Flight Trajectory Optimization Tool for Fuel Burn Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight management systems are limited in their ability to optimize flight trajectories in real-time, leading to inefficiencies in fuel burn, emissions, and operational costs due to factors like weather changes, air traffic constraints, and outdated cost index calculations.
Innovation Solution
A Flight Trajectory Optimization and Visualization Tool that uses advanced algorithms to generate optimized flight profiles based on up-to-date operational conditions, aircraft performance, and air traffic constraints, allowing for timely adjustments to reduce fuel burn and emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If advanced real-time trajectory optimization algorithms are implemented, then fuel burn and emissions are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a ground-based optimization server as an intermediary between air traffic control and aircraft flight management systems. This server performs the complex real-time trajectory optimization calculations using advanced algorithms, while the aircraft systems themselves remain relatively simple. The server acts as a mediator that receives flight plan data, computes optimized trajectories considering multiple constraints (weather, air traffic, aircraft performance), and returns recommended trajectories to the aircraft, thereby achieving fuel efficiency improvements without significantly increasing on-board system complexity.
2Loss of energy
If real-time trajectory optimization is performed, then operational costs are reduced, but computing time requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary optimization calculations by pre-computing multiple candidate trajectories and evaluating their performance characteristics before final selection. The ground-based server prepares optimized trajectory options in advance based on current flight plans and constraints, allowing aircraft to select from pre-evaluated options rather than performing time-consuming real-time calculations during flight. This preliminary action reduces the computational burden during critical flight decision-making moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The trajectory optimization is performed periodically at key flight phases (departure, en-route, approach) rather than continuously. The ground-based server receives updates at these periodic intervals and recomputes optimized trajectories based on current conditions. This periodic approach balances the need for up-to-date optimization with computational efficiency, avoiding unnecessary continuous calculations while ensuring trajectories remain optimal as flight conditions change.
3Productivity
If multiple optimization criteria are considered simultaneously, then flight trajectories are more advantageous, but calculation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the multi-criteria optimization problem into separate, manageable components. The ground-based server independently evaluates each criterion (fuel consumption, time of flight, emissions, noise, aircraft performance constraints, air traffic constraints) and then integrates these evaluations to determine the overall optimal trajectory. This segmentation allows complex multi-objective optimization to be broken down into simpler sub-problems that can be solved more efficiently and then combined, reducing overall calculation complexity while maintaining comprehensive optimization quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system and tools for optimizing an aircraft flight trajectory that determine an advantageous flight profile that takes into account developing operational conditions, air traffic constraints and aircraft performance in a timely manner that can allow tactical flight plan changes to be incorporated without unduly introducing operational or financial penalties to the operator.