A vehicular monitoring system (5) has a plurality of sensors (20, 30) that are used to sense the presence of objects (15) around a vehicle (10, 52) for detecting collision threats. At least one of the sensors is positioned such that a portion of the vehicle is at a predefined location relative to the sensor and is within the sensor's field of view. As an example, for an aircraft, a sensor may be positioned such that a portion of the aircraft's wing, aerospike, or other structure is within the sensor's field of view. The system is configured to automatically calibrate the sensor and, if desired, other sensors using the portion of the vehicle at the predefined location.

A method of locating an aircraft in flight by means of a locating device including at least one sensor and a radar, the method including a first phase of determining a position of the aircraft, referred to as the first position, by means of the at least one sensor according to a signal supplied by the at least one sensor, a second phase of determining, at the same time as the first determination phase, a position of the aircraft, referred to as the second position, by means of the radar, and a phase of comparing data associated with the first position and data associated with the second position after which the first position is either validated or invalidated.

A radar, flying device including such a radar, processing method in a radar embedded in a flying device and associated computer program are disclosed. In one aspect, the radar includes a transceiver antenna including a plurality of radiating elements configured to transmit and receive an electromagnetic wave. The radar includes an antenna gain control unit, by activating/inhibiting radiating elements, in transmission and/or reception configured to keep the reception level of an electromagnetic wave below a determined threshold below the saturation zone of the antenna, as well as by activating/inhibiting radiating elements in reception, configured to compensate the amplitude variation of the ground/sea clutter, over the duration of the reception.

A radar, flying device including such a radar, processing method in a radar embedded in a flying device and associated computer program are disclosed. In one aspect, the radar includes a transceiver antenna including a plurality of radiating elements configured to transmit and receive an electromagnetic wave. The radar includes an antenna gain control unit, by activating/inhibiting radiating elements, in transmission and/or reception configured to keep the reception level of an electromagnetic wave below a determined threshold below the saturation zone of the antenna, as well as by activating/inhibiting radiating elements in reception, configured to compensate the amplitude variation of the ground/sea clutter, over the duration of the reception.

Embodiments for a terrain following (TF) radar configured for use in an airborne system are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a radar return comprising dual polarimetry radar data is processed to determine a Correlation Coefficient (CC), a Differential Reflectivity (ZDR), and a Specific Differential Phase (KDP). Discriminator logic is applied to the CC, the ZDR and the KDP to determine whether the radar return comprises solely rain. Further signal processing may be performed on the radar return when the radar return does not comprise solely rain. When the radar signal comprises solely rain, the radar return is tagged as a rain return. Applying the discriminator logic may include applying linear and/or quadratic functions to the CC, the ZDR and the KDP to determine whether the radar return comprises solely rain.

Embodiments for a terrain following (TF) radar configured for use in an airborne system are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a radar return comprising dual polarimetry radar data is processed to determine a Correlation Coefficient (CC), a Differential Reflectivity (ZDR), and a Specific Differential Phase (KDP). Discriminator logic is applied to the CC, the ZDR and the KDP to determine whether the radar return comprises solely rain. Further signal processing may be performed on the radar return when the radar return does not comprise solely rain. When the radar signal comprises solely rain, the radar return is tagged as a rain return. Applying the discriminator logic may include applying linear and/or quadratic functions to the CC, the ZDR and the KDP to determine whether the radar return comprises solely rain.

Improvements in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) spoofing detection of a vehicle are disclosed utilizing bearing and/or range measurements acquired independently from GNSS technology. Bearing and/or range measurements are determined from a GNSS-calculated position. Additionally, bearing and/or range measurements are acquired from an independent sensor, such as a Very high frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) receiver and/or a Distance Measurement Equipment (DME) receiver. The differences between the GNSS-based bearing and/or range and the bearing and/or range determined from the independent sensor, along with any applicable sources of error or uncertainty (including the post-hoc residuals from the GNSS-calculated position), are input into an analytical algorithm (e.g., RAIM) to determine whether GNSS spoofing is present with respect to the calculated GNSS position. If spoofing is detected, an alternative position determining system can be used in lieu of GNSS technology, and alerts can be sent notifying appropriate entities of the spoofing result.

An aircraft receives pseudorange input from a plurality of satellites of an augmentation system. Each pseudorange input includes a precise position solution and error data. The aircraft receives a high frequency measurement from an inertial navigation system. The aircraft applies the precise position solution, error data, and high frequency measurement to a set of parallel Schmidt extended Kalman filters to produce a corrected position solution and integrity data. The aircraft applies the integrity data to a receiver autonomous integrity monitoring system to produce a protection level for the corrected position solution. The aircraft performs an aircraft operation using the corrected position solution and protection level.

Various systems and methodologies may be utilized to determine whether a particular shipment/item is eligible for delivery between a manual delivery vehicle and a final destination location via an autonomous delivery vehicle. To ensure autonomous deliveries are performed in a resource effective manner, shipments/items deemed eligible for autonomous delivery may be vetted by comparing the destination for the autonomous delivery shipment/item against one or more manual delivery destinations (serviced by the manual delivery vehicle operator), and ultimately identifying an optimal launch location for the autonomous delivery vehicle to leave the manual delivery vehicle to complete the autonomous delivery. If the autonomous delivery location does not satisfy applicable autonomous delivery criteria, the autonomous delivery shipment/item may be reclassified for manual delivery by the manual delivery vehicle operator.

Techniques for allowing a vehicle equipped with at least one radar to take-off and land using radar return images of a landing site. The at least one radar generates radar return image(s) of the landing site, specifically of reflective symbols attached to the landing site, allowing the vehicle to orient itself to the landing site and providing information specific to the landing site. Position and velocity in relation to a landing site can be determined using at least one radar and a guidance and landing system. Using the position and velocity information, the guidance and landing system can guide the vehicle to and from the landing site and/or determine whether an obstacle requires the use of an alternate landing site.