Aircraft Wingtip Light Projection for Ground Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a cost-effective collision avoidance system to prevent wing or wingtip collisions of aircraft on the ground, particularly for large aircraft with swept wings where wingtips are not visible from the flight deck and prone to 'swept wing growth' or 'wing creep'.
Innovation Solution
A collision avoidance system for aircraft that includes light engines mounted on aircraft surfaces to emit light beams creating elongated light patterns on the ground, optionally using laser light sources, and equipped with object detectors and processing systems to detect collision threats and adjust light beam characteristics (color and pattern) to alert pilots of potential hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional visual monitoring is used for wingtip collision avoidance, then the system is simple and cost-effective, but the wingtips are not visible from the flight deck and collision risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces light engines as intermediary devices that project light patterns from the wingtips to the ground, creating a visual mediator between the invisible wingtips and the pilots. This allows pilots to indirectly monitor wingtip position and surrounding obstacles through the projected light patterns, resolving the visibility issue without requiring direct line-of-sight to the wingtips.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions the visualization from a two-dimensional cockpit view to a three-dimensional ground-based projection. By projecting light patterns onto the ground surface, the system creates a spatial reference frame that extends beyond the limited cockpit perspective, enabling pilots to perceive wingtip position and obstacles in an expanded spatial dimension.
2Reliability
If complex collision avoidance systems are implemented, then collision detection capability is improved, but the system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing and detection systems with optical projection technology. Instead of using multiple sensors, radars, or complex electronic detection systems, the invention uses light engines to project visual patterns that passively indicate collision threats, substituting active mechanical/electronic detection with passive optical indication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses color-coded light patterns to convey different collision threat levels and information. Different colors represent different types of threats or distances, allowing pilots to quickly interpret collision risks through color recognition rather than complex data analysis, simplifying the information processing requirement.
3Reliability
If light beams are projected to create visibility patterns, then obstacle detection capability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light engines operate in periodic cycles, projecting light patterns only when collision threats are detected or during critical ground maneuvering phases. Instead of continuous operation, the system uses periodic activation triggered by sensor inputs or flight phase conditions, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining detection capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system concentrates light energy in specific directional beams rather than omnidirectional illumination. The light engines project focused patterns only in directions where collision threats are detected or where wingtips are most vulnerable, rather than illuminating all surrounding areas uniformly, thereby reducing total energy consumption while maintaining effective detection zones.
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
The system effectively provides enhanced visibility of aircraft surroundings, alerting pilots to potential collisions by illuminating obstacles and threats with adjustable light patterns, thereby reducing the risk of wingtip collisions during ground maneuvering.
Implementation Method 1
a light engine that is mounted on at least one of the aircraft surfaces and is configured, upon being energized, to emit a light beam
Implementation Method 2
a laser light source that is mounted on at least one of the aircraft surfaces and is configured, upon being energized, to emit a laser light beam
Data Source
AI summary
A collision avoidance system is provided for an aircraft that includes a fuselage and a plurality of aircraft surfaces coupled to and extending from the fuselage. The collision avoidance system includes a light engine that is mounted on at least one of the aircraft surfaces and is configured, upon being energized, to emit a light beam in one or more directions. The light engine is further configured such that, when the light beam is emitted, it creates a light plane that is disposed at a predetermined angle relative to a ground surface on which the aircraft is located and extends, from the aircraft surface, along the ground surface thereby producing an elongated light pattern on the ground surface and on any obstacle that the light plane encounters.