Aircraft Landing Gear Force Sensor Integration for Terrain Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft landing systems face challenges in accurately assessing the suitability of landing zones, particularly for detecting obstacles and terrain stability, as visual cues and conventional sensors may fail to identify hidden hazards or soft terrain, leading to potential unsafe landings.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft landing system equipped with a plurality of force sensors coupled with the landing gear to sense forces applied during landing, which compares these measurements to predetermined thresholds to determine the suitability of the landing zone, flagging unsuitable areas and enabling the aircraft to divert or abort landing if necessary, and integrating with flight control systems for autonomous decision-making.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual cues and conventional sensors are used to assess landing zones, then the system complexity is low, but the measurement precision of terrain suitability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The landing gear structure is segmented into multiple compression members (struts, legs, or skids) with force sensors integrated at different positions. Each compression member independently measures forces at specific locations, allowing the system to assess different regions of the landing zone separately. This segmentation enables detection of localized terrain variations while maintaining a relatively simple overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The force sensors integrated into the landing gear serve multiple functions: they measure terrain slope, detect hidden obstacles, assess terrain stability, and provide data for autonomous landing decisions. This multi-functionality improves measurement precision without requiring separate dedicated sensor systems, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If force sensors are integrated into landing gear to detect hidden obstacles, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force sensors are merged with the existing landing gear compression members rather than being added as separate external components. The sensors are integrated into the structural elements (struts, legs, or skids) that already exist in the landing gear system. This merging approach enables obstacle detection functionality while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity by utilizing the existing structural framework.
3Reliability
If multiple force sensors are used to assess terrain stability, then the reliability of landing assessment improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The landing gear compression members are segmented into multiple positions (e.g., forward struts, aft struts, or multiple skids) with force sensors integrated at each segment. This segmentation allows the system to measure forces at multiple locations simultaneously, providing comprehensive terrain stability assessment. The segmented approach improves reliability by capturing spatial variations in terrain conditions while maintaining a modular sensor configuration that avoids excessive complexity.
4Productivity
If real-time force data analysis is implemented for autonomous landing decisions, then the productivity of landing operations improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force sensors and control system are integrated to enable the landing gear assembly to autonomously assess terrain suitability and provide data for landing decisions without requiring external monitoring equipment. The system serves itself by using its own structural components (compression members) as the sensing platform, eliminating the need for separate complex external sensor arrays and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high productivity.
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
Enhances the safety and efficiency of landings by providing real-time force data analysis, allowing for the detection of hidden obstacles and terrain instability, enabling faster and safer landing operations across various aircraft types, including manned, unmanned, and autonomous systems.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of force sensors (6) coupled with a landing gear (8) of the aircraft (4) for sensing forces applied to the landing gear (8)
Data Source
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AI summary
An aircraft landing system for landing of an aircraft includes at least one force sensor and a processor. The at least one force sensor is coupled with a landing gear of the aircraft for sensing forces applied to the landing gear at a plurality of positions during landing at a landing zone. The processor is configured to receive force measurements from the at least one force sensor.