B64D45/04

INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM
20230052360 · 2023-02-16 · ·

A user terminal generates a virtual drone camera image, as an estimated captured image where it is assumed that a virtual drone camera mounted on a drone has captured an image of a planned landing position on the basis of a captured image obtained by capturing the planned landing position of the drone with the user terminal, and transmits the generated virtual drone camera image to the drone. The drone collates the virtual drone camera image with the image captured by the drone camera and lands at the planned landing position in the image captured by the drone camera. The user terminal generates a corresponding pixel positional relationship formula indicating a correspondence relationship between a pixel position on the captured image of the user terminal and a pixel position on the captured image of the virtual drone camera, and generates the virtual drone camera image using the generated relationship formula.

AIRCRAFT LANDING GUIDANCE SUPPORT SYSTEM AND AIRCRAFT LANDING INTEGRATED SUPPORT SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME
20230045232 · 2023-02-09 · ·

The aircraft landing guidance support system has a correction GPS mobile station and an information processing equipment, which includes a display unit and is configured to process an RTK-GPS signal received from the correction GPS mobile station and perform a prescribed display on the display unit. The aircraft landing integrated support system has a correction GPS reference station, a pseudo GPS signal transmitter, and the aircraft landing guidance support system. The information processing equipment stores a computer program configured to cause the information processing equipment to function as a means for recording landing route data containing landing route information, a means for recording current position information data containing current position information based on the RTK-GPS signal, and a means for displaying the landing route data and the current position information on the display unit of the information processing equipment.

Emergency autoland system

Autoland systems and processes for landing an aircraft without pilot intervention are described. In implementations, the autoland system includes a memory operable to store one or more modules and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft. The processor can also calculate a merit for each potential destination identified, select a destination based upon the merit; receive terrain data and/or obstacle data, the including terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s); and create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the destination, the route accounting for the terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s). The processor can also cause the aircraft to traverse the route, and cause the aircraft to land at the destination without requiring pilot intervention.

Emergency autoland system

Autoland systems and processes for landing an aircraft without pilot intervention are described. In implementations, the autoland system includes a memory operable to store one or more modules and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft. The processor can also calculate a merit for each potential destination identified, select a destination based upon the merit; receive terrain data and/or obstacle data, the including terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s); and create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the destination, the route accounting for the terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s). The processor can also cause the aircraft to traverse the route, and cause the aircraft to land at the destination without requiring pilot intervention.

AERIAL VEHICLES WITH MACHINE VISION
20230002048 · 2023-01-05 ·

An aerial vehicle is provided. The aerial vehicle can include a plurality of sensors mounted thereon, an avionics system configured to operate at least a portion of the aerial vehicle, and a machine vision controller in operative communication with the avionics system and the plurality of sensors. The machine vision controller is configured to perform a method. The method includes obtaining sensor data from at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors, determining performance data from the avionic system or an additional sensor of the plurality of sensors, processing the sensor data based on the performance data to compensate for movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle, identifying at least one geographic indicator based on processing the sensor data, and determining a geographic location of the aerial vehicle based on the at least one geographic indicator.

RADAR ALTIMETER INERTIAL VERTICAL LOOP

A system to provide navigation solutions for vehicle landing guidance comprises onboard aiding sensors, an IMU, a radar altimeter, a map database, and a navigation system including a navigation filter that outputs estimated kinematic state statistics for the vehicle. An onboard processor inputs horizontal and vertical position statistics from the navigation filter into the map database, and computes an estimated ground/object height, ground/object velocity, ground/object acceleration, and error statistics thereof, based on terrain and object map data. The processer includes a radar altimeter inertial vertical loop (RIVL) filter that determines relative vertical acceleration based on a difference between vehicle vertical acceleration and ground/object vertical acceleration; determines relative vertical velocity based on a difference between vehicle vertical velocity and ground/object vertical velocity; performs consistency checks on the relative vertical acceleration and relative vertical velocity; and outputs estimated vehicle vertical position and vertical velocity statistics for compensation of the navigation filter outputs.

VISION-BASED LANDING SYSTEM

A system includes one or more cameras configured to attach to an aircraft and capture a plurality of images. The plurality of images includes a first image including a runway and a subsequently captured second image including the runway. The system includes an aircraft computing system configured to identify common features in the first and second images, determine changes in locations of the common features between the first and second images, and determine a predicted landing location of the aircraft in the second image based on the changes in locations of the common features. The aircraft computing system is configured to abort landing on the runway based on the predicted landing location relative to the runway.

VISION-BASED LANDING SYSTEM

A system includes one or more cameras configured to attach to an aircraft and capture a plurality of images. The plurality of images includes a first image including a runway and a subsequently captured second image including the runway. The system includes an aircraft computing system configured to identify common features in the first and second images, determine changes in locations of the common features between the first and second images, and determine a predicted landing location of the aircraft in the second image based on the changes in locations of the common features. The aircraft computing system is configured to abort landing on the runway based on the predicted landing location relative to the runway.

REDUCED-ENGINE OPERATION TECHNIQUE FOR ROTORCRAFT
20230211876 · 2023-07-06 ·

Various implementations described herein are directed to an aircraft having a multi-engine configuration with multiple engines. The aircraft may have a flight control system coupled to the multiple engines with a multi-engine interface. The flight control system may be configured to shutdown at least one engine of the multiple engines during reduced-engine operation by continuously calculating altitude for the reduced-engine operation based on one or more of an aircraft descent rate of the aircraft and an engine restart time of the at least one engine.

REDUCED-ENGINE OPERATION TECHNIQUE FOR ROTORCRAFT
20230211876 · 2023-07-06 ·

Various implementations described herein are directed to an aircraft having a multi-engine configuration with multiple engines. The aircraft may have a flight control system coupled to the multiple engines with a multi-engine interface. The flight control system may be configured to shutdown at least one engine of the multiple engines during reduced-engine operation by continuously calculating altitude for the reduced-engine operation based on one or more of an aircraft descent rate of the aircraft and an engine restart time of the at least one engine.