Visual Runway Guidance Using Onboard Image Processing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
General Aviation (GA) airports lack affordable and reliable landing aids, leading to challenges for pilots in maintaining a stable approach and preventing errors such as hard landings, runway overruns, or landing on wrong surfaces due to limited visibility and lack of precision systems.
Innovation Solution
A visually-based landing aid system that uses image processing to identify the runway and provide real-time guidance to pilots, determining their position relative to the runway center line and predicting touch-down zones, offering visual and audible cues for corrective actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground-based precision landing systems (ILS or GBAS) are installed, then landing precision and safety are improved, but installation cost and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex ground-based electronic navigation systems (ILS/GBAS) with a simplified onboard vision-based system using cameras and image processing algorithms to provide landing guidance, eliminating the need for expensive ground infrastructure while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual representation (image) of the runway and surrounding environment captured by cameras, processing this visual copy to extract guidance information instead of relying on complex electronic ground-based signals
2Measurement precision
If ground-based precision landing systems are installed, then landing precision is improved, but installation and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses relatively inexpensive onboard cameras and processors instead of expensive ground-based infrastructure, making the system affordable for general aviation airports with limited budgets while achieving sufficient landing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the aircraft's own onboard sensors and processing capabilities to generate landing guidance information, eliminating the need for external ground-based infrastructure and its associated installation and maintenance costs
3Device complexity
If visual contact with runway is used for see and landing procedure, then system cost is reduced, but pilot workload increases and human errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously captures images during approach, processes them to extract runway position and alignment information, and provides real-time feedback to the pilot through the display interface, enabling informed decision-making without overwhelming workload
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary image processing system that acts as a bridge between the complex task of visual runway acquisition and the pilot, automatically extracting guidance information from images and presenting it in an easily interpretable format
4Measurement precision
If image processing is used to identify runway, then guidance accuracy is improved, but tolerance to poor visibility and unclear markings decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from relying on two-dimensional runway markings to using three-dimensional geometric features of the runway environment captured in images, such as the perspective convergence of runway edges and surrounding landscape features, enabling accurate identification even when markings are unclear
Solution Approach 2:
The system begins processing images during the approach phase before final alignment is required, continuously updating the estimated runway position and orientation to build confidence in the identification and allow for corrective actions if needed
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing cues to an aerial vehicle operator is disclosed. The method includes: determining when a vehicle is on final approach; processing a plurality of ground images of a ground path ahead of the vehicle; identifying a lane in the processed ground images; determining whether the identified lane corresponds to an assigned runway based on a relative position or a relative geometry of the identified lane; tracking during landing a left and a right side edge, a front edge, and a runway center line of the assigned runway; determining, relative to the runway center line, whether a relative position of the vehicle during landing is left of, right of, or aligned with the runway center line; and providing visual and/or audible guidance to the vehicle operator to take corrective action when the relative position of the vehicle during landing is not aligned with the runway center line.