Aerospace Hazard Detection System with Risk Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aviation systems lack an effective method to sense, prioritize, and warn pilots of potential hazards in real-time, such as terrain, vegetation, structures, and environmental conditions, which can lead to accidents, especially in complex flight environments like medivac missions where collision risks are high.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes advanced algorithms and data analysis techniques from various sensors like radar, infrared, LiDAR, and GPS to detect, recognize, and prioritize hazards, providing the pilot with critical information through visual, audio, or tactile alerts, and storing or sharing this data for improved situational awareness and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sensors and hazard detection systems are deployed to improve hazard detection capability, then the reliability of hazard detection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (radar, infrared, LiDAR, electro-optical) and hazard detection functions into a single integrated system that processes all inputs through a unified risk assessment algorithm, presenting prioritized hazards to the pilot through a single interface rather than multiple separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The hazard detection system is designed to detect multiple types of hazards (terrain, vegetation, structures, animals, other aircraft) and evaluate various risk factors (distance, movement, vulnerability, environmental conditions) using a single multi-functional platform that serves all detection and assessment needs
2Loss of information
If all detected hazards are presented to the pilot to ensure complete information, then the information completeness is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to data overload
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the most critical hazard information from the complete set of detected hazards and presents it to the pilot through prioritization and ranking based on risk assessment, separating essential information from redundant details to reduce cognitive load while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
Different levels of hazard information are presented with different degrees of detail based on their risk priority - critical hazards receive immediate attention with comprehensive information while lower-risk hazards are summarized, allowing the pilot to focus resources on the most important threats
3Productivity
If real-time hazard detection and prioritization is implemented to improve response time, then the productivity of hazard response is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary risk assessment and prioritization of hazards in real-time before the pilot needs to respond, continuously evaluating detected objects against multiple risk factors and pre-ranking them by severity so that the most critical hazards are already identified and ready for immediate pilot action
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 effectively reduces the risk of collisions by prioritizing hazards, alerting pilots to the most critical threats, and enhancing situational awareness, thereby preventing accidents by focusing attention on the most pressing hazards and reducing data overload.
Implementation Method 1
radar(s)
Implementation Method 2
data obtained from one or more sources such as, but not intending to be a limitation, radar(s)
Implementation Method 3
an infrared sensor(s)
Implementation Method 4
an electro-optical sensor(s)
Implementation Method 5
laser ranging sensor(s), LiDAR(s)
Implementation Method 6
an ultrasonic sensor(s)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a device, method(s) and system for detecting, processing, ranking, prioritizing and presenting potential flight hazards to the pilot and/or operator of an aircraft to improve the safety of flight and assist the pilot in recognizing potential hazards and hazardous conditions while not overwhelming the pilot with unimportant information or low risk hazards not currently germane to the safe and effective operation of the aircraft. In particular, the invention presents a novel and useful device, method(s), and system for determining the potential risks posed by an object(s) and condition(s) in the flight environment and ultimately prioritizing the information presented to the pilot. In certain embodiments, the invention calculates the potential for hazards and hazardous conditions that have not been directly detected but may be inferred to exist based on previous or current calculations or detected conditions and/or objects. In certain embodiments, the invention stores and/or shares the information it has gathered and/or processed for future use by the invention, use by other users of the invention, or use by other parties and for other purposes altogether.