Helicopter Winch Positioning via GNSS Vector Bubble Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Helicopter winch positioning is challenging in less-than-ideal conditions, such as low visibility and windy environments, due to unreliable GNSS heading guidance and positioning discrepancies during air-to-ground operations, especially when winches are offset in X, Y, and Z directions.
Innovation Solution
A GNSS Vector system is used to synchronize the winch position, providing a simple bubble guide for pilots to maintain a constant winch position by applying X, Y, and Z shifts to the master GNSS position, with pre-programmed offsets and continuous updates, allowing for intuitive correction using a 2D level bubble display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GNSS heading guidance is used for helicopter positioning, then the helicopter can be guided to work sites, but the heading becomes unreliable when speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bubble guide display as an intermediary between the pilot and the helicopter control system. This bubble guide provides intuitive visual feedback about winch position relative to the desired location, allowing the pilot to maintain accurate positioning even when traditional GNSS heading guidance becomes unreliable at low speeds.
2Adaptability or versatility
If winches are offset in X, Y, and Z directions from the helicopter, then the winch can reach ground positions, but positioning discrepancies occur between helicopter heading and desired winch position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the three-dimensional offset problem by introducing a 2D bubble guide display that synthesizes X, Y, and Z position information into an intuitive visual representation. The bubble's position on the 2D display indicates the winch's spatial relationship to the desired location, allowing the pilot to compensate for multi-axis offsets without directly managing complex 3D coordinates.
Solution Approach 2:
The bubble guide acts as an intermediary that translates complex multi-dimensional winch position data into simple visual feedback. Instead of requiring the pilot to interpret multiple offset parameters, the bubble's position on the display provides direct visual guidance for correcting winch position, thereby improving measurement precision despite the inherent offset geometry.
3Manufacturing precision
If helicopter speed is reduced for precise positioning, then the helicopter can hover over the target, but GNSS heading guidance becomes unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The bubble guide display serves as an intermediary that provides reliable positioning feedback independent of GNSS heading reliability. By basing the bubble position on direct winch location calculations rather than derived heading information, the system maintains positioning precision during hover operations even when traditional GNSS heading guidance degrades at low speeds.
Data Source
AI summary
A GNSS-based system and method for maintaining a vehicle in a predetermined relation relative to a fixed location defined by GNSS coordinates. The system and method is configured for enabling and facilitating air-to-ground operations.