evaluate the operational efficiency and / or environmental impact of the target flight's flight operations offline after the target flight has ended. In some other implementations, TCI acquires the surveillance data of the target flight while the target flight is in progress, in order to evaluate the operational efficiency and / or environmental impact of the target flight's flight operations in real-time or near real-time during the target flight. In this case, TCI may acquire the surveillance data by receiving broadcasts of surveillance data transmitted by the aircraft (e.g., ADS-B data).

[0020] like Figure 1A As further shown, and via reference numeral 110, a flight evaluation system (e.g., the flight evaluation system's TCI) obtains flight plan data. The flight plan data obtained by the flight evaluation system includes flight plans for target flights to be evaluated by the flight evaluation system. In some examples, the flight plan data obtained by the flight evaluation system may also include flight plans for one or more other flights. The flight evaluation system obtains flight plan data from a flight plan data source. In some implementations, the flight plan data source is an open access data source (such as a centralized flight plan repository). In some examples, the flight evaluation system may retrieve flight plan data from the flight plan data source, for example, by sending a request for flight plan data to the flight plan data source and receiving flight plan data based on that request. In some other examples, the flight plan data source may send flight plan data, and the flight evaluation system may receive flight plan data without sending a request for flight plan data (e.g., as a reservation or broadcast transmission). In some implementations, the flight evaluation system obtains (e.g., retrieves or receives) flight plan data at regular time intervals (e.g., daily) and stores the flight plan data (e.g., in the flight evaluation system's memory).

[0021] like Figure 1AAs further illustrated, and indicated by reference numeral 115, TCI reconstructs the flight trajectory of a flight (e.g., a target flight) based on surveillance data associated with the flight. The flight trajectory represents the evolution of the aircraft's state over time (e.g., over the duration of the flight). The aircraft's state may include the aircraft's position (e.g., the location of the aircraft's center of gravity), the aircraft's speed, the aircraft's altitude, the aircraft's mass, the aircraft's fuel consumption, the aircraft's gas emissions (e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or non-CO2 emissions), flight-related costs, noise emissions, and / or other aircraft or flight parameters associated with efficiency or environmental impact. TCI reconstructs the flight trajectory based on surveillance data associated with the flight, aircraft performance models associated with the aircraft, and meteorological information associated with the flight. The flight evaluation system may store or access a collection of aircraft performance models associated with different types of aircraft. For example, the collection of aircraft performance models may include Aircraft Data Foundation (BADA) version 3 or 4 aircraft models, manufacturer-specific aircraft performance models, and / or tail-specific performance models generated from data from quick access records, among other examples. The Flight Assessment System (TCI) can obtain the aircraft performance models associated with the aircraft in flight from a collection of aircraft performance models. Meteorological information includes weather data associated with the flight (e.g., temperature, pressure, and / or wind speed). The flight assessment system (e.g., TCI) obtains meteorological information from meteorological data sources. For example, meteorological information may include weather forecasts obtained (e.g., retrieved or received) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (e.g., in grib2 format) or another open-access meteorological data source.

[0022] In some implementations, TCI uses Aircraft Intent Inference and Trajectory Reconstruction (INTRAC) processing to reconstruct the flight trajectory based on surveillance data, an aircraft performance model, and meteorological information. In this case, TCI extracts intent information from the surveillance data associated with the flight, and reconstructs the flight trajectory based on this intent information. Intent information is information related to the aircraft's intent during flight. It describes the actions used to control the aircraft within a specific time interval. In some examples, the intent information extracted from the surveillance data includes a series of commands or actions corresponding to how the aircraft is controlled during flight (e.g., by the pilot and / or by the aircraft's flight management system). For example, intent information may include actions / commands corresponding to the configuration of managing the aircraft (e.g., when to deploy landing gear) and actions / commands corresponding to the operational procedures used to control the aircraft during flight (e.g., tracking a specific turning radius, maintaining a specific airspeed). TCI reconstructs the flight trajectory by integrating the equations of motion associated with the aircraft based on the intent information, one or more initial conditions, the aircraft performance model, and meteorological information. The aircraft performance model provides aircraft-type-specific performance information used by TCI to integrate the equations of motion. For example, the aircraft performance model may include a model of forces acting on the aircraft's center of gravity (e.g., thrust, drag, lift, and gravity). Using the aircraft performance model, TCI integrates the equations of motion based on the forces applied to the aircraft, according to intent information (e.g., based on operations / commands controlling the aircraft) and meteorological information (e.g., forces due to pressure, temperature, and wind). Initial conditions may include the aircraft's initial mass, which may vary based on the initial amount of fuel loaded in the aircraft. In some implementations, TCI uses an initial mass estimation algorithm to infer / estimate the aircraft's initial mass based on intent information, surveillance data, the aircraft performance model, and meteorological information. In this case, TCI iteratively integrates the equations of motion based on the initial mass estimate, intent information, aircraft performance model, and meteorological information, and adjusts the initial mass estimate used for integrating the equations of motion until the initial mass estimate converges to a value that best suits the flight trajectory obtained from the surveillance data.

[0023] Reconstructing the flight trajectory yields an aircraft state vector associated with the flight trajectory. The aircraft state vector includes values ​​of various parameters of the aircraft during flight. In some implementations, the aircraft state vector includes values ​​for aircraft position, aircraft velocity, aircraft altitude, and at least one of the following: aircraft mass, aircraft fuel consumption, or aircraft gas emissions (e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or non-CO2 emissions). In some examples, aircraft emissions can be calculated using an aircraft emissions model or process (e.g., EUROCONTROL-corrected Boeing Fuel Flow Method 2 (EEC-BFM2)). In some examples, aircraft fuel consumption can be calculated using an aircraft performance model based on intent information and meteorological information, and aircraft mass can be calculated based on the estimated initial mass of the aircraft and aircraft fuel consumption. In some implementations, the aircraft state vector may further include values ​​of operational costs associated with flight. For example, as... Figure 1A As shown, flight trajectory reconstruction can be based on a cost model. In this case, TCI uses a cost model to determine the operational costs of the flight. In some examples, the cost model may determine the cost index as a function of the aircraft's speed and altitude during flight. The cost model may incorporate or involve fuel costs, navigation service provider (ANSP) fees, and / or costs associated with the environmental impact of the flight (e.g., fines or charges). In some implementations, the aircraft state vector may further include values ​​for aircraft noise emissions and / or other parameters associated with efficiency or environmental impact. For example, aircraft noise emissions can be calculated using an aircraft performance model or a separate noise model associated with the aircraft.

[0024] like Figure 1A As further illustrated and indicated by reference numeral 120, TCI generates one or more reference trajectories for a flight (e.g., a target flight). TCI may generate one or more reference trajectories for a flight based on surveillance data and / or flight plan data. The reference trajectories of a flight are used as the basis for comparing with a reconstructed flight trajectory to assess the operational efficiency and / or environmental impact of the flight. In some implementations, TCI generates multiple reference trajectories for a flight. These reference trajectories may include: a flight plan trajectory associated with the flight's flight plan, one or more reference trajectories corresponding to other flights (e.g., competitors' flights), or one or more reference trajectories corresponding to hypothetical scenarios (e.g., what the hypotheses are) associated with the flight. In some implementations, TCI generates reference trajectories based on surveillance data or flight plan data, one or more aircraft performance models, meteorological information, and an estimated initial mass used to reconstruct the flight trajectory.

[0025] A flight plan trajectory represents a flight path that remains unchanged from the flight plan (e.g., if flight operations during the flight precisely follow the flight plan). TCI generates a flight plan trajectory based on the flight plan, the aircraft performance model of the aircraft, meteorological information associated with the flight, and the estimated initial mass of the aircraft used to reconstruct the flight trajectory. For example, TCI can reconstruct a flight plan trajectory based on flight plan data, similar to reconstructing a flight trajectory based on the aforementioned surveillance data.

[0026] TCI can generate one or more reference trajectories corresponding to other flights (e.g., flights other than the target flight whose trajectory is being reconstructed). For example, TCI can generate corresponding reference trajectories for one or more competitors' flights that have the same origin and destination as the target flight. TCI generates reference trajectories corresponding to another flight (e.g., a flight different from the target flight) based on surveillance data associated with the other flight, an aircraft performance model associated with the aircraft of that other flight (e.g., obtained from a set of aircraft performance models), and meteorological information associated with that other flight. In this case, TCI can reconstruct the flight trajectory of the other flight through a process similar to the reconstruction for the target flight described above, thereby generating reference trajectories.

[0027] TCI can generate one or more reference trajectories corresponding to a hypothetical scenario (e.g., what the hypothesis is) associated with the flight, based on intent information extracted from flight-related surveillance data, an estimated initial mass of the aircraft used to reconstruct the flight trajectory, flight-related meteorological information, and at least one of an aircraft performance model or another associated with the flight aircraft. In some implementations, TCI uses an Aircraft Intent Generation and Trajectory Synthesis (INCEPT) process and / or an intent-based trajectory optimization (INTRO) process to generate reference trajectories to be compared with the flight trajectory. In such examples, TCI generates different reference trajectories with variations in intent information, initial conditions (e.g., initial aircraft mass), and / or the aircraft performance model used to reconstruct the flight trajectory. In some examples, TCI can use the same meteorological information, initial aircraft mass estimate, and aircraft performance model used to reconstruct the flight trajectory, by changing the intent information extracted from the surveillance data to represent variations in how the aircraft is controlled during flight. In some other examples, TCI may use the same meteorological information, intent information, and aircraft performance model used to reconstruct the flight trajectory to generate one or more reference trajectories by varying the initial aircraft mass estimate based on surveillance data to represent changes in the initial amount of fuel carried in the aircraft. In some other examples, TCI may use the same meteorological information, intent information, and initial aircraft mass estimate used to reconstruct the flight trajectory, and use different aircraft performance models associated with different types of aircraft from the flight (e.g., obtained from a collection of aircraft performance models) to generate one or more reference trajectories. In some examples, TCI may vary the combination of intent information, initial aircraft mass estimate, and / or aircraft performance model to generate one or more reference trajectories.

[0028] In some implementations, TCI generates different reference trajectories associated with different metrics of interest. In this case, TCI uses INCEPT and / or INTRO procedures to determine the optimal reference trajectory for the metric of interest. In some examples, TCI may generate an optimal distance trajectory (e.g., a reference trajectory associated with optimal / minimum distance), an optimal cost trajectory (e.g., a reference trajectory associated with optimal / minimum cost), and / or an optimal fuel trajectory (e.g., a reference trajectory associated with optimal / minimum fuel consumption). Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, TCI may generate a reference trajectory associated with optimal environmental impact (e.g., optimal CO2 emission level or optimal non-CO2 environmental impact), a reference trajectory associated with optimal noise level, and / or an optimal reference trajectory associated with another metric regarding operating efficiency or environmental impact. In some implementations, such as Figure 1AAs shown, flight trajectory generation can be based on a cost model. For example, TCI can use a cost model to determine the optimal cost trajectory.

[0029] The generation of the reference trajectory yields a reference aircraft state vector associated with it. The reference aircraft state vector includes values ​​of various parameters of the aircraft during flight. The reference aircraft state vector includes the values ​​of the same parameters as those associated with the aircraft state vector of the flight trajectory. In some implementations, the reference aircraft state vector includes values ​​of aircraft position, aircraft velocity, aircraft altitude, and at least one of the following: aircraft mass, aircraft fuel consumption, or aircraft gas emissions (e.g., CO2 and / or non-CO2 emissions). In some implementations, the reference aircraft state vector may further include values ​​of operating costs (e.g., based on a cost model). In this case, TCI uses a cost model to determine the operating costs of the reference trajectory. In some implementations, the reference aircraft state vector may further include values ​​of aircraft noise emissions and / or other parameters associated with efficiency or environmental impact.

[0030] like Figure 1A As shown, TCI outputs to the trajectory evaluation module an aircraft state vector associated with the flight trajectory (shown by reference numeral 125) and a corresponding reference aircraft state vector associated with one or more reference trajectories (shown by reference numeral 130). Figure 1A As further illustrated, and indicated by reference numeral 135, the trajectory evaluation module calculates flight performance metrics (e.g., Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)) based on the flight trajectory and one or more reference trajectories. The trajectory evaluation module calculates one or more performance metrics based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories. For example, the trajectory evaluation module may calculate each performance metric based on a comparison of the aircraft state vector associated with the flight trajectory and a reference state model associated with a reference trajectory. In some implementations, the trajectory evaluation module calculates multiple flight performance metrics, and for a specific performance metric, each performance metric indicates a relative value of the flight trajectory compared to a reference trajectory. Since the same TCI is used to reconstruct the flight trajectory and generate the reference trajectory, calculating relative performance metrics based on a comparison of the flight trajectory and reference trajectories increases robustness to modeling errors.

[0031] The trajectory evaluation module can calculate a corresponding set of performance metrics associated with each of one or more performance metrics, such as distance, flight class (e.g., altitude), fuel consumption, cost, gas emissions (e.g., CO2 emissions and / or non-CO2 emissions) and / or noise, etc. Each performance metric in the set of performance metrics associated with a performance metric is based on a comparison of the performance metric in the flight trajectory with a corresponding performance metric of one of the reference trajectories. In some implementations, the trajectory evaluation module calculates one or more distance metrics based on a comparison of the distance associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding distances associated with one or more reference trajectories. For example, the trajectory evaluation module can calculate a set of distance metrics including: D-OD = ,in, It is the distance traveled by reconstructing the flight trajectory, and It is the distance flown using the optimal distance trajectory (e.g., a reference trajectory associated with the optimal distance); D-FP = ,in, It is the distance traveled via a planned flight path (e.g., a reference path generated based on the flight plan); and D-OC = ,in, It is the distance traveled along the optimal cost trajectory (e.g., a reference trajectory associated with the optimal cost).

[0032] Alternatively or concurrently, in some implementations, the trajectory evaluation module calculates one or more flight level indices based on a comparison of the flight level (e.g., altitude) associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding flight level associated with one or more reference trajectories. For example, the trajectory evaluation module may calculate a set of flight level indices including: FL-FP= ,in, It is the average flight level that reconstructs the flight trajectory, and It is the average flight level of the planned flight path; FL-OF = ,in, It is the average flight level of the optimal fuel trajectory (e.g., a reference trajectory associated with optimal fuel consumption); and D-OC = ,in, It is the average flight level of the optimal cost trajectory.

[0033] Alternatively or concurrently, in some implementations, the trajectory evaluation module calculates one or more fuel consumption indicators based on a comparison of fuel consumption associated with the flight trajectory and corresponding fuel consumption associated with one or more reference trajectories. For example, the trajectory evaluation module may calculate a set of fuel consumption indicators, which includes: F-FP = ,in, It is the fuel consumption for reconstructing the flight trajectory, and It is the fuel consumption of the planned flight path; F-OF = ,in, It represents the fuel consumption of the optimal fuel trajectory; and F-OC = ,in, It represents the fuel consumption at the optimal cost trajectory.

[0034] Alternatively or concurrently, in some implementations, the trajectory evaluation module calculates one or more cost metrics based on a comparison of the costs associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding costs associated with one or more reference trajectories. For example, the trajectory evaluation module may calculate a set of cost metrics including: C-FP = ,in, It is the cost of reconstructing the flight trajectory, and It is the cost of the flight plan trajectory; C-OF = ,in, It is the cost of the optimal fuel trajectory; and C-OC = ,in, It is the cost of the optimal cost trajectory. For example... Figure 1A As shown, the trajectory evaluation module can obtain (e.g., from one or more data sources) fuel cost information, ANSP cost information, and / or cost models, and can determine the cost of a trajectory (e.g., reconstructing a flight trajectory and a reference trajectory) based on the fuel cost information, ANSP cost information, and / or cost models. In one example, the trajectory evaluation module can calculate the cost of the trajectory as... ,in, This refers to the fuel cost of the trajectory (e.g., trajectory-based fuel consumption and fuel cost information). It is a cost index for flight (e.g., based on a cost model), and This is the route cost (e.g., based on ANSP cost information).

[0035] Alternatively or concurrently, the trajectory assessment may calculate one or more environmental impact indicators based on a comparison of the carbon dioxide (CO2) or non-CO2 environmental effects (e.g., CO2 emissions or non-CO2 gas emissions) associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding CO2 or non-CO2 environmental effects associated with one or more reference trajectories; calculate one or more noise indicators based on a comparison of the noise levels associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding noise levels associated with the one or more reference trajectories; and / or calculate one or more other performance indicators based on a comparison of performance metrics in the flight trajectory and one or more reference trajectories.

[0036] In some implementations, TCI can reconstruct flight trajectories and generate reference trajectories for multiple flights with common characteristics (e.g., the same origin and destination). The trajectory evaluation module can group the reconstructed flight trajectories together and calculate one or more performance metrics based on a comparison of the grouped flight trajectories with one or more reference trajectories. For example, the trajectory evaluation module can calculate one or more performance metrics based on a comparison of the average performance metric across a set of flight trajectories with the performance metrics across one or more reference trajectories.

[0037] As shown by reference numeral 140 in the attached figure, the flight evaluation system (e.g., the trajectory evaluation module of the flight evaluation system) outputs one or more performance indicators (e.g., a set of performance indicators) calculated by the trajectory evaluation module. Figure 1A As shown, in some implementations, the flight evaluation system sends performance metrics to communication devices.

[0038] like Figure 1A As further illustrated and indicated by reference numeral 145, the trajectory evaluation module determines one or more corrective actions based on performance metrics. In some implementations, the trajectory evaluation module may detect one or more inefficiencies (e.g., operational inefficiencies and / or environmental inefficiencies) associated with the flight trajectory based on performance metrics. For example, compared to one or more reference trajectories, the trajectory evaluation module may determine that the flight trajectory is associated with longer distances, higher fuel consumption, higher costs, greater environmental impacts (e.g., greater CO2 or non-CO2 emissions), or greater noise levels, among other examples. By combining the detection of one or more inefficiencies, the trajectory evaluation module may determine one or more corrective actions for the one or more inefficiencies. In some examples, the trajectory evaluation module may determine one or more corrective actions based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories. For example, the trajectory evaluation module may identify one or more variations in flight operations that correct inefficiencies. In some examples, by combining the detection of one or more inefficiencies, the trajectory evaluation module may identify one or more causes of the inefficiencies (e.g., airspace restrictions, air traffic controller intervention, or inefficient planning, etc.). For example, the trajectory evaluation module can obtain one or more causes based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with the planned flight trajectory and / or one or more other reference trajectories. The trajectory evaluation module can then determine one or more corrective actions based on said one or more causes.

[0039] In some implementations, after the flight is completed, the flight trajectory is reconstructed, a reference trajectory is generated, performance metrics are calculated, and one or more corrective actions are determined (e.g., to assess the operational efficiency and / or environmental impact of the completed flight). In this case, the one or more corrective actions are those that will be applied to one or more subsequent flights (e.g., subsequent flights with the same origin and destination as the target flight). In some other implementations, the flight trajectory is reconstructed, a reference trajectory is generated, performance metrics are calculated, and one or more corrective actions are determined during the flight (e.g., real-time or near-real-time assessment of the operational efficiency and / or environmental impact of the flight). In this case, the reconstructed flight trajectory is the trajectory of a portion of the flight, and one or more corrective actions will be applied to the current flight (e.g., to improve the operational efficiency and / or environmental impact of the remaining portion of the flight).

[0040] As indicated by reference numeral 150 in the attached figure, the flight evaluation system (e.g., the trajectory evaluation module of the flight evaluation system) outputs one or more correction actions. Figure 1A As shown, in some implementations, the flight evaluation system sends one or more correction actions to the communication device.

[0041] The communication equipment can be a communication device associated with the aircraft or a communication device associated with the AU. In some implementations, the flight evaluation system sends one or more corrective actions to the communication equipment, one or more aircraft, and / or one or more other devices associated with the AU or aircraft to execute or apply one or more corrective actions. When the corrective actions are for one or more subsequent flights, the communication equipment can apply or execute one or more corrective actions during flight planning for one or more subsequent flights and / or during in-flight operation for one or more subsequent flights, or cause another device to apply or execute one or more corrective actions. When the corrective actions are for the current flight (e.g., the corrective actions are determined based on a real-time or near-real-time assessment of the flight's operational efficiency and / or environmental impact), the communication equipment can control the aircraft in flight to execute the corrective actions.

[0042] Figures 1B to 1D Examples 155, 160 and 170 show the results of reconstructing flight trajectories in European air traffic. Figure 1B Example 155 illustrates fuel consumption for reconstructed flight trajectories grouped by origin-endpoint for 50 city pairs. As shown in Example 155, the average fuel consumption for all city pairs varies between 2.3 Mt and 2.6 Mt, with numerous outliers. This large variation in values ​​could correspond to the use of different aircraft types, which could... Figure 1C and Figure 1D It was observed that flight paths between Lisbon and Porto (e.g., the OPO-LIS city pair) have very low average fuel consumption (e.g., due to the small distance between the cities), but outliers for this city pair exceed 5 Mt of fuel consumption.

[0043] Figure 1C Example 160 illustrates the fuel consumption for reconstructed flight trajectories between Lisbon and Porto (e.g., the OPO-LIS city pair) grouped by aircraft type. Figure 1C and Figure 1D The naming convention used for aircraft types follows the format: EngineType_WakeTurbulenceCategory_Integer. Engine_type indicates the type of engine used in the aircraft and can be one of the following: jet engine, turboprop engine, or piston engine; WakeTurbulenceCategory represents the wake turbulence category of the aircraft, which is directly related to the size of the aircraft and can be: L (light), M (medium), H (heavy), or J (large capacity); and Integer is an integer ranging from 0 to 103. As shown in Example 160, flights between Lisbon and Porto most frequently use small aircraft (e.g., medium-sized turboprop and jet engines), but larger jet engines (e.g., JET_H_58) are also used to transport cargo between Lisbon and Porto.

[0044] Figure 1D Example 165 illustrates fuel consumption for reconstructed flight trajectories between Madrid and Barcelona (e.g., the MAD-BCN city pair) grouped by aircraft type. As shown in Example 165, the dispersion and outliers in fuel consumption for reconstructed flight trajectories between Madrid and Barcelona are due to differences in aircraft size used for flights between the two cities. However, in this example, the larger jet engines (e.g., JET_H_89 and JET_H_91) are passenger aircraft rather than cargo aircraft.

[0045] Figure 1E Example 170 illustrates a comparison of the environmental impact of a reconstructed flight trajectory arriving at an airport in Sweden according to the new operating procedures with the environmental impact of a reference trajectory corresponding to the flight arriving at the airport. As shown in Example 170, a first noise footprint 172 shows the noise levels around the airport for the reconstructed flight trajectories of multiple flights arriving at the airport. A second noise footprint 174 shows the noise levels of a reference trajectory corresponding to a flight landing at the airport according to the new operating procedures.

[0046] Figures 1F to 1GExamples 175, 180, and 185 are shown in association with reconstructed flight paths for flights between Barcelona and London Gatwick associated with three different AUs (e.g., AU 1, AU 2, and AU 3). Figure 1F As shown in Example 175, flight trajectories are reconstructed for 6 flights associated with flight AU 1, 12 flights associated with flight AU 2, and 3 flights associated with flight AU 3. In this example, fuel efficiency metrics are calculated by comparing the fuel consumption of the flight trajectory with the fuel consumption of a reference trajectory (e.g., an optimal fuel reference trajectory). Figure 1F Example 180 shows an average fuel efficiency index per AU (e.g., 13.8543). As shown in Example 180, the flight path of AU 2 burns less fuel than the average for that city pair, while the flight paths of AU 1 and AU 3 burn more fuel than the average for that city pair, and the flight path of AU 1 burns more fuel than the flight paths of AU 2 and AU 3. Based on this assessment of fuel efficiency, the flight evaluation system can determine corrective actions to improve the operation of AU 1 and / or AU 3 and enhance the fuel efficiency of future flights between Barcelona and London Gatwick.

[0047] Figure 1G Example 185 illustrates the speed distribution (left) and altitude distribution (right) of the reconstructed flight trajectory associated with AU 3. As shown in Example 185, AU 3's flight trajectory includes two inefficient flight trajectories with fuel efficiency indices greater than the average fuel efficiency indicator value and one efficient trajectory with a fuel efficiency indicator value less than the average fuel efficiency indicator value. In this example, by comparing the altitude and speed distributions of the inefficient and efficient flight trajectories, the flight evaluation system can determine that the efficient trajectory flies at a higher altitude and a lower average speed. Therefore, the flight evaluation system can determine corrective actions to control the subsequent flight between Barcelona and London Gatwick, enabling AU 3 to fly at a higher altitude and a lower average speed. Alternatively or additionally, the flight evaluation system can determine whether the actions of airspace and air traffic controllers affect the fuel efficiency of AU 3's flight between Barcelona and London Gatwick.

[0048] As mentioned above, Figures 1A to 1G This is provided as an example. Other examples may be provided with reference to [the example provided]. Figures 1A to 1G The descriptions are different. Figures 1A to 1G The number and arrangement of equipment shown are provided as examples. In reality, with... Figures 1A to 1G Compared to the equipment shown, there may be additional equipment, fewer equipment, different equipment, or equipment with different arrangements. Furthermore, Figures 1A to 1G The two or more devices shown can be implemented within a single device, or Figures 1A to 1G The single device shown can be implemented as multiple distributed devices. Alternatively, Figures 1A to 1G The set of devices shown (e.g., one or more devices) can perform actions described as being performed by... Figures 1A to 1G The other set of devices shown performs one or more functions.

[0049] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating an example environment 200 in which the systems and / or methods described herein can be implemented. (See diagram for example.) Figure 2 As shown, environment 200 may include flight evaluation system 210, TCI 220, trajectory evaluation module 230, communication equipment 240, one or more data sources 250, and network 260. The devices in environment 200 may be interconnected via wired connection, wireless connection, or a combination of wired and wireless connection.

[0050] Flight evaluation system 210 includes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and / or providing information, as described elsewhere herein. Flight evaluation system 210 may include communication devices and / or computing devices. For example, flight evaluation system 210 may include servers such as application servers, client servers, web servers, database servers, host servers, proxy servers, virtual servers (e.g., virtual servers executing on computing hardware), or servers in cloud computing systems. In some implementations, flight evaluation system 210 may include computing hardware used in a cloud computing environment, such as one or more serverless components (e.g., one or more serverless functions). In some implementations, flight evaluation system 210 may include wireless communication devices, mobile phones, user equipment, laptop computers, tablet computers, desktop computers, or similar types of devices. Flight evaluation system 210 includes TCI 220 and trajectory evaluation module 230, which may be implemented on separate devices within flight evaluation system 210 or on the same device within flight evaluation system 210. Flight evaluation system 210 may communicate with one or more other devices of environment 200, as described elsewhere herein.

[0051] TCI 220 includes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and / or providing information, as described elsewhere herein. TCI 220 may include communication devices and / or computing devices. For example, TCI 220 may include servers such as application servers, client servers, web servers, database servers, host servers, proxy servers, virtual servers (e.g., virtual servers executing on computing hardware), or servers in cloud computing systems. In some implementations, TCI 220 may include computing hardware used in a cloud computing environment, such as one or more serverless components (e.g., one or more serverless functions). In some implementations, TCI 220 may include wireless communication devices, mobile phones, user equipment, laptop computers, tablet computers, desktop computers, or similar types of devices. TCI 220 may communicate with one or more other devices in environment 200, as described elsewhere herein.

[0052] The trajectory evaluation module 230 includes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and / or providing information, as described elsewhere herein. The trajectory evaluation module 230 may include communication devices and / or computing devices. For example, the trajectory evaluation module 230 may include servers such as application servers, client servers, web servers, database servers, host servers, proxy servers, virtual servers (e.g., executed on computing hardware), or servers in cloud computing systems. In some implementations, the trajectory evaluation module 230 may include computing hardware used in a cloud computing environment, such as one or more serverless components (e.g., one or more serverless functions), and other examples. In some implementations, the trajectory evaluation module 230 may include wireless communication devices, mobile phones, user equipment, laptop computers, tablet computers, desktop computers, or similar types of devices. The trajectory evaluation module 230 may communicate with one or more other devices of the environment 200, as described elsewhere herein.

[0053] Communication device 240 includes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and / or providing information, as described elsewhere herein. In some implementations, communication device 240 may be a computing device, server device, wireless communication device, mobile phone, user equipment, base station, laptop computer, tablet computer, desktop computer, game console, set-top box, wearable communication device (e.g., smartwatch, a pair of smart glasses, head-mounted display, or virtual reality headset), or a similar type of device. In some implementations, communication device 240 may be a communication device on or associated with an aircraft. Communication device 240 may communicate with one or more other devices of environment 200, as described elsewhere herein.

[0054] Data source 250 may include one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and / or providing the information described elsewhere herein. For example, data source 250 may store information such as surveillance data, flight plan data, aircraft performance models, meteorological information, cost models, fuel cost information, and / or ANSP cost information, and provide this information to a flight evaluation system, as described elsewhere herein. Data source 250 may include communication devices and / or computing devices. For example, data source 250 may include a database, server, database server, application server, client server, web server, host server, proxy server, virtual server (e.g., executed on computing hardware), server in a cloud computing system, device including computing hardware used in a cloud computing environment, or similar type of device. Data source 250 may communicate with one or more other devices of environment 200, as described elsewhere herein.

[0055] Network 260 includes one or more wired and / or wireless networks. For example, network 260 may include a wireless wide area network (e.g., a cellular network or public terrestrial mobile network), a satellite network, a local area network (e.g., a wired local area network or a wireless local area network (WLAN), such as a Wi-Fi network), a personal area network (e.g., a Bluetooth network), a near-field communication network, a telephone network, a private network, the Internet, and / or combinations of these or other types of networks. Network 260 enables communication between devices in environment 200.

[0056] Figure 2 The number and arrangement of devices and networks shown are provided as examples. In reality, there may be additional devices and / or networks, fewer devices and / or networks, different devices and / or networks, or [other devices and / or networks]. Figure 2 The devices and / or networks shown are arranged differently. Furthermore, Figure 2 The two or more devices shown can be implemented within a single device, or Figure 2 The single device shown can be implemented as multiple distributed devices. Alternatively or additionally, the set of devices in environment 200 (e.g., one or more devices) can perform one or more functions described as being performed by another set of devices in environment 200.

[0057] Figure 3This is a diagram of exemplary components of device 300 associated with a system for evaluating the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight. Device 300 corresponds to one or more of the flight evaluation system 210, TCI 220, trajectory evaluation module 230, communication device 240, and / or data source 250. In some implementations, the flight evaluation system 210, TCI 220, trajectory evaluation module 230, communication device 240, and / or data source 250 include one or more devices 300 and / or one or more components of device 300. Figure 3 In the example shown, device 300 includes bus 310, processor 320, memory 330, input component 340, output component 350 and / or communication component 360.

[0058] Bus 310 includes one or more components capable of wired and / or wireless communication between components of device 300. Bus 310 connects components, for example, via operative connections, communication connections, electronic connections, and / or electrical connections. Figure 3 Two or more components are connected together. For example, bus 310 may include electrical connections (e.g., wires, traces, and / or leads) and / or a wireless bus. Processor 320 includes a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, a field-programmable gate array, an application-specific integrated circuit, and / or another type of processing component. Processor 320 may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. In some implementations, processor 320 includes one or more processors capable of being programmed to perform one or more operations or processes described elsewhere herein.

[0059] Memory 330 includes volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), hard disk drive, and / or another type of memory (e.g., flash memory, magnetic storage, and / or optical storage). Memory 330 may include internal memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, or hard disk drive) and / or removable memory (e.g., removable via a universal serial bus). In some implementations, memory 330 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Memory 330 stores information related to the operation of device 300, one or more instructions, and / or software (e.g., one or more software applications). In some implementations, memory 330 includes one or more memories connected (e.g., communicatively connected) to one or more processors (e.g., processor 320), for example via bus 310. The communicative connection between processor 320 and memory 330 enables processor 320 to read and / or process information stored in memory 330 and / or store information in memory 330.

[0060] Input component 340 enables device 300 to receive input, such as user input and / or sensed input. For example, input component 340 may include a touchscreen, keyboard, keypad, mouse, button, microphone, switch, sensor, GPS sensor, GNSS sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and / or actuator. Output component 350 enables device 300 to provide output, for example, via a display, speaker, and / or light-emitting diode. Communication component 360 enables device 300 to communicate with other devices via a wired and / or wireless connection. For example, communication component 360 may include a receiver, transmitter, transceiver, modem, network interface card, and / or antenna.

[0061] In some implementations, device 300 performs one or more operations or processes described herein. For example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 330) may store a set of instructions (e.g., one or more instructions or code) for execution by processor 320. Processor 320 may execute the set of instructions to perform one or more operations or processes described herein. In some implementations, execution of the set of instructions by one or more processors 320 causes one or more processors 320 and / or device 300 to perform one or more operations or processes described herein. In some implementations, hardwired circuitry is used in place of or in combination with instructions to perform one or more operations or processes described herein. Additionally or alternatively, processor 320 may be configured to perform one or more operations or processes described herein. Therefore, the implementations described herein are not limited to any particular combination of hardware circuitry and software.

[0062] Figure 3 The number and arrangement of components shown are provided as an example. Device 300 may include additional components, fewer components, different components, or components with... Figure 3 The components shown are arranged differently. Alternatively, the set of components of device 300 (e.g., one or more components) may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another set of components of device 300.

[0063] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an exemplary process 400 associated with a system used to assess the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight. Figure 4 One or more processing frames are performed by the flight evaluation system (e.g., flight evaluation system 210) and / or by another device or group of devices separate from or including the flight evaluation system (e.g., TCI (e.g., TCI 220), trajectory evaluation module (e.g., trajectory evaluation module 230), communication device (e.g., communication device 240), and / or data source (e.g., data source 250)). Alternatively or additionally, Figure 4 One or more processing blocks can be executed by one or more components of the device 300, such as processor 320, memory 330, input component 340, output component 350 and / or communication component 360.

[0064] like Figure 4 As shown, process 400 includes reconstructing the flight trajectory based on surveillance data associated with the flight (box 410). For example, as described above, the flight evaluation system can reconstruct the flight trajectory based on surveillance data associated with the flight.

[0065] like Figure 4 As further shown, processing 400 includes generating one or more reference trajectories for flight based on surveillance data or flight plan data (box 420). For example, as described above, a flight evaluation system can generate one or more reference trajectories for flight based on surveillance data or flight plan data.

[0066] like Figure 4 As further shown, processing 400 includes calculating one or more performance metrics of the flight based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories (box 430). For example, as described above, a flight evaluation system can calculate one or more performance metrics of the flight based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories.

[0067] Process 400 may include additional aspects, such as those described below and / or any single aspect or any combination of aspects of one or more other processes described elsewhere in this document.

[0068] In the first aspect, reconstructing the flight trajectory includes reconstructing the flight trajectory based on surveillance data, aircraft performance models associated with the aircraft, and meteorological information associated with the flight.

[0069] In the second aspect, generating one or more reference trajectories for flight, either alone or in combination with the first aspect, includes generating one or more reference trajectories for flight based on meteorological information and at least one of an aircraft performance model associated with the aircraft in flight or one or more other aircraft performance models.

[0070] In the third aspect, the flight trajectory of the reconstructed flight is also based on the cost model, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, and one or more reference trajectories of the generated flight are also based on the cost model.

[0071] In the fourth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to third aspects, reconstructing the flight trajectory includes reconstructing the flight trajectory based on aircraft intent information extracted from surveillance data and one or more initial conditions associated with the flight, wherein one or more initial conditions include the initial mass of the flying aircraft.

[0072] In the fifth aspect, generating one or more reference trajectories for flight, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fourth aspects, includes generating one or more reference trajectories for flight based on aircraft intent information and initial mass.

[0073] In the sixth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fifth aspects, reconstructing the flight trajectory involves estimating the initial mass based on aircraft intent information, surveillance data, meteorological information associated with the flight, and a performance model associated with the aircraft.

[0074] In the seventh aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to sixth aspects, the flight trajectory of the flight result is reconstructed in the aircraft state vector associated with the flight trajectory; one or more reference trajectories of the flight result are generated in the corresponding reference aircraft state vectors associated with one or more reference trajectories; and each of one or more performance indicators is based on a comparison of the aircraft state vector associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding reference aircraft state vector associated with the reference trajectory in one or more reference trajectories.

[0075] In the eighth aspect, individually or in combination with one or more of the first to seventh aspects, each of the aircraft state vectors associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding reference aircraft state vectors associated with one or more reference trajectories includes a value of one or more of the following: aircraft mass, fuel consumption, gas emissions, cost, or noise.

[0076] In the ninth aspect, individually or in combination with one or more of the first to eighth aspects, one or more reference trajectories include one or more of the flight plan trajectory, the optimal distance trajectory, the optimal cost trajectory, the optimal fuel consumption trajectory, the optimal emissions trajectory, or the optimal noise trajectory.

[0077] In the tenth aspect, individually or in combination with one or more of the first to ninth aspects, the one or more performance indicators include at least one of the following: one or more distance indicators based on a comparison of distances associated with the flight trajectory and corresponding distances associated with the one or more reference trajectories; one or more flight level indicators based on a comparison of flight level associated with the flight trajectory and corresponding flight level associated with the one or more reference trajectories; one or more fuel consumption indicators based on a comparison of fuel consumption associated with the flight trajectory and corresponding fuel consumption associated with the one or more reference trajectories; one or more environmental impact indicators based on a comparison of CO2 or non-CO2 environmental effects associated with the flight trajectory and corresponding CO2 or non-CO2 environmental effects associated with the one or more reference trajectories; or one or more noise indicators based on a comparison of noise levels associated with the flight trajectory and corresponding noise levels associated with the one or more reference trajectories.

[0078] In the eleventh aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first to tenth aspects, processing 400 includes: determining one or more corrective actions for flight or subsequent flight based on one or more performance indicators.

[0079] In the twelfth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to eleventh aspects, reconstructing the flight trajectory includes reconstructing the flight trajectory during flight, and processing 400 includes: an aircraft controlling flight according to one or more correction actions during flight.

[0080] Although Figure 4 An example box for handling 400 is shown, but in some implementations, handling 400 includes... Figure 4 The boxes depicted are fewer, different, or arranged differently compared to additional boxes. Alternatively, processing of two or more boxes up to 400 can be performed in parallel.

[0081] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of an exemplary process 500 associated with a system used to assess the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight. Figure 5One or more processing frames are performed by the flight evaluation system (e.g., flight evaluation system 210) and / or by another device or group of devices separate from or including the flight evaluation system (e.g., TCI (e.g., TCI 220), trajectory evaluation module (e.g., trajectory evaluation module 230), communication device (e.g., communication device 240), and / or data source (e.g., data source 250)). Alternatively or additionally, Figure 5 One or more processing blocks can be executed by one or more components of the device 300 (such as processor 320, memory 330, input component 340, output component 350 and / or communication component 360).

[0082] like Figure 5 As shown, processing 500 includes reconstructing the flight trajectory based on flight-related surveillance data, an aircraft performance model associated with the flying aircraft, and flight-related meteorological information (box 510). For example, as described above, the flight evaluation system can reconstruct the flight trajectory based on flight-related surveillance data, an aircraft performance model associated with the flying aircraft, and flight-related meteorological information.

[0083] like Figure 5 As further shown, processing 500 includes generating a reference trajectory for flight based on one or more of the flight trajectory, surveillance data, aircraft performance model, meteorological information, or flight plan data (box 520). For example, a flight evaluation system may generate a reference trajectory for flight based on one or more of the flight trajectory, surveillance data, aircraft performance model, meteorological information, or flight plan data, as described above.

[0084] like Figure 5 As shown, processing 500 includes calculating one or more performance metrics for the flight based on a comparison between the flight trajectory and a reference trajectory (box 530). For example, as described above, a flight evaluation system can calculate one or more performance metrics for the flight based on a comparison between the flight trajectory and a reference trajectory.

[0085] Process 500 may include additional aspects, such as those described below and / or any single aspect or any combination of aspects of one or more other processes described elsewhere in this document.

[0086] In the first aspect, processing 500 includes: extracting aircraft intent information from surveillance data, reconstructing the flight trajectory based on the aircraft intent information, and generating a reference trajectory based on the aircraft intent information or flight plan data.

[0087] In the second aspect, reconstructing the flight trajectory, either alone or in combination with the first aspect, includes: estimating the initial mass of the aircraft and generating a reference trajectory based on the initial mass of the aircraft.

[0088] In the third aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, one or more performance indicators include at least one of one or more performance indicators associated with operational efficiency and one or more performance indicators associated with environmental impact.

[0089] Although Figure 5 An example box for handling 500 is shown, but in some implementations, handling 500 includes... Figure 5 The boxes depicted are compared to additional boxes, fewer boxes, different boxes, or boxes with different arrangements. Alternatively, processing of two or more boxes up to 500 can be performed in parallel.

[0090] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of an exemplary process 600 associated with a system used to assess the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight. Figure 6 One or more processing frames are performed by the flight evaluation system (e.g., flight evaluation system 210) and / or by another device or group of devices separate from or including the flight evaluation system (e.g., TCI (e.g., TCI 220) / trajectory evaluation module (e.g., trajectory evaluation module 230) / communication device (e.g., communication device 240) and / or data source (e.g., data source 250)). Alternatively or additionally, Figure 6 One or more processing blocks can be executed by one or more components of the device 300 (such as processor 320, memory 330, input component 340, output component 350 and / or communication component 360).

[0091] like Figure 6 As shown, process 600 includes: extracting aircraft intent information from flight-related surveillance data (box 610). For example, a flight assessment system can extract aircraft intent information from flight-related surveillance data, as described above.

[0092] like Figure 6 As further shown, processing 600 includes reconstructing the flight trajectory based on aircraft intent information (box 620). For example, a flight evaluation system can reconstruct the flight trajectory based on aircraft intent information, as described above.

[0093] like Figure 6As further shown, processing 600 includes generating one or more reference trajectories for flight based on at least one of aircraft intent information and flight plan data, and an estimated initial aircraft mass associated with the flight trajectory (box 630). For example, a flight evaluation system may generate one or more reference trajectories for flight based on at least one of an estimated initial aircraft mass associated with the flight trajectory and aircraft intent information or flight plan data, as described above.

[0094] like Figure 6 As further shown, processing 600 includes calculating one or more performance metrics of the flight based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories (box 640). For example, as described above, a flight evaluation system can calculate one or more performance metrics of the flight based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories.

[0095] Process 600 may include additional aspects, such as those described below and / or any single aspect or any combination of aspects in conjunction with one or more other processes described elsewhere herein.

[0096] In a first aspect, the one or more reference trajectories include one or more of the following: a flight plan trajectory, an optimal distance trajectory, an optimal cost trajectory, an optimal fuel consumption trajectory, an optimal emission trajectory, or an optimal noise trajectory.

[0097] In the second aspect, processing 600, either alone or in combination with the first aspect, includes: determining one or more corrective actions for flight or subsequent flight based on one or more performance indicators.

[0098] Although Figure 6 An example box for handling 600 is shown, but in some implementations, handling 600 includes: with Figure 6 The boxes depicted are fewer, different, or arranged differently compared to the additional boxes. Alternatively, processing of two or more boxes up to 600 can be performed in parallel.

[0099] This application involves the following terms: 1. A method for evaluating the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight, the method comprising the following steps: The flight trajectory is reconstructed based on surveillance data associated with the flight; Generate one or more reference trajectories for the flight based on the monitoring data or flight plan data; and One or more performance metrics of the flight are calculated based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories.

[0100] 2. The method according to Clause 1, wherein the step of reconstructing the flight trajectory of the flight includes: The flight trajectory of the flight is reconstructed based on the monitoring data, the aircraft performance model associated with the flight, and the meteorological information associated with the flight.

[0101] 3. The method according to Clause 2, wherein the step of generating the one or more reference trajectories of the flight comprises: The one or more reference trajectories of the flight are generated based on at least one of the aircraft performance models associated with the aircraft in the flight and one or more other aircraft performance models, as well as the meteorological information.

[0102] 4. The method according to Clause 3, wherein the step of reconstructing the flight trajectory of the flight is further based on a cost model, and wherein the step of generating the one or more reference trajectories of the flight is further based on the cost model.

[0103] 5. The method according to Clause 1, wherein the step of reconstructing the flight trajectory of the flight includes: The flight trajectory of the flight is reconstructed based on aircraft intent information extracted from the surveillance data and one or more initial conditions associated with the flight, wherein the one or more initial conditions include the initial mass of the aircraft in the flight.

[0104] 6. The method according to Clause 5, wherein the step of generating the one or more reference trajectories of the flight comprises: The one or more reference trajectories for the flight are generated based on the aircraft intent information and the initial mass.

[0105] 7. The method according to Clause 5, wherein the step of reconstructing the flight trajectory of the flight includes: The initial mass is estimated based on the aircraft intent information, the surveillance data, the meteorological information associated with the flight, and the performance model associated with the aircraft in the flight.

[0106] 8. The method according to Clause 1, wherein reconstructing the flight trajectory of the flight yields an aircraft state vector associated with the flight trajectory. Specifically, generating the one or more reference trajectories of the flight obtains the corresponding reference aircraft state vectors associated with the one or more reference trajectories, and Each of the one or more performance metrics is based on a comparison of the aircraft state vector associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding reference aircraft state vector associated with a reference trajectory in the one or more reference trajectories.

[0107] 9. The method according to Clause 8, wherein each of the aircraft state vectors associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding reference aircraft state vectors associated with the one or more reference trajectories includes a value of one or more of aircraft mass, fuel consumption, gas emissions, cost, and noise.

[0108] 10. The method according to Clause 1, wherein the one or more reference trajectories include one or more of the following: the flight plan trajectory of the flight, the optimal distance trajectory of the flight, the optimal cost trajectory of the flight, the optimal fuel consumption trajectory of the flight, the optimal emission trajectory of the flight, and the optimal noise trajectory of the flight.

[0109] 11. The method according to Clause 1, wherein the one or more performance metrics include at least one of the following: One or more distance indicators, said distance indicators being based on a comparison of distances associated with the flight path and corresponding distances associated with the one or more reference paths. One or more flight level indicators, said one or more flight level indicators being based on a comparison of flight levels associated with the flight trajectory and corresponding flight levels associated with the one or more reference trajectories. One or more fuel consumption indicators, said one or more fuel consumption indicators being based on a comparison of fuel consumption associated with the flight path and corresponding fuel consumption associated with the one or more reference paths. One or more cost metrics, said one or more cost metrics being based on a comparison of costs associated with the flight path and corresponding costs associated with the one or more reference paths, One or more environmental impact indicators, said one or more environmental impact indicators being based on a comparison of the CO2 or non-CO2 environmental effects associated with said flight trajectory and the corresponding CO2 or non-CO2 environmental effects associated with said one or more reference trajectories, and One or more noise metrics, said one or more noise metrics being based on a comparison of noise levels associated with the flight trajectory and corresponding noise levels associated with said one or more reference trajectories.

[0110] 12. The method according to Clause 1, further comprising the following steps: One or more corrective actions are determined for the flight or subsequent flights based on one or more performance metrics.

[0111] 13. The method according to Clause 12, wherein the step of reconstructing the flight trajectory of the flight includes: reconstructing the flight trajectory of the flight during the flight, and the method further includes the following steps: The aircraft that controls the flight according to one or more correction actions during the flight.

[0112] 14. A system for evaluating the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight, the system comprising: Trajectory computing infrastructure, wherein the trajectory computing infrastructure is configured to: Based on surveillance data associated with the flight, aircraft performance models associated with the aircraft, and meteorological information associated with the flight, the flight trajectory is reconstructed, and A reference trajectory for the flight is generated based on one or more of the flight trajectory, the monitoring data, the aircraft performance model, the meteorological information, and the flight plan data; and The trajectory evaluation module is configured to: One or more performance metrics of the flight are calculated based on a comparison between the flight trajectory and the reference trajectory.

[0113] 15. The system according to Clause 14, wherein the trajectory calculation infrastructure is configured to: Extract aircraft intent information from the surveillance data. The flight trajectory is reconstructed based on the aircraft's intent information, and The reference trajectory is generated based on the aircraft's intent information or the flight plan data.

[0114] 16. The system according to Clause 14, wherein the trajectory calculation infrastructure for reconstructing the flight trajectory is configured to estimate the initial mass of the aircraft, and wherein the trajectory calculation infrastructure is configured to generate the reference trajectory based on the initial mass of the aircraft.

[0115] 17. The system according to Clause 14, wherein the one or more performance metrics include at least one of the following: One or more performance metrics associated with operational efficiency, and One or more performance indicators associated with environmental impact.

[0116] 18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising: One or more instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of the device, cause the device to: Extract aircraft intent information from surveillance data associated with flight; The flight trajectory is reconstructed based on the aircraft's intent information; Based on at least one of the aircraft intent information and flight plan data, and an estimated initial aircraft mass associated with the flight trajectory, one or more reference trajectories for the flight are generated; and One or more performance metrics of the flight are calculated based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories.

[0117] 19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in Clause 18, wherein the one or more reference trajectories include one or more of the flight plan trajectory of the flight, the optimal distance trajectory of the flight, the optimal cost trajectory of the flight, the optimal fuel consumption trajectory of the flight, the optimal emission trajectory of the flight, and the optimal noise trajectory of the flight.

[0118] 20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as described in Clause 18, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the device, cause the device to: One or more corrective actions are determined for the flight or subsequent flights based on one or more performance metrics.

[0119] The foregoing disclosure provides illustrations and descriptions, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations described herein to their precise forms. Modifications and variations can be made based on the foregoing descriptions, or from practice of the embodiments described herein.

[0120] As used herein, the term "component" is intended to be broadly interpreted as hardware, firmware, and / or a combination of hardware and software. It will be apparent that the systems and / or methods described herein can be implemented in various forms of hardware, firmware, or combinations of hardware and software. The actual dedicated control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and / or methods is not limited to the implementations described herein. Therefore, while the operation and behavior of systems and / or methods are described herein without reference to any specific software code, it should be understood that software and hardware can be designed to implement systems and / or methods based on the descriptions herein.

[0121] Even if a particular combination of features is listed in the claims and / or described in the specification, such combinations are not intended to limit the implementations described herein. In fact, many of these features can be combined in ways not specifically stated in the claims and / or described in the specification. For example, the specification includes each dependent claim in combination with all other claims in the claim set. As used herein, the phrase “at least one” in the list of items refers to any combination of these items, including a single member. As an example, “at least one of the following: “a, b, or c” is intended to cover any combination of a, b, c, a to b, a to c, b to c, and a to b to c, as well as any combination of multiple identical items.

[0122] When a “component” or “one or more components” (or another element, such as a “processor” or “one or more processors”) is described or required (within a single claim or across multiple claims) to perform or be configured to perform multiple operations, this language is intended to broadly cover a wide range of architectures and environments. For example, unless otherwise explicitly stated (e.g., by using “first component” and “second component” or other language distinguishing components in the claims), this language is intended to cover a single component performing or configured to perform all operations, a group of components collectively performing or configured to perform all operations, a first component performing or configured to perform a first operation, and a second component performing or configured to perform a second operation, or any combination of components performing or configured to perform operations. For example, when a claim has the form “one or more components are configured to: perform X; perform Y; perform Z,” the claim should be interpreted as referring to “one or more components configured to perform X; one or more (possibly different) components configured to perform Y; and one or more (possibly different) components configured to perform Z.”

[0123] Elements, actions, or instructions used herein should not be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, as used herein, the articles “a” and “one” are intended to include one or more items and are interchangeable with “one or more.” Furthermore, as used herein, the article “the” is intended to include one or more items associated with the article “the” and is interchangeable with “the one or more.” Furthermore, as used herein, the term “group” is intended to include one or more items (e.g., related items, unrelated items, or a combination of related and unrelated items) and is interchangeable with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended to be used, the phrase “only one” or similar language is used. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms “having,” “possessing,” “having,” or similar terms are intended to be open-ended terms. Furthermore, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “at least partially based on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” is intended to be inclusive when used in series and may be used interchangeably with “and / or” unless otherwise explicitly stated (e.g., if used in combination with “either” or “only one”).

Claims

1. A method for evaluating the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight, the method comprising the following steps: The flight trajectory is reconstructed based on surveillance data associated with the flight; One or more reference trajectories for the flight are generated based on the monitoring data or flight plan data; as well as One or more performance metrics of the flight are calculated based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The steps for reconstructing the flight trajectory include: The flight trajectory of the flight is reconstructed based on the monitoring data, the aircraft performance model associated with the flight, and the meteorological information associated with the flight.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The steps of generating the one or more reference trajectories of the flight include: The one or more reference trajectories of the flight are generated based on at least one of the aircraft performance models associated with the aircraft in the flight and one or more other aircraft performance models, as well as the meteorological information.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The step of reconstructing the flight trajectory is also based on a cost model, and the step of generating one or more reference trajectories of the flight is also based on the cost model.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The steps for reconstructing the flight trajectory include: The flight trajectory of the flight is reconstructed based on aircraft intent information extracted from the surveillance data and one or more initial conditions associated with the flight, wherein the one or more initial conditions include the initial mass of the aircraft in the flight.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The steps of generating the one or more reference trajectories of the flight include: The one or more reference trajectories for the flight are generated based on the aircraft intent information and the initial mass.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The steps for reconstructing the flight trajectory include: The initial mass is estimated based on the aircraft intent information, the surveillance data, the meteorological information associated with the flight, and the performance model associated with the aircraft in the flight.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The flight trajectory is reconstructed to obtain the aircraft state vector associated with the flight trajectory. Specifically, generating the one or more reference trajectories of the flight obtains the corresponding reference aircraft state vectors associated with the one or more reference trajectories, and Each of the one or more performance metrics is based on a comparison of the aircraft state vector associated with the flight trajectory and the corresponding reference aircraft state vector associated with a reference trajectory in the one or more reference trajectories.

9. A system for evaluating the operational efficiency and environmental impact of flight, the system comprising: Trajectory computing infrastructure, wherein the trajectory computing infrastructure is configured to: Based on surveillance data associated with the flight, aircraft performance models associated with the aircraft, and meteorological information associated with the flight, the flight trajectory is reconstructed, and The reference trajectory of the flight is generated based on one or more of the flight trajectory, the monitoring data, the aircraft performance model, the meteorological information, and the flight plan data; as well as The trajectory evaluation module is configured to: One or more performance metrics of the flight are calculated based on a comparison between the flight trajectory and the reference trajectory.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising: One or more instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of the device, cause the device to: Extract aircraft intent information from surveillance data associated with flight; The flight trajectory is reconstructed based on the aircraft's intent information; One or more reference trajectories for the flight are generated based on at least one of the aircraft intent information and flight plan data, as well as the estimated initial aircraft mass associated with the flight trajectory. and One or more performance metrics of the flight are calculated based on a comparison of the flight trajectory with one or more reference trajectories.

Images