Aircraft Collision Avoidance Under Communication Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into national and international airspaces poses a significant challenge due to increased crowding, with existing collision avoidance systems experiencing communication delays and latencies that can lead to safety risks, particularly in scenarios where communication links are lost or unreliable.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for aircraft collision avoidance that enables rapid decision-making and communication by detecting projected flight paths, determining collision courses, selecting and transmitting collision avoidance maneuvers, and allowing for autonomous operation in case of communication losses, using a combination of onboard and remote flight controllers, sensors, and communication-based detectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If communication-based detection and coordination systems are used for collision avoidance, then collision avoidance effectiveness is improved, but communication latency and loss can cause delays that worsen safety
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing multiple collision avoidance maneuvers and trajectories before collision occurs. The onboard computer prepares escape routes and avoidance paths in advance, so that when a collision risk is detected, the system can immediately execute a pre-planned maneuver without waiting for communication delays, thus resolving the contradiction between needing reliable collision avoidance and suffering from communication latency
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the UAV to autonomously detect collision risks, select appropriate avoidance maneuvers from pre-calculated options, and execute maneuvers independently without real-time communication with ground control. The onboard sensors and computers work autonomously to sense threats and perform avoidance actions, eliminating dependence on communication links and resolving the time loss caused by communication delays
2Reliability
If autonomous operation is implemented to handle communication losses, then reliability under communication failure is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies segmentation by dividing the collision avoidance function into independent modular components: sensor modules for detecting other aircraft, onboard computer modules for calculating trajectories, and actuator modules for executing maneuvers. Each module operates semi-independently, allowing the system to maintain autonomous functionality even when communication with ground control is lost, thus improving reliability without requiring a completely complex re-architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The onboard computer acts as an intermediary between sensors and actuators, processing sensor data locally and generating control commands without requiring constant ground control intervention. This intermediary capability enables the system to function autonomously during communication outages, improving reliability while keeping the overall system architecture manageable through a clear hierarchical structure
Data Source
AI summary
A system for aircraft collision avoidance includes a first aircraft, the first aircraft configured to detecting at least a projected flight path of at least a second aircraft, determine, as a function of the at least a projected flight path, that the first aircraft is on a collision course with the at least a second aircraft, select a collision avoidance maneuver, the collision avoidance maneuver including at least a flight path for the first aircraft and at least a flight path for the at least a second aircraft, and transmit the collision avoidance maneuver to the at least a second aircraft.