Aircraft Recapture Path Generation for Interrupt-Driven Rejoining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flight guidance systems lack the ability to effectively and automatically generate a recapture path for an aircraft deviating from a planned flight path in response to interrupts such as obstacles, equipment issues, or pilot health problems, requiring manual intervention and real-time decision-making.
Innovation Solution
An enhanced flight guidance system that integrates real-time data from various sources to compute and execute a recapture path, including obstacle avoidance, using a control module that processes aircraft state, navigation, weather, and terrain data to generate and implement guidance controls for automatic rejoining of the planned flight path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual control mode is used to deviate from planned flight path, then pilot flexibility and real-time decision-making capability are improved, but automation level and operational safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically transitions between manual and automated control modes based on flight conditions and interrupt events. The flight guidance system adapts its level of automation in real-time, allowing pilots to switch to manual mode when flexibility is needed while maintaining the option to revert to automated recapture paths when safety becomes a concern.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors flight state data, aircraft position, and environmental conditions to provide feedback to both the pilot and the automated system. This feedback loop enables the system to assess when manual deviation is appropriate and when automated recapture should be initiated, balancing pilot flexibility with operational safety.
2Loss of time
If automated recapture path generation is implemented, then response time to interrupts is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recapture path generation system is divided into modular components: interrupt detection module, flight state prediction module, path computation module, and guidance control module. Each module handles a specific aspect of the recapture process, reducing overall system complexity while enabling rapid automated response to interrupts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-computes potential recapture paths and stores them for quick retrieval during interrupt events. By preparing recapture strategies in advance based on predicted flight states and environmental conditions, the system can respond immediately to interrupts without complex real-time calculations, thus reducing response time while managing complexity.
3Measurement precision
If recapture path computation integrates multiple data sources, then path accuracy and safety are improved, but computational load and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system prioritizes processing of critical data sources (aircraft position, velocity, and immediate environmental hazards) over less critical data during recapture path computation. By focusing computational resources on the most relevant local factors affecting safety and accuracy, the system achieves high path accuracy without excessive computational load.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the level of detail and resolution for different data sources based on flight conditions and phase of recapture. For example, during critical phases near obstacles, higher-resolution terrain and weather data are processed, while during stable phases, coarser data suffices, optimizing the balance between path accuracy and computational energy consumption.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are enhanced flight guidance systems and methods for an aircraft. The method includes recognizing when the aircraft is in manual operation and an active flight path is different than the planned flight path. An interrupt is received and categorized as one of (i) obstacle, (ii) equipment/fuel, or (iii) pilot health monitor. A managed mode begins, including identifying a rejoining leg of the planned flight path at which to rejoin and a location on the rejoining leg at which to rejoin. A recapture path strategy is selected from (i) lateral, (ii) vertical, and (iii) mixed lateral and vertical. A recapture path to the location on the rejoining leg is computed. The computed recapture path includes speed targets and configuration requirements at dedicated points along the recapture path. Aircraft state data along the recapture path is predicted and guidance controls for the aircraft along the recapture path are generated.