초록 ▼

A trajectory-based sense-and-avoid system for use on an aircraft is provided that utilizes 4-D constructs, such as 4-D trajectories or 4-D polytopes, to maintain separation from other aircraft and/or to avoid collisions with other aircraft. In certain embodiments the trajectory-based sense-and-avoid

A trajectory-based sense-and-avoid system for use on an aircraft is provided that utilizes 4-D constructs, such as 4-D trajectories or 4-D polytopes, to maintain separation from other aircraft and/or to avoid collisions with other aircraft. In certain embodiments the trajectory-based sense-and-avoid system utilizes 4-D trajectories provided from an external source and/or 4-D trajectories estimated based on a variety of data sources during operation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A sense-and-avoid system, comprising: an on-board sensor suite configured to detect flight obstacles;a processor configured to execute one or more stored routines, wherein the one or more stored routines, comprise: a conflict detection routine which, when executed, receives a four-dimensional (4-

1. A sense-and-avoid system, comprising: an on-board sensor suite configured to detect flight obstacles;a processor configured to execute one or more stored routines, wherein the one or more stored routines, comprise: a conflict detection routine which, when executed, receives a four-dimensional (4-D) trajectory of an aircraft and 4-D constructs representing trajectories of other aircraft or regions from which the aircraft is to maintain separation, wherein the conflict detection module determines if a conflict exists between the 4-D trajectory of the aircraft and the 4-D constructs;a conflict resolution routine which, when executed, receives information from the conflict detection module, wherein the conflict resolution module generates a change to the 4-D trajectory of the aircraft to avoid the conflict; anda trajectory prediction routine which, when executed, receives inputs from both external communications links and the on-board sensor suite, predicts the position and shape of the 4-D constructs representing the trajectories of other aircraft over time based on data derived from one or both of the external communication links and the on-board sensor suite, and bases an uncertainty associated with each predicted 4-D construct representing the trajectory of other aircraft on a number of sources of data used in predicting a respective 4-D construct and a confidence associated with each source of data used in predicting the respective 4-D construct. 2. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 1, wherein the 4-D trajectory of the aircraft is provided to the conflict detection module by a flight management system of the aircraft. 3. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 1, wherein the 4-D constructs are provided by a source external to the aircraft. 4. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 1, wherein the external communications links are to one or more of an air traffic control system, other aircraft, or a ground control station. 5. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 1, wherein the conflict resolution module communicates the change to a flight management system to modify the 4-D trajectory of the aircraft. 6. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 1, comprising: a collision detection module configured to detect a potential collision of the aircraft based on data provided at least by a sensor suite of the aircraft; anda collision resolution module configured to receive notification of the potential collision from the collision detection module and to issue instructions directly to a flight control system to avoid the potential collision. 7. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 6, wherein the operation of the conflict detection module, the conflict resolution module, the collision detection module, and the collision resolution module depend on a time frame identified for the conflict or potential collision. 8. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 7, wherein conflicts or potential collisions determined to be outside an emergency time frame are handled by the conflict detection module and the conflict resolution module and wherein conflicts or potential collisions determined to be within the emergency time frame are handled by the collision detection module and the collision resolution module. 9. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 1, wherein the aircraft is directed to fly to a predefined location where probability of a successful communication reconnection is high, in the case of a communication disconnection of the external communication links. 10. A sense-and-avoid system installed on an aircraft, the sense-and-avoid system comprising: one or more communication links configured to communicate with one or more of a ground control station, an air traffic control system, or other aircraft;a sensor suite;a trajectory predictor module configured to generate four-dimensional (4-D) constructs based on the data received from the one or more communication links and the sensor suite;a flight management system comprising a trajectory planning module and a trajectory prediction module, wherein the trajectory prediction module generates a 4-D trajectory for the aircraft;a flight control system in communication with the flight management system and configured to execute instructions from the flight management system to cause the aircraft to fly along the 4-D trajectory;a conflict detection module configured to evaluate the 4-D trajectory for the aircraft and selected 4-D constructs to determine the presence of a conflict between the 4-D trajectory and one or more of the selected 4-D constructs, wherein the selected 4-D constructs are provided only by one or more of the ground control station and the air traffic control system if the conflict is estimated to occur in a strategic time frame, and the selected 4-D constructs are provided at least in part by the trajectory predictor module if the conflict is estimated to occur in a tactical time frame; anda conflict resolution module configured to generate a change to the 4-D trajectory in the event of a conflict and to communicate the change to the flight management system to update the 4-D trajectory to alleviate the conflict. 11. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 10, wherein one of the one or more communication links communicates with other aircraft to exchange Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) or Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) information. 12. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 10, wherein the aircraft is an unmanned aerial system. 13. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 10, wherein the sensor suite comprises one or more of a radar, a ladar, an infrared system, a video system, or navigation and guidance sensors. 14. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 10, wherein the selected 4-D constructs comprise one or more of 4-D trajectories of other aircraft , 4-D polytopes of restricted airspace, 4-D polytopes representing a weather condition, or 4-D polytopes representing communication quality. 15. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 10, comprising: a collision detection module configured to receive data from the sensor suite and to generate a collision notification if a potential collision is expected within a critical time frame; anda collision resolution module configured to receive the collision notification and to directly control the flight control system to avoid the potential collision. 16. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 10, wherein information generated by one or more of the trajectory predictor module, the flight management system, the conflict detection module, or the conflict resolution module is communicated to the ground control station or the air traffic control system. 17. An aircraft, comprising: a trajectory-based sense-and-avoid system configured to detect potential conflicts or collisions based on 4-D trajectories, 4-D constructs, data generated by an on-board sensor suite, or a combination thereof;wherein potential conflicts or collisions estimated to occur in a strategic time frame are identified using a 4-D trajectory of the aircraft generated by a flight management system of the aircraft and 4-D constructs provided only by a source external to the aircraft;wherein potential conflicts or collisions estimated to occur in a tactical time frame are identified using the 4-D trajectory of the aircraft generated by the flight management system of the aircraft and 4-D constructs, at least a portion of which are generated by a predictor module on-board the aircraft; andwherein potential conflicts or collisions estimated to occur in a critical time frame are identified based at least in part on the data generated by the on-board sensor suite. 18. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein the strategic time frame is ten minutes or greater, the tactical time frame is between one and ten minutes, and the critical time frame is one minute or less. 19. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein potential conflicts or collisions estimated to occur in the strategic time frame or the tactical time frame are avoided by determining a change to the 4-D trajectory of the aircraft and implementing the change to the 4-D trajectory using the flight management system. 20. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein potential conflicts or collisions estimated to occur in the critical time frame are avoided by a collision resolution module taking direct control of a flight control system so as to avoid the potential conflicts or collisions. 21. The sense-and-avoid system of claim 9, wherein the aircraft automatically lands if a successful communication reconnection cannot be restored.