Aerial Survey Camera Control for Loss-of-Separation Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aerial survey aircraft face significant productivity losses due to frequent deviations from planned flight lines to avoid loss of separation (LOS) situations, which are required to maintain safe distances from other aircraft in controlled airspace, leading to interruptions and increased fuel consumption.
Innovation Solution
An aerial survey image capture system that includes a LOS avoidance system, which uses navigation parameters like altitude, speed, and direction to adjust camera system parameters such as image capture rate and camera movement, maintaining image overlap and survey efficiency without altering the flight path, by determining the closest point of approach (CPA) between aircraft and modifying camera settings accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the survey aircraft maintains strict adherence to predetermined flight lines to ensure survey productivity, then survey efficiency is improved, but the risk of loss of separation (LOS) situations increases when other aircraft are present in controlled airspace
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts camera parameters (capture rate, focal length, image overlap) in real-time in response to detected LOS situations, allowing the survey aircraft to maintain flexible operation while prioritizing safety without permanently deviating from flight lines
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes camera parameters (capture rate, focal length, image overlap percentage) based on the detected LOS situation, enabling the aircraft to maintain survey continuity through parameter adjustment rather than flight path deviation
2Reliability
If the survey aircraft deviates from the defined flight line to avoid LOS situations, then aircraft separation safety is improved, but survey productivity is significantly reduced due to interruptions and additional fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of LOS situations and proactively adjusts camera parameters before the aircraft needs to deviate from the flight line, preventing productivity loss by maintaining survey capability through parameter changes rather than flight path changes
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors aircraft positions and provides feedback on LOS risk, enabling real-time adjustment of camera parameters to maintain survey productivity while ensuring safety through informed decision-making
3Measurement precision
If the image capture rate is increased to improve photogrammetric solution accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but the likelihood of LOS situations increases due to greater deviation from planned flight lines
Solution Approach 1:
The system adjusts camera parameters (focal length, capture rate, image overlap) based on detected LOS situations, allowing high-precision surveying to continue through parameter modification rather than flight line deviation
Data Source
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AI summary
An aerial survey image capture system for a survey aircraft is disclosed. The system comprises a camera system arranged to capture successive images of ground beneath a survey aircraft. The camera system has associated camera parameters, and a loss of separation (LOS) avoidance system for a survey aircraft. The LOS avoidance system is arranged to determine a predicted closest point of approach (CPA) distance between the survey aircraft and the nearby aircraft based on their locations and movements, compare the CPA distance with a defined minimum separation distance corresponding to a LOS, and determine an estimate for at least one navigation parameter of the survey aircraft required for the CPA distance to remain above the defined minimum separation distance. The system is further arranged to modify camera system parameters so as to at least partially compensate for a change in survey efficiency when the estimated at least one navigation parameter is used to navigate the survey aircraft.