Drone Landing Guidance via Wide-Beam Radar Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft landing aid systems are unsuitable for drones due to their large infrastructure requirements, vulnerability to GPS scramblers, dependency on weather conditions, and limitations in guiding multiple aircraft simultaneously, leading to potential stalling and erratic guidance.
Innovation Solution
An automatic aircraft landing guidance system comprising a ground-based electromagnetic detecting and locating device and multifunction radiofrequency beacons on board the aircraft, which use continuous sinusoidal waves for passive locating and differential measurements to improve accuracy and robustness, allowing simultaneous guidance of multiple aircraft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If narrow-beam radar or laser systems are used for ground-based aircraft guidance, then the system can be deployed on non-equipped landing fields, but the system requires scanning phases and dynamic locking which risk stalling and interrupting guidance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the ground station actively scanning and tracking the aircraft (narrow-beam approach), the invention inverts the approach by using a wide-beam radar that continuously illuminates the entire approach zone, allowing the aircraft to be detected passively without scanning or dynamic locking operations, thereby eliminating stalling risks while maintaining deployment flexibility
2Measurement precision
If highly directional radar tracking systems are used, then tracking accuracy is improved, but the system becomes sophisticated and costly, and requires scanning phases that risk losing targets
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex narrow-beam tracking radar with a simpler wide-beam radar system that continuously illuminates the approach zone. The aircraft carries a transponder that actively responds to radar queries, providing precise position and velocity data without requiring the ground radar to perform complex scanning or tracking operations, thus achieving high measurement precision with reduced system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The aircraft-mounted transponder acts as an intermediary that enhances the radar system's capability. The transponder receives wide-beam radar signals and transmits back precise position and velocity information, allowing the ground-based wide-beam radar to achieve tracking accuracy comparable to or better than narrow-beam systems without requiring the complexity of active tracking mechanisms
3Productivity
If timesharing is applied to guide multiple aircraft with directional radar, then resource utilization is improved, but the risk of losing targets and requiring complete reacquisition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the traditional approach by using a wide-beam radar that continuously illuminates the entire approach zone simultaneously, rather than switching between aircraft. Multiple aircraft equipped with transponders can be tracked at the same time without timesharing, as the wide beam covers all targets continuously, eliminating the risk of losing targets during switching operations while maintaining multi-aircraft guidance capability
Solution Approach 2:
The wide-beam radar continuously illuminates the entire approach zone in advance, ensuring that all aircraft within the zone are constantly visible and tracked. This preliminary continuous illumination eliminates the need for reactive scanning or switching between targets, allowing seamless multi-aircraft guidance without acquisition interruptions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides robust and cost-effective guidance under various geographic and climatic conditions, capable of simultaneously guiding multiple aircraft with improved accuracy and reduced risk of stalling, making it suitable for improvised landing zones.
Implementation Method 1
the distance separating it from the aircraft and the angular position of said aircraft relative to a reference direction, based on the echo reflected by said aircraft
Implementation Method 2
the beacon comprising means for exchanging information with the detecting device and for forming a point source transmitting a continuous sinusoidal wave to the detecting device
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an automatic aircraft landing guidance system having an electromagnetic detecting and locating device, positioned on the ground and a first multifunction transmitting/receiving radiofrequency beacon, on board each guided aircraft and transmitting in particular a continuous wave. The detecting and locating device uses the continuous wave transmitted by the beacon to perform a passive locating intended to improve the accuracy of the measurement of the angular position of the aircraft. It also comprises means for generating and periodically transmitting to the aircraft, via the beacon, information enabling said aircraft to rejoin an optimum landing path from its position. The invention applies more particularly to the guidance of autonomous and automatic aircraft such as drones in the approach and landing phase.