A receiver includes an RF module to receive and down convert multiple types of RF signals received from at least one antenna; a communication unit configured to communicate signals with at least one external device; and a processing unit communicatively coupling the radio frequency module with the communication unit. Processing unit receives operation mode selection. When first operation mode is selected, processing unit receives first input signal from antenna via RF module (the first input signal including ILS signal and/or VOR signal) and outputs first output signal based on first input signal to external device. When second operational mode is selected, processing unit receives second input signal from antenna via radio frequency unit (second input signal including AIS signal including data regarding a current location of remotely located transmitting device) and outputs second output signal based on second input signal to external device.

Computer-implemented methods, systems, and program products are provided that assist in aspects of aerial surveying, including selective display of planned flight path segments, marking of ground conditions, monitoring coverage of a planned flight path, and providing guidance information for aircraft navigation, including speed and turns.

A method for predicting a short-term flight path of an aircraft, a computer program product, an associated prediction device, a guidance method, and a guidance system of an aircraft are disclosed. In one aspect, the flight path of the aircraft is associated at each time moment with a vector including at least one component from among a position of the aircraft, attitudes of the aircraft and order 1 and 2 time derivatives of the position and attitudes. The short-term flight path is the flight path of the aircraft for a time period of up to 30 seconds from a computation time of the flight path. The method includes acquiring a control signal representative of a displacement of a primary control member of the aircraft and predicting, at a subsequent prediction time, at least one component of the short-term flight path of the aircraft.

A navigation system for an aircraft includes a light source, a light sensor, one or more processors, and a computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the navigation system to perform functions. The functions include illuminating a surface using the light source to cause light to be reflected from the surface and detecting the light and generating data representing the light using the light sensor. The data maps intensities of the light to respective positions on the surface. The functions further include identifying within the data a subset of the data that corresponds to a border and causing navigation of the aircraft based on a position of the border indicated by the subset of the data.

A route point setting device sets route points on a flight route from a first point to a second point. The device includes: a grid divider that divides map information, including the first and second points, into cells in grid form on a horizontal plane; a cell route setter that sets a cell route including consecutive cells between the first and second points; a calculator that calculates a bending angle of the cell route at each cell on the cell route; and a route point setter that performs comparing the bending angle at any cell calculated by the calculator, with the bending angles at two cells adjacent to the any cell and respectively ahead of and behind the any cell on the cell route, and setting the any cell as a cell route point according to a predetermined expression.

A method and apparatus for building a route for moving an aircraft within an on-ground environment by identifying route elements. Input that is entered by an operator of an aircraft based on route instructions provided by a controller is received through a character input section of a graphical user interface. Route information is generated based on the input using character recognition. The route for moving the aircraft within the on-ground environment is built based on the route information.

Systems and methods for determining navigation information for an aircraft are provided. In one embodiment, a method can include accessing a satellite-based positioning signal received at a receiver on an aircraft. The satellite-based positioning signal can be indicative of a distance between a satellite and the receiver. The method can include identifying from the satellite-based positioning signal a first vector associated with a distance between the satellite and the receiver and identifying a second vector from the satellite-based positioning signal associated with a distance between a reference point and the satellite. The method can include generating a kinematic model for determining a geometric position of the aircraft based at least in part on a robotic arm using the first vector and the second vector and determining navigation information for the aircraft based at least in part on the kinematic model.

A flight route control method of an unmanned aerial vehicle includes: accepting, by an input, an input of a departure point and a waypoint that the unmanned aerial vehicle will pass; receiving a predetermined time, indicating an end of a time period in which the unmanned aerial vehicle is permitted to fly; generating a flight route passing through the departure point and the waypoint; determining whether or not an arrival time to the waypoint is later than the predetermined time; not accepting the waypoint for the generated flight route when the arrival time is later than the predetermined time; accepting the waypoint for the generated flight route when the arrival time is not later than the predetermined time; and transmitting a control command to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the control command controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly according to the generated flight route.

Method and device for automatically managing air operations requiring a guarantee of navigation and guidance performance of an aircraft. The device for automatically managing at least one air operation comprises activatable monitoring of the air operation, a computation unit configured to automatically calculate an anticipated activation point as a function of the application point of the air operation, this anticipated activation point being defined upstream of the application point in the direction of flight of the aircraft, and an activation unit configured to automatically activate monitoring and a display when the aircraft reaches, during its flight, the anticipated activation point.

A method for displaying an image to a pilot (20) of an aircraft (2). The method comprises: displaying, by a helmet mounted display (HMD) (24), to the pilot (20), an image comprising initial image components including a first image component (34); determining that the helmet mounted display (24) is offset from a desired position for the helmet mounted display (24); determining, by one or more processors (26), a specification for a further image component (50); and displaying, by the helmet mounted display (24), to the pilot (20), an image comprising at least the first image component (34) and the further image component (50). The further image component (50) has a fixed position with respect to the first image component (34) and indicates one or more alternative positions for the first image component (34).