Digital Map Enabled Boundary Search Pattern Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Flight Management Systems (FMS) are cumbersome and inefficient for manually defining search patterns, particularly in dynamic environments with challenging terrain and visual limitations, leading to imprecise path selection.
Innovation Solution
A digital map-enabled FMS that uses a graphical flight planner to generate search patterns by retrieving pattern points from a digital map, creating waypoints based on a search radius and track space offset, and displaying the defined parameters and flight pattern for optimized aircraft navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual point entry is used to define search patterns, then flexibility in path selection is achieved, but pilot workload and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-generates a digital map with pattern points representing coastlines and features before the search operation. When a search is required, the system automatically retrieves and processes these pre-prepared points to generate the search pattern, eliminating the need for manual point-by-point entry during the time-critical search operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy of the geographical feature (coastline, boundary, or natural feature) from the digital map and uses this copy to generate the search pattern. This digital replica allows automatic pattern generation without requiring pilots to manually plot each point, significantly reducing workload while maintaining flexibility.
2Ease of operation
If manual search patterns are defined by pilots, then impromptu path creation is possible, but precision and accuracy deteriorate due to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the manual mechanical process of plotting points with an automated computer-based system. The FMS automatically retrieves pattern points from the digital map, calculates optimal search patterns using algorithms, and generates waypoints without human intervention, eliminating manual errors while preserving the ability to create custom paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically generating the search pattern based on digital map data and search parameters. The FMS independently retrieves pattern points, processes them through pattern generation algorithms, and produces the final search pattern without requiring continuous pilot input, thereby improving precision while maintaining operational flexibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If search patterns are manually defined, then adaptability to changing conditions is limited, but system complexity increases due to manual adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic pattern generation where the search pattern automatically adapts to changing conditions. The FMS can retrieve different pattern points from the digital map based on updated search parameters, terrain data, or mission requirements, allowing the pattern to evolve dynamically without requiring complex manual re-planning procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and related methods for digital map enabled search pattern generation by a flight management system retrieves from a digital map a set of pattern points corresponding to a selected search pattern parameter, such as a coastline, boundary, lateral terrain feature, or manmade structure, and a designated search area. The flight management system generates a sequence of waypoints based on the set of pattern points and a variable search radius, the sequence of waypoints optimizing efficient coverage of the search pattern parameter. The flight management system generates a full search pattern based on the generated sequence of waypoints; the generated search pattern may be approved or evaluated by the FMS, or forwarded to a rerouter for modification according to terrain avoidance factors.