Multi-Mode Automation for Air Traffic Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air traffic control systems are unable to fully utilize advanced Trajectory Based Operations (TBO) flight management capabilities in aircraft due to the need for uniform clearances across all aircraft, limiting efficiency and fuel savings, especially during high traffic conditions, and pose a significant operational complexity for air traffic controllers.
Innovation Solution
An Integrated Multi-Mode Automation (IMMA) system that automatically determines and assigns appropriate flight operation modes to aircraft based on their capabilities, monitors compliance, and issues corrective clearances, enabling the use of advanced TBO modes while supporting traditional flight management modes in mixed airspaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If uniform clearances are used for all aircraft, then air traffic control operations are simplified, but efficiency and fuel savings are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different flight management modes to different aircraft based on their individual capabilities. Advanced aircraft receive TBO modes for optimized efficiency, while older aircraft receive traditional modes, allowing each aircraft to operate optimally without requiring uniform treatment across the fleet.
Solution Approach 2:
The air traffic control system dynamically assigns flight management modes to aircraft based on real-time capability detection. The system can switch between uniform and differentiated clearance approaches depending on the mix of aircraft types in the controlled airspace, optimizing both operational simplicity and efficiency.
2Loss of energy
If advanced TBO flight management modes are implemented, then fuel consumption and flight duration are reduced, but operational complexity for air traffic controllers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects aircraft capabilities and assigns appropriate flight management modes without requiring manual intervention from air traffic controllers. This automation eliminates the complexity burden on controllers while enabling advanced TBO modes to reduce fuel consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors aircraft compliance with assigned flight management modes and provides feedback to adjust assignments as needed. This automated feedback loop maintains operational simplicity while enabling energy-efficient TBO operations.
3Productivity
If differentiated flight management modes are assigned to aircraft, then efficiency is optimized, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects aircraft capabilities and assigns appropriate flight management modes without requiring manual intervention from air traffic controllers. This automation eliminates the complexity burden on controllers while enabling advanced TBO modes to reduce fuel consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The air traffic control system is designed to handle multiple flight management modes (TBO and traditional) within a single unified framework. This multi-functionality allows the system to optimize efficiency for capable aircraft while maintaining compatibility with older systems, managing complexity through universal design.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, methods, and techniques are described for automated air traffic management using multiple flight operation modes. In one example, a method includes receiving, by a computing device comprising one or more processors, data associated with one or more aircraft in flight in a controlled airspace. The method further includes selecting, by the computing device, based at least in part on the data associated with the one or more aircraft, a respective flight operation mode from among a plurality of flight operation modes for at least one respective aircraft among the one or more aircraft in flight. The method further includes outputting, by the computing device for transmission to the at least one respective aircraft, an indication of the respective flight operation mode selected for the at least one respective aircraft.