An anti-collision system for an aircraft and an aircraft including the anti-collision system are disclosed including a sensor data processing unit configured to process data received from multiple sensors installed on a tow tug to detect objects around the aircraft, and output information about detected objects; a safeguarding box building unit configured to generate, based on an aircraft geometry database, a three-dimensional safeguarding box for the aircraft; and a risk assessment unit configured to update the safeguarding box based on data corresponding to different operation modes of the tow tug, calculate relative distances between the detected objects and the aircraft based on the information about the detected objects that is output from the sensor data processing unit, and determine whether there is a collision risk between the aircraft and an object, among the detected objects based on the updated safeguarding box. The system is configured to output an alarm or a warning when there is the collision risk.

Presently disclosed is a system, apparatus, and method for navigating and orienting roadway vehicles by use of a network of embedded navigation beacons within a roadway. A plurality of primary navigation beacons are embedded into a roadway surface with sensors, and communicate with a car and a smaller subset of secondary beacons with connection to the internet. Further disclosed is a landing pad for a drone delivery system, the landing pad acting as a navigational beacon and safe landing location indicator for the aerial drone.

A device is for assisting the piloting in acceleration of an aircraft in taking in order to control its speed. The comprises a control member, adapted to be actuated by a pilot from a neutral position to define a taxiing piloting command for controlling the speed of the aircraft and a central controller, adapted to operate pilot at least one engine of the aircraft to apply the taxiing command defined by the pilot. The taxiing piloting command is an acceleration or deceleration command of the aircraft during taxiing.

Provided is a taxiing system for steering an amphibious aircraft on a body of water with a steering means, a control console and a power source all in operable and electrical communication. The steering means is a jet drive coupled to an impeller assembly mounted inside each float. Alternatively the steering means is a propulsion system with a pair of tunnel-type thrusters mounted inside the floats in the aircraft. The control console operates the taxiing system during steering and at least one electromagnetic lock during docking.

Provided is an aircraft docking guidance system using a three-dimensional (3D) laser scanner, including a laser scanner configured to acquire data related to aircraft docking guidance and docking control; a database configured to store information related to specifications and characteristics of each aircraft type that is a target of the aircraft docking guidance and docking control using the laser scanner; a communicator configured to transmit and receive information between the laser scanner and the database; and a data analysis decision algorithm processing unit configured to determine information of an object by comparing image information acquired through the laser scanner and information stored in the database.

There is disclosed an apparatus (100) for alerting an operator to the presence of obstacles (50, 52) during the towing or push-back of an aircraft (10) while it is on the ground, the apparatus (100) comprising: a self-propelled platform (110); at least one sensor (120) attached to said platform, configured to sense potential obstacles; and a communication system (130) attached to said platform for transmitting data relating to said sensed obstacles, the communication system being operable to communicate with at least one of: a same said apparatus; an operator control panel; a command centre (70); the aircraft (10) being towed or pushed-back; and a vehicle (20) towing or pushing-back the aircraft. There is also disclosed an aircraft collision avoidance system (200) for use during towing or push-back of an aircraft while it is on the ground, the system comprising: at least one apparatus (100a) as aforesaid; and a carrier (250) configured to carry said at least one apparatus.

A heading control system for an aircraft arranged to maintain a heading of an aircraft by controlling a nose wheel angle of the aircraft. The heading control system includes an interface arranged to receive a bias signal indicating a bias towards the port or the starboard of the aircraft and one or more processors. The one or more processors are arranged to determine, based on the bias signal, an offset angle defining an offset from a longitudinal axis of the aircraft and to perform a control process to control the nose wheel angle within an angular range based on the offset angle.

A monitoring system 300 for an aircraft 100 including a controller 301 to determine, based on one or more conditions, one or more expected operating characteristics of a steering system of the aircraft. The one or more conditions include one or more aircraft conditions indicative of an internal condition of the aircraft and/or one or more external conditions indicative of an external influence on the aircraft. The controller compares the one or more expected operating characteristics with the one or more actual operating characteristics. The controller is configured to determine, based on the compare, whether to issue a signal indicating a condition of the aircraft. An avionics system 3000 comprising the monitoring system, an aircraft comprising the monitoring system or the avionics system, and a method 600 of monitoring an aircraft.

In one embodiment, method performed by an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) that determines, within a driving space, a plurality of routes from a current location of the ADV to a desired location. The method determines, for each route of the plurality of routes, an objective function to control the ADV autonomously along the route and, for each of the objective functions, performs Differential Dynamic Programming (DDP) optimization in view of a set of constraints to produce a path trajectory. The method determines whether at least one of the path trajectories satisfies each constraint and, in response to a path trajectory satisfying each of the constraints, selects the path trajectory for navigating the ADV from the current location to the desired location.

An electric vehicle (EV) is charged according to a selected charging rate. An available dispatch time is determined based on a current charge level of a battery of the EV, a first charging rate, and a target charge level. An anticipated dispatch time is determined based on predicted demand for a fleet of EVs that includes the EV. If the available dispatch time is later than the anticipated dispatch time, the first charging rate is selected; if the available dispatch time is earlier than the anticipated dispatch time, a second charging rate that is lower than the first charging rate is selected. The second charging rate may be a rate that charges the battery of the EV to at least the target charge level in time for the anticipated dispatch time.