Aircraft Control for Short-Visibility Airspace Diversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flight control systems cannot safely navigate an aircraft through fogged short visibility airspace when it is determined that continuing along the original route is impracticable, as they rely on detecting incoming light, which is not possible in all conditions.
Innovation Solution
A control system that includes a processor to acquire and analyze sensor data from multiple sensors to estimate the size of the short visibility airspace and set a safe airspace for the aircraft to move to, allowing it to divert when flight continuation through the fogged area is unsafe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the flight control system relies on detecting incoming light direction to navigate through short visibility airspace, then the aircraft can follow the pulsed light route, but it cannot determine a safe alternative route when light detection fails or flight continuation is impracticable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sensor as an intermediary device that detects light direction and airspace conditions. This sensor acts as a mediator between the aircraft's navigation system and the environment, enabling the aircraft to perceive incoming light direction and determine safe alternative routes when original routes become impracticable, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing alternative routes and safety criteria before the aircraft encounters problematic conditions. The system pre-processes sensor information to identify safe airspaces and alternative paths in advance, so when light detection fails or flight continuation becomes impracticable, the aircraft can immediately execute pre-planned alternative routes without delay
2Stability of the object's composition
If the aircraft continues along the original route through the short visibility airspace, then it maintains its flight path, but it cannot respond to unsafe conditions when sensor information indicates flight continuation is impracticable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the flight path adaptable rather than fixed. The system continuously monitors sensor information and dynamically adjusts the flight route based on real-time conditions. When sensor data indicates that flight continuation along the original route is impracticable, the aircraft can smoothly transition to alternative routes, resolving the contradiction between maintaining flight path stability and enabling route change capability
Data Source
AI summary
A control system includes at least one memory storing program code and at least one processor. The program code is configured to cause the at least one processor to estimate size of a short visibility airspace, based on a location of a first point at which an aircraft detects the short visibility airspace, a location of a second point at which the aircraft determines that the aircraft has entered the short visibility airspace, and sensing information acquired at the first point. The program code also causes the at least one processor to perform control to cause the aircraft to move to a safe airspace that is set based on the estimated size of the short visibility airspace when it is determined that flight continuation along a route passing through the short visibility airspace is impracticable.