Helicopter Landing Zone Prediction Using Inertial Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing helicopter landing assistance systems are costly, complex, and unreliable, particularly in poor visibility conditions, due to high system and integration costs, weight, and certification challenges, limiting their effectiveness to the landing phase.
Innovation Solution
A method that combines procedural measures with existing navigation systems and displays, using inertial navigation and altitude sensors to predict and display the landing zone and helicopter position, requiring only a software extension, with a simplified display showing a symbol for the landing zone and helicopter relative position, along with the helicopter's height as a circle radius, to guide pilots without overloading them with dynamic information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If special landing sensors and visualization systems are used, then landing safety in poor visibility is improved, but system cost, weight, and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses existing multi-functional avionics infrastructure (inertial navigation system, altitude sensor, display systems) for landing assistance, making these systems serve dual purposes: primary flight functions and landing zone visualization, thereby avoiding additional dedicated sensors while improving landing safety
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a synthetic visual copy of the landing zone and helicopter position using data from existing sensors, projecting this virtual representation onto the display to guide the pilot, replacing the need for direct optical sensors or complex radar systems
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive landing assistance systems with multiple sensors are deployed, then orientation accuracy is improved, but system integration cost and certification difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The landing zone position is calculated and displayed in advance based on stored procedure data and current helicopter position, allowing the pilot to anticipate the landing zone location before reaching it, thereby improving orientation without requiring real-time complex processing
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the helicopter's own existing navigation and sensor infrastructure to provide landing assistance, making the system self-sufficient without requiring external validation or additional certified components, simplifying integration and certification
3Loss of information
If detailed flight information is displayed during landing, then pilot situation awareness is improved, but pilot workload and information overload increase
Solution Approach 1:
The display shows information with varying levels of detail based on the pilot's needs: the landing zone position and helicopter relative position are prominently displayed, while other detailed flight parameters are omitted, providing locally optimized information quality where it matters most for landing
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The method involves calculating an expected landing zone (5) based on a predetermined land trajectory (1). A symbol that is utilized for indicating position of the landing zone is represented in a display (3). A current position of the helicopter is provided in the display. A current altitude of the helicopter is displayed by utilizing a radius of a circle. A center of the symbol is positioned in the radius of the circle for determining the current position of the helicopter. The land trajectory is regarded as an optimized safe trajectory. An independent claim is also included for a system for providing landing aid for a helicopter.