Portable ADS-B Beacon for Rapid Obstacle Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
As airspace becomes increasingly congested with obstacles and man-made structures, existing ADS-B systems face challenges in providing effective situational awareness for pilots, particularly in rapidly deploying accurate obstacle information to aircraft.
Innovation Solution
A portable ground-based ADS-B beacon system housed in a ruggedized case with a 978 MHz or 1090 MHz monopole antenna and GPS receiver, allowing rapid deployment and operation to transmit obstacle information to aircraft, enhancing situational awareness and collision avoidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If traditional ADS-B systems are used for obstacle detection, then real-time surveillance is provided, but rapid deployment of obstacle information is insufficient due to system complexity and infrastructure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential ADS-B transmission functionality from the complex ground infrastructure and implements it in a portable beacon device. This portable beacon contains only the necessary components (transmitter, GPS receiver, antenna) to broadcast obstacle position information, eliminating the need for complex ground stations and interrogation systems while enabling rapid deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable beacon is designed to autonomously acquire its position via GPS receiver and automatically transmit obstacle information using its internal transmitter and antenna. The system serves itself by continuously broadcasting without requiring external interrogation or complex ground-based processing infrastructure, enabling immediate deployment upon activation.
2Loss of information
If more obstacle information is transmitted to enhance situational awareness, then collision avoidance improves, but information transmission speed and reliability may be compromised due to frequency congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transmits highly specific, localized obstacle information including precise position coordinates, obstacle type identification, and height data. Rather than broadcasting general traffic information, the beacon provides targeted local data about the specific obstacle it marks, ensuring complete and reliable information transmission for collision avoidance in the immediate vicinity.
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 portable ADS-B beacon system enhances pilot situational awareness by providing real-time obstacle information, reducing the risk of collisions and enabling efficient use in various operational scenarios such as emergency services and flight operations.
Implementation Method 1
A portable ground-based ADS-B beacon may be rapidly provided at or on an obstacle for self-reporting position and identification
Implementation Method 2
Aircraft may transmit position information (referred to as ADS-B OUT) at 1090 MHz using an Extended Squitter equipped transponder or, if limited to operating below flight level 180 (approximately 18,000 feet), at 978 MHz using Universal Access Transceiver (UAT)
Data Source
AI summary
A beacon system is disclosed. The beacon system includes a case that defines a compartment and a lid. Also, the beacon system includes a ground plane mount that is pivotally coupled to the case, a monopole antenna carried by the ground plane mount, and an ADS-B transmitter. In that regard, the ADS-B transmitter is disposed within the compartment and electrically coupled to the monopole antenna.