A method for presenting weather information onboard an aircraft is provided. The method obtains a first set of weather data from aircraft onboard radar system; obtains a second set of weather data from external sources including one or more external aircraft, a satellite, a remote server, and a ground-based weather station, wherein the communication device is compatible a communication protocol for the external sources, and wherein the communication protocol comprises at least one of a datalink communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, a very high frequency (VHF) radio communication protocol, and a transponder communication protocol; and presents graphical elements comprising a first set of graphical elements associated with the first set of weather data and a second set of graphical elements associated with the second set of weather data, wherein the second set of graphical elements include visual characteristics distinguishable from the first set of graphical elements.

A method comprises at least the following steps: a step of acquiring data by radar to obtain an SAR image covering a given geographical domain; a step of acquiring at least one secondary image covering the domain, produced by a source external to the radar, the image supplying information on the colors of the constituent elements of the SAR image; a step of superimposing the SAR image and the secondary image; a step of assigning colors to the elements on the basis of their position in the superimposed secondary image.

An exemplary computer implemented digital image processing method conveys probabilities of detecting terrestrial targets from an observation aircraft. Input data defining an observation aircraft route relative to the geographical map with lines of communications (LOC) disposed thereon are received and stored as well as input data associated an aircraft sensor's targeting capabilities and attributes related to the capability of targets to be detected. Percentages of time for line-of-sight visibility from the aircraft of segments of LOC segments are determined. Probability percentages that the sensor would detect a terrestrial target on the segments are determined. The segments are color-coded with visibility and sensor detection information. A visual representation of the map with the color-coded segments is provided to enhance the ability to select appropriate observation mission factors to achieve a successful observation mission.

This disclosure is directed to techniques, methods, devices, and systems for generating a bird and bat detection radar output using weather radar. In one example, a method includes generating, by a computing device that comprises one or more processors and is onboard a vehicle, a radar control output for an aircraft weather radar system to generate a radar transmission tuned to detect birds and bats. The method further includes receiving, by the computing device, radar data in response to the radar transmission. The method further includes determining, by the computing device, whether the radar data comprises data indicative of detected birds or bats. The method further includes generating, by the computing device, an output based at least in part on the data indicative of the detected birds or bats.

This disclosure is directed to techniques, methods, devices, and systems for generating a two-dimensional weather map based on three-dimensional volumetric weather data that incorporates enhanced weather analysis techniques applied to weather radar data. An example method includes generating, by a computing system comprising one or more processors, a two-dimensional weather map based at least in part on three-dimensional volumetric weather data for a volume of airspace, wherein the two-dimensional weather map indicates levels of convection and levels of risk of other hazardous weather applicable to the volume of airspace. The method further includes outputting, by the computing system, the two-dimensional weather map for transmission to a receiving system.

A method for indicating a weather threat to an aircraft is provided. The method includes inferring a weather threat to an aircraft and causing an image to be displayed on an aviation display in response to a determination by aircraft processing electronics that the inferred weather threat to the aircraft is greater than a measured weather threat to the aircraft.

An exemplary computer implemented digital image processing method conveys probabilities of detecting terrestrial targets from an observation aircraft. Input data defining an observation aircraft route relative to the geographical map with lines of communications (LOC) disposed thereon are received and stored as well as input data associated an aircraft sensor's targeting capabilities and attributes related to the capability of targets to be detected. Percentages of time for line-of-sight visibility from the aircraft of segments of LOC segments are determined. Probability percentages that the sensor would detect a terrestrial target on the segments are determined. The segments are color-coded with visibility and sensor detection information. A visual representation of the map with the color-coded segments is provided to enhance the ability to select appropriate observation mission factors to achieve a successful observation mission.

In some examples, a system is configured to determine a reliability index for weather information received by a weather system. The reliability index may indicate a degree of confidence of the accuracy of the weather information. For example, a system may determine a weather product for each of one or more voxels of a plurality of voxels in a three-dimensional or four-dimensional volumetric buffer, and based on a combination of the weather product and the weather information, determine a reliability index for the weather product. The system may display a first visual representation of the weather product and a second visual representation of the corresponding reliability index.

A method, apparatus and computer program product utilize virtual probe points, such as in combination with traditional probe points, for various routing and navigation purposes. In the context of a method, virtual probe data is received from a plurality of sources. The virtual probe data includes a plurality of virtual probe points at different respective locations. For a virtual probe point, the virtual probe data includes a hashed identifier of a vehicle and a location of the vehicle. The hashed identifiers of the virtual probe data that is received have been subjected to the same hash function by each of the plurality of sources. The method also includes updating a probe data repository with the virtual probe data including the plurality of virtual probe points and the hashed identifiers associated therewith.

An active radio-frequency (RF) sensing technology for determining the relative and/or absolute state (e.g., position, velocity, and/or acceleration) of a target object (e.g., a person, a car, a truck a lamp post, a utility pole, a building) is described. The sensors described herein operate in the Terahertz band (300 GHz to 3 THz). An active RF sensing device comprises a substrate and first and second semiconductor dies mounted on the substrate. The first semiconductor die has an RF transmit antenna array integrated thereon, and the transmit antenna array comprises a first plurality of RF antennas configured to generate an RF signals having frequency content in the 300 GHz-3 THz band. The second semiconductor die has an RF receive antenna array integrated thereon, and the receive antenna array comprises a second plurality of RF antennas configured to receive RF signals having frequency content in the 300 GHz-3 THz band.