Weather Radar Surface Imaging for Low Visibility Taxiing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sensor systems, such as enhanced vision systems and surface movement guidance control systems, face challenges in identifying visual references during low visibility conditions like heavy fog, limiting safe taxi operations, and are often expensive and limited to larger airports.
Innovation Solution
An image processing system incorporating a weather radar system with improved angular and range resolution, capable of generating radar image data using X-band or C-band radar returns, processed with antenna position, attitude, and beam sharpening angle to provide clear images of the airport surface environment for pilots during surface operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground based infrastructure systems like SMGCS are installed to assist low visibility operations, then safety and control during surface movement is improved, but system cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex ground-based mechanical infrastructure systems with an airborne radar system. The radar system uses electromagnetic waves transmitted through the aircraft's existing airframe to detect surface features, eliminating the need for expensive ground-based transmitters and receivers while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the aircraft's existing radar system multi-functional by enabling it to perform both weather detection and surface feature mapping. The same radar hardware processes both weather data and surface environment data, eliminating the need for separate dedicated surface movement guidance infrastructure.
2Illumination intensity
If enhanced vision systems are used to provide imagery in low visibility conditions, then pilot visibility is improved, but the systems are expensive and limited to larger airports
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the aircraft to use its own existing radar system to provide surface environment imagery, eliminating the need for external ground-based infrastructure or expensive airport-specific enhanced vision systems. The aircraft serves its own detection needs using already-installed hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the existing radar system by adjusting pulse width, pulse repetition frequency, and signal processing parameters to optimize surface feature detection. These parameter adjustments enable the radar to function effectively for surface mapping without requiring hardware changes or additional expensive equipment.
3Reliability
If FAA regulations permit taxi operations only when visibility is at least 1200 feet RVR, then safety is maintained, but operational flexibility and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements real-time feedback by continuously processing radar returns and generating surface environment imagery that is displayed to the pilot. This live visual feedback enables the pilot to confidently operate in lower visibility conditions by directly observing surface features and obstacles through the radar-derived imagery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary detection and mapping of surface features, obstacles, and runway edges before the aircraft reaches critical decision points. By pre-identifying potential hazards and navigation references through continuous radar scanning, the system enables safe operation in reduced visibility conditions that would otherwise be prohibited.
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 safe taxi operations in low visibility conditions (down to 300 feet RVR) without additional expensive infrastructure, providing accurate detection of runway edges, obstacles, and visual references, enhancing pilot decision-making with real-time, all-weather detection capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
The radar system is configured to provide radar beams and receive radar returns with improved angular and/or range resolution for deriving image data of the external scene topography during surface operations
Data Source
AI summary
A weather radar system can be used as an enhanced vision sensor for providing an image on an electronic display during aircraft surface operations. The weather radar sensed image is representative of the external surroundings of the airport surface environment associated with radar returns received by the weather radar system. The radar returns are processed as a collection of radar measurements to determine a high resolution angle and range to a target, using beam sharpening techniques. When the radar image is combined with an image generated from an airport surface database, the combination or comparison of the two independently created images can be used to confirm the integrity of the positioning and attitude source along with the accuracy of the airport surface database.