A control device includes: a control signal transmitter transmitting a signal to a controlled device; a control signal receiver receiving a signal from the controlled device; a control signal generator generating a control signal of 2 bytes or more in one transmission cycle, in which an address is assigned to each byte, is ON/OFF switchable, and includes a main signal address and a collation signal address; and a control signal controller that, when the main and collation signal addresses are the same address, turns the collation signal address ON when the main signal address is ON and turns the collation signal address OFF when the main signal address is OFF, and when the main and collation signal addresses are inverted, turns the collation signal address OFF when the main signal address is ON and turns the collation signal address ON when the main signal address is OFF.

Aspects relate to a system for flight plan generation of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. An exemplary system for flight plan generation includes a flight controller mounted on an eVTOL aircraft. The flight controller may be configured to receive a plurality of flight plan data and generate a flight plan for the aircraft as a function of the plurality of flight plan data.

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.

Flight guidance systems and methods that provide an airport selection in response to an EO condition in a single engine plane. The airport selection takes into consideration factors such as optimal approach type, runway length, weather, terrain, remaining battery time, and the like. Additionally, various also generate and display a visual indication of a remaining glide range when the EO condition is happening; the remaining glide range determination is based, at least in part, on terrain.

An automatic landing system includes an imaging device mounted on a vertical take-off and landing aircraft; a relative-position acquisition unit that performs image processing on an image of a marker at a target landing point, and that acquires a relative position between the aircraft and the target landing point; a relative-altitude acquisition unit for acquiring a relative altitude between the aircraft and the target landing point; and a control unit for controlling the aircraft in a plurality of control modes so that the relative position becomes zero. The control modes include a hovering mode in which the relative altitude of the aircraft is lowered to a predetermined relative altitude when the relative position is within a first threshold value. A transition to a landing mode occurs upon satisfying predetermined conditions including the relative position being within a predetermined threshold value less than the first threshold value.

The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for detecting surface conditions using multiple images of different polarizations. A system in accordance with the present disclosure captures images having different polarizations and compares the images to evaluate surface conditions of an area, such as a runway, landing pad, roadway, or taxiway on which a vehicle is expected to land or otherwise travel. In some cases, a surface hazard, such as water, ice, or snow covering a surface of the area, may be detected and identified. Information indicative of the surface conditions may be used to make control decisions for operation of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for correlating a Notice to Airman (NOTAM) with a chart displayed on an avionic display in a cockpit of an aircraft. The method includes receiving a flight plan (FP); receiving a position and location of the aircraft; and, rendering an avionic display comprising a chart page or a NOTAM page. Responsive to receiving a NOTAM, the method determines whether the NOTAM is relevant. The NOTAM is relevant when the NOTAM is concurrently related to the FP and references a chart of a plurality of pre-loaded charts onboard the aircraft. Responsive thereto, a selectable visual indicator of the chart is rendered on the NOTAM page of the avionic display. The NOTAM is also relevant when it is related to a chart page displayed on the avionic display; responsive thereto, a selectable visual indicator of the NOTAM is rendered on the chart page displayed on the avionic display.

This invention involves a modular LIDAR altimeter for aircraft to aid in navigation. Principally, this invention gathers altimetric readings that are more highly accurate than traditional data typically available to the average pilot. The modular LIDAR altimeter is designed to be easily attached to and detached from the outside of the aircraft, resulting in no modifications to the aircraft itself. The invention uses a LIDAR to perform ranging measurements enclosed in a container consisting of all the components necessary for its operation. Data from the modular LIDAR altimeter is wirelessly transmitted to be interpreted by a separate device.

An aircraft landing assist apparatus includes an image obtaining unit, a shape obtaining unit, a measuring unit, and a calculating unit. The image obtaining unit is configured to obtain an image of a surrounding region of a landing point on which an aircraft is to land. The shape obtaining unit is configured to obtain a shape of the surrounding region of the landing point on the basis of the obtained image. The measuring unit is configured to measure an above-air wind direction and an above-air wind velocity. The calculating unit is configured to calculate a landing-point wind direction and a landing-point wind velocity on the basis of the obtained shape of the surrounding region of the landing point, the measured above-air wind direction, and the measured above-air wind velocity.

Improved mechanisms for collecting information from a diverse suite of sensors and systems, calculating the current precipitation, atmospheric water vapor, atmospheric liquid water content, or precipitable water and other atmospheric-based phenomena, for example presence and intensity of fog, based upon these sensor readings, predicting future precipitation and atmospheric-based phenomena, and estimating effects of the atmospheric-based phenomena on visibility, for example by calculating runway visible range (RVR) estimates and forecasts based on the atmospheric-based phenomena.