Autonomous UAV Landing via Airborne Laser Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current take-off and landing aid systems for Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) are limited by the need for manual intervention, high acquisition and maintenance costs, and lack of suitability for all-weather operations and rapid deployment, especially in military settings where existing systems like instrument landing systems and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) face issues with accuracy, integrity, and vulnerability to jamming and spoofing.
Innovation Solution
An automatic take-off and landing control device that combines local tracking devices, GNSS tracking devices, camera devices, and monitoring systems to enable fully autonomous operations under instrument meteorological conditions, using a combination of radar, GPS, and camera data to determine aircraft position and lateral displacement relative to a runway, with the ability to switch between signals and abort landing attempts if accuracy thresholds are exceeded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If instrument landing systems or microwave landing systems are used for automatic take-off and landing, then precision guidance is provided, but ground equipment costs and infrastructure requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces ground-based mechanical/electromagnetic tracking systems with an airborne laser tracker that actively measures its own position relative to the runway. The laser tracker on the aircraft replaces the need for complex ground-based ILS or MLS infrastructure by using optical ranging to determine position, velocity, and attitude parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an airborne laser tracker as an intermediary device between the aircraft and the runway environment. This tracker acts as a mediator that actively probes the environment using laser beams to measure distance to runway markers, converting environmental features into precise positional data without requiring ground-based electronic infrastructure.
2Extent of automation
If category CAT IIIb ground equipment is deployed, then automatic landing capability is achieved, but acquisition and maintenance costs become prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs relatively simple, portable laser tracker equipment that can be deployed temporarily at airfields without permanent infrastructure. The system uses off-the-shelf laser range finders and GPS receivers rather than expensive, dedicated CAT IIIb ground equipment, reducing both acquisition and maintenance costs while achieving equivalent automation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The airborne laser tracker system serves multiple functions: it provides precision positioning, velocity measurement, attitude determination, and runway alignment guidance all through a single integrated airborne package. This multi-functionality replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate ground-based systems, reducing overall system cost and complexity.
3Measurement precision
If fixed ground infrastructure is installed for instrument landing, then precision approach guidance is available, but deployment time and infrastructure impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static ground-based infrastructure to a dynamic airborne measurement system. The laser tracker is mounted on the moving aircraft and actively scans the environment during approach, allowing the system to be deployed instantly without fixed installation. The system adapts its measurement strategy based on real-time flight conditions and runway geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurements of runway markers and environmental features during the approach phase itself, rather than requiring pre-surveyed fixed infrastructure. The laser tracker captures range data to runway markers, terrain features, and visual aids during the actual approach, enabling precision guidance to be established in real-time without prior ground preparation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If GNSS systems are used for navigation, then worldwide coverage is provided, but accuracy and integrity are insufficient for precision take-off and landing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple independent positioning systems: the airborne laser tracker for precise range measurement to runway markers, GPS/INS for worldwide positional context, and visual system recognition for environmental feature identification. This fusion of active laser ranging with passive satellite and visual systems achieves precision beyond what any single system could provide alone, maintaining worldwide operability while achieving CAT III-level accuracy.
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 fully automatic take-off and landing operations under challenging conditions, including all-weather scenarios and without decision height or runway visual range, while being certifiable to current airworthiness standards and resistant to GNSS jamming and spoofing, with reduced deployment and maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
a laser tracker which is adapted for measuring a distance to markers on a ground
Data Source
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AI summary
An automatic take-off and landing control device (100) for an aircraft (400) is provided. The control device (100) comprises at least two of at least one local tracking device (102) adapted for receiving at least one local signal from at least one local ground station (300) and for determining a position of the aircraft (400) based on the local signals, at least one GNSS tracking device (104) adapted for receiving a GNSS signal and for determining a position of the aircraft (400) based on the GNSS signal; and at least one camera device (108) adapted for observing an environment of the aircraft (400) and for determining a position of the aircraft (400) based on the camera signal. The control device further comprises at least one monitoring device (110) adapted for continuously supervising a performance and/or a health status of at least two of the at least one local tracking device (102), the at least one GNSS tracking device (104), and the at least one camera device (108) based on analyzing signals received from at least two of the at least one local tracking device (102), the at least one GNSS tracking device (104), and the at least one camera device (108). The described automatic take-off and landing control device may allow fully automatic take-off and landing operations/ procedures of aircrafts, particularly of UAVs and/or RPAs, under instrument meteorological conditions.