Portable LED Lighting for Rapid Aircraft Landing Zone Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft landing zone lights are heavy, bulky, and expensive, making them difficult to transport and deploy in remote or austere locations, and require extensive setup, which increases deployment time and cost.
Innovation Solution
Development of lightweight, man-portable lights that produce both visible and infrared omnidirectional light, equipped with wireless communication capabilities and rechargeable batteries, allowing for rapid deployment and remote control, including high-intensity LEDs that meet NATO and FAA standards, and can be mounted or left unmounted for easy setup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If traditional aircraft landing zone lights are used, then illumination requirements are met, but weight and bulk increase making transport difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is divided into multiple individual light units that can be separately carried and deployed. Each unit contains its own power source and illumination elements, allowing the system to be transported in manageable portions rather than as a single heavy assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional mechanical lighting systems are replaced with LED-based illumination and wireless electronic control. This substitution dramatically reduces weight while maintaining illumination performance and enabling remote operation without heavy mechanical infrastructure.
2Illumination intensity
If traditional landing zone lights are used, then illumination is provided, but deployment time increases due to complex setup
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into self-contained modular units that require minimal assembly. Each unit is independently functional, allowing rapid deployment by simply positioning the units rather than assembling complex interconnected components.
Solution Approach 2:
Each light unit is self-contained with integrated power sources and control capabilities. The units can operate independently without requiring complex external connections or setup procedures, enabling rapid deployment by untrained personnel.
3Illumination intensity
If traditional landing zone lights are used, then illumination is provided, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses inexpensive LED light sources and simple modular components that can be easily replaced if needed. The overall system cost is reduced by using affordable, off-the-shelf components rather than expensive specialized equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
Replacing traditional mechanical lighting infrastructure with wireless-controlled LED units eliminates the need for expensive installation, wiring, and maintenance infrastructure, significantly reducing overall system cost.
4Weight of moving object
If lightweight portable lights are used, then transportability is improved, but wireless control range may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple light units can be deployed together to extend wireless control range through signal relaying. The units work cooperatively to expand the operational radius beyond what a single unit could achieve alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The light units themselves serve as intermediaries for wireless signal transmission. Each unit can relay control signals to other units, creating a mesh network that extends the effective control range without requiring additional infrastructure.
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 solution provides a rapid, cost-effective, and safe aircraft landing zone illumination system that is easy to transport and set up, enhancing safety and efficiency by meeting military and aviation standards for visibility and covert operations, while allowing remote control and secure disablement.
Implementation Method 1
The light may include five types of visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs)—white (W), yellow (Y), green (G), red (R), and blue (B)—and infrared (IR) LEDs
Implementation Method 2
The lights may produce a combination of visible and infrared (IR) omnidirectional light
Implementation Method 3
A cylindrical reflector internal to the circle of LEDs in the housing may be used to direct and focus light from the LEDs outside of the housing
Data Source
AI summary
Lightweight and man-portable lights may be used to provide a rapid and deployable aircraft landing zone illumination solution. The lights may produce a combination of visible and infrared (IR) light. The lights may be mounted using stakes or concrete anchors, or they can be left unmounted on the ground for easy and rapid deployment. The light may include five types of visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs)—white (W), yellow (Y), green (G), red (R), and blue (B)—and infrared (IR) LEDs. The LEDs (visible and IR) can be controllable between different intensities. The light may include built-in wireless communication capabilities. A number of lights may be positioned and then operated together for landing zone and emergency lighting solutions.