Apparatus and associated methods relate to synchronization of a ground support vehicle with a taxiing aircraft, so as to provide ground support services during taxi operation. After landing, a taxiing aircraft obtains a parking destination from a ground traffic controller. A first navigational route from a first location of the taxiing aircraft to the parking destination is determined. The taxiing aircraft transmits a signal indicative of the first navigational route to the ground support vehicle. A second navigational route of the ground support vehicle is determined so as to intercept the taxiing aircraft. The ground support vehicle navigates according to the determined second navigational route, and couples to the taxiing aircraft at a coupling location common to both the first and the second navigational routes. The ground support vehicle provides ground support service during continued navigation according to a coupled portion of the first navigational route.

A method and a system for detecting wire or wire-like obstacles, which method and system are designed for an aircraft. The system for detecting wire or wire-like obstacles comprises a detection device, such as a video camera or a LIDAR device, a computer and a display device. The method includes a step of detecting at least one pylon in the surrounding environment of the aircraft via a detection device, a step of identifying a family of pylons to which each detected pylon corresponds, a step of characterizing at least one cable supported by the at least one detected pylon, and a step of determining a prohibited zone that can potentially contain each pylon and each cable and a safe zone not containing either a pylon or a cable. The prohibited zone and the safe zone may be displayed on the display device.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to ranging object(s) nearby an aircraft using triangulation. A light projector mounted at a projector location on the aircraft projects pulses of polarized light onto the scene external to the aircraft. The projected pulses of polarized light are polarized in a first polarization state. A camera mounted at a camera location on the aircraft has a shutter synchronized to the projector output pulse and receives a portion of the projected pulses of polarized light reflected by the object(s) in the scene and polarized at a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state. Location(s) and/or range(s) of the object(s) is calculated, based on the projector location, the camera location, and pixel location(s) upon which the portion of light is imaged.

A system may include an aircraft including a processor. The processor may be configured to: receive a lead aircraft assignment instruction, the lead aircraft assignment instruction instructing the aircraft to follow a lead aircraft; determine whether the aircraft is receiving sufficient lead aircraft traffic data from the lead aircraft to record a four-dimensional (4D) track of the lead aircraft; upon a determination that the aircraft is receiving the sufficient lead aircraft traffic data, output an acceptance of the lead aircraft assignment instruction; receive the lead aircraft traffic data from the lead aircraft, the lead aircraft traffic data including information at least one of associated with or of the track of the lead aircraft; record the track of the lead aircraft; and output commands configured to cause (a) the aircraft to follow the recorded track, or (b) guidance content for following the recorded track of the lead aircraft to be presented.

Combined taxi signage may be generated from taxi signage for a first origination node and taxi signage for a second origination node, the first origination node and the second origination node being of a select proximity and orientation relative to an aircraft. The taxi signage for the first origination node may be generated from the first origination node and at least a first termination node stored within an airport surface routing network data, and a first turning angle determined based on a comparison between the first origination node and the at least the first termination node. The taxi signage for the second origination node may be generated from the second origination node and at least a second termination node stored within the airport surface routing network data, and a second turning angle determined based on a comparison between the second origination node and the at least the second termination node. The combined taxi signage may be included in a combined billboard displayed on the display device of the aircraft.

A system and method for conducting preflight planning for autonomous flight missions of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The system includes use of a controller to conduct quantitative risk assessments of available digital data to predict low risk flight routes based on estimated flight risk profiles. The flight risk profiles may be based upon flight safety-critical information, including real time regulatory, airspace, obstacle, and infrastructure data sets. Among other data sets, the flight risk profiles may also account for current weather, current population and traffic data, and aircraft operational data specific to the UAV involved. Each risk assessment can generate a flight risk profile dependent on proposed times of travel, from which a low risk route may be predicted for any impending autonomous aircraft flight. Such risk assessments may enhance chances of expeditious regulatory acceptance of flight plans for such predetermined flight routes.

An aircraft collision avoidance system includes a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors, a plurality of sensor processors, a plurality of transmitters, and a display device. Each 3D LIDAR sensor is enclosed in an aircraft exterior lighting fixture that is configured for mounting on an aircraft, and is configured to sense objects within its field-of-view and supply sensor data. Each sensor processor receives sensor data and processes the received sensor data to determine locations and physical dimensions of the sensed objects. Each transmitter receives the object data, and is configured to transmit the received object data. The display device receives and fuses the object data transmitted from each transmitter, fuses the object data and selectively generates one or more potential obstacle alerts based on the fused object data.

In some examples, a collision awareness system includes two cameras mounted on portions of a vehicle and processing circuitry configured to determine a position of an object based on an image captured by a first camera when the object is within a field of view of the first camera. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine the position of the object based on an image captured by a second camera when the object is within a field of view of the second camera. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine whether a distance between a future position of the vehicle and a current or future position of the object is less than a threshold level. In response to determine that the distance is less than the threshold level, the processing circuitry can generate an alert.

In some examples, a collision awareness system includes two cameras mounted on portions of a vehicle and processing circuitry configured to determine a position of an object based on an image captured by a first camera when the object is within a field of view of the first camera. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine the position of the object based on an image captured by a second camera when the object is within a field of view of the second camera. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine whether a distance between a future position of the vehicle and a current or future position of the object is less than a threshold level. In response to determine that the distance is less than the threshold level, the processing circuitry can generate an alert.

An aircraft landing event system is disclosed including a processor, the processor being configured to receive aircraft braking performance information from a plurality of aircraft that have performed a landing event on a particular runway. The processor is configured to determine an aircraft braking performance indicator on the basis of the aircraft braking performance information of the plurality of aircraft, and communicate the aircraft braking performance indicator to an aircraft landing system of an approaching aircraft that is about to perform a landing event on the particular runway.