Systems and methods are provided for management of an active flight plan during operation of an aircraft. The systems include a flight management system, a communications system configured to receive flight mission data from external sources, a display device, and a controller. The controller is configured to, by a processor: receive the flight mission data that includes recommended updates to the active flight plan, generate an inactive flight plan including the active flight plan modified based on the recommended updates, access the inactive flight plan to determine an impact of the recommended updates on the active flight plan, render a graphical image on the display device that presents a contextual preview of the recommended updates and the impact thereof, and in response to acceptance of the recommended updates, modify the active flight plan based on the recommended updates or replace the active flight plan with the inactive flight plan.

Methods, systems and devices are disclosed for providing access to a restricted area for a drone by a beacon device. Beacon signals including access information associated with access for the restricted area may be transmitted by the beacon device. The beacon device may receive one or more access parameters for the drone. The beacon device may compare the received one or more access parameters for the drone to the access information for the restricted area. The beacon device may determine clearance for the drone to access the restricted area based on comparing the one or more access parameter for the drone and the access information.

Systems and methods of refining trajectories for aircraft include a trajectory prediction module for predicting a set of four-dimensional trajectories for aircraft; and a constraint selector module for determining a set of constraints based on the set of four-dimensional trajectories. The trajectory can be refined by mapping values for a goal associated with the set of four-dimensional trajectories based on the determined set of constraints and estimating additional values for the goal based on the mapped values.

Systems and methods of the present invention are provided to generate a plurality of flight trajectories that do not conflict with other aircraft in a local area. Interventions by an air traffic control system help prevent collisions between aircraft, but these interventions can also cause an aircraft to substantially deviate from the pilot's intended flight trajectory, which burns fuels, wastes time, etc. Systems and methods of the present invention can assign a standard avoidance interval to other aircraft in the area such that a pilot's aircraft does not receive an intervention by an air traffic control system. Systems and methods of the present invention also generate a plurality of conflict-free flight trajectories such that a pilot or an automated system may select the most desirable flight trajectory for fuel efficiency, speed, and other operational considerations, etc.

One variation of a method for imaging an area of interest includes: within a user interface, receiving a selection for a set of interest points on a digital map of a physical area and receiving a selection for a resolution of a geospatial map; identifying a ground area corresponding to the set of interest points for imaging during a mission; generating a flight path over the ground area for execution by an unmanned aerial vehicle during the mission; setting an altitude for the unmanned aerial vehicle along the flight path based on the selection for the resolution of the geospatial map and an optical system arranged within the unmanned aerial vehicle; setting a geospatial accuracy requirement for the mission based on the selection for the mission type; and assembling a set of images captured by the unmanned aerial vehicle during the mission into the geospatial map.

A device receives a request for a flight path for a UAV to travel from a first location to a second location, and determines, based on credentials of the UAV, whether the UAV is authenticated for utilizing the device. The device determines, when the UAV is authenticated, capability information for the UAV based on component information of the UAV, and calculates the flight path. The device determines whether the UAV is capable of traversing the flight path based on the capability information, and generates, when the UAV is capable of traversing the flight path, flight path instructions for the flight path. The device provides the flight path instructions and credentials of the device to the UAV to permit the UAV to travel from the first location to the second location when the UAV authenticates the device based on the credentials of the device.

A method determines the optimal turn direction of an aircraft among two directions, right and left, following a lateral trajectory to join an arrival straight charted by an angle of arrival, based on a departure point and angle of departure defining a departure straight oriented along movement of the aircraft, the direction defined by a respectively positive or negative optimal turn sign, comprising: determining a conventional departure sign of the departure point; determining a center value of an angle of change of course equal to the difference between the angle of arrival and angle of departure referred back between 180 and +180, the center value exhibiting a logical sign corresponding to the center value sign of the angle of change of course; determining the sign of the optimal turn based on comparison between the departure sign and the logical sign, the sign of the optimal turn defining optimal turn direction.

A method and apparatus of turning an aircraft for interval management. Interval management information identifying a desired spacing between the aircraft and a target aircraft is received. Turn information is determined using a performance gain factor. The turn information identifies a turn point for the aircraft. The performance gain factor identifies a desired portion of achieving the desired spacing due to turning the aircraft at the turn point and a desired portion of achieving the desired spacing due to changing speed of the aircraft. The turn information is used to turn the aircraft at the turn point.

Systems and methods of the present invention are provided to generate a plurality of flight trajectories that do not conflict with other aircraft in a local area. Interventions by an air traffic control system help prevent collisions between aircraft, but these interventions can also cause an aircraft to substantially deviate from the pilot's intended flight trajectory, which burns fuels, wastes time, etc. Systems and methods of the present invention can assign a standard avoidance interval to other aircraft in the area such that a pilot's aircraft does not receive an intervention by an air traffic control system. Systems and methods of the present invention also generate a plurality of conflict-free flight trajectories such that a pilot or an automated system may select the most desirable flight trajectory for fuel efficiency, speed, and other operational considerations, etc.

An aircraft pairing system and method are provided to arrange for scheduling flights of two or more aircraft. The system and method allow to identify pairs of aircraft flights, wherein the aircraft can be brought together into a formation with a follower aircraft flying in the wake upwash of a leader aircraft to generate fuel savings. The system and method utilize historical flight data to generate a list of possible flight pairings and anticipated fuel savings, and live data to update the possible flight pairings and anticipated fuel savings. A display of the possible flight pairings and anticipated fuel savings is provided on a user interface. The user may accept flight pairings and extract data to modify flight plans.