RF Landing Guidance for Aircraft on Moving Pads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for safely and accurately landing aircraft on moving landing pads, such as those on moving vehicles or ships, fail due to complex movements causing inaccurate point estimation using GPS or altimeters.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft landing guidance system using multiple transmitters on the landing pad to transmit radio frequency signals, which are received by the aircraft to calculate relative angular position and speed changes, enabling precise control for safe landing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS or altimeter is used to estimate aircraft position, then the system is simple, but measurement precision deteriorates when landing pad moves with complex motion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces transmitters as intermediary devices on the landing pad that emit radio frequency signals. These signals serve as a mediator between the landing pad and aircraft, enabling precise tracking of the landing pad's complex motion without requiring complex GPS or altimeter systems on the aircraft itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/GPS-based position estimation systems with an electromagnetic field-based RF signal system. By using radio frequency signals instead of mechanical position tracking, the system achieves higher measurement precision for complex landing pad motions while maintaining reasonable system complexity.
2Reliability
If existing position estimation techniques are used, then device complexity is low, but reliability deteriorates for moving landing pads
Solution Approach 1:
Transmitters on the landing pad act as reliable intermediaries that continuously broadcast position and motion information through RF signals. This intermediary system ensures reliable tracking of the landing pad's complex motion, enabling safe and accurate landing even when the landing pad moves dynamically.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously receiving RF signals from transmitters on the moving landing pad. The aircraft's receiving unit processes these signals in real-time to determine the landing pad's position and motion, providing continuous feedback for reliable landing control.
3Measurement precision
If GPS is used for position estimation, then the system is simple to operate, but measurement precision worsens when landing pad has translation and rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitters on the landing pad perform self-service by automatically broadcasting their position and motion information through RF signals. The aircraft's receiving unit automatically processes these signals to determine the landing pad's position, eliminating the need for manual operation or complex user intervention while maintaining high measurement precision.
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
Enables accurate and safe landing of aircraft on two- or three-dimensionally moving landing pads by estimating rotation and translation parameters, ensuring the aircraft aligns correctly with the intended point of interest.
Implementation Method 1
two transmitters that are disposed on a landing pad and transmit a first frequency signal and a second radio frequency signal continuously
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an aircraft landing guidance system including two transmitters that are disposed on a landing pad and transmit a first frequency signal and a second radio frequency signal continuously and a receiving unit that is provided on an aircraft and includes a first receiver receiving the first radio frequency signal and a second receiver receiving the second radio frequency signal, in which the aircraft is guided and controlled to land at a point of interest based on a relative angular position change and relative speed of the landing pad.