Apparatus, method and system relating to aircraft systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019325756-A1
Application number	US-201716462003-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2017
Priority date	Nov 17, 2016
Publication date	Oct 24, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for determining a flight path for an aircraft system, for example an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) comprises analysing an intensity map relating to a three dimensional space. The intensity map comprises an array of voxels, each voxel defining a volume in the three dimensional space, and each voxel having a related traffic intensity value based on historical flight data through that voxel. The method comprises determining a probability of an encounter for a preferred flight path between a start point and an end point via one or more voxels in the three dimensional space, based on traffic intensity values of the one or more voxels along the preferred flight path. The preferred flight path is selected if the probability of encounter is less than a first threshold value.

First claim

1 . A method for determining a flight path for an aircraft system, the method comprising:
analysing an intensity map relating to a three dimensional space, wherein the intensity map comprises an array of voxels, each voxel defining a volume in the three dimensional space, and each voxel having a related traffic intensity value based on historical flight data through that voxel; determining a probability of an encounter for a preferred flight path between a start point and an end point via one or more voxels in the three dimensional space, based on traffic intensity values of the one or more voxels along the preferred flight path; and selecting the preferred flight path if the probability of encounter is less than a first threshold value.

2 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein, if the determined probability of encounter is above the first threshold value, selecting an alternative flight path between the start point and the end point.

3 . A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein selecting an alternative flight path between the start point and end point comprises:
comparing the probability of encounter along two or more different flight paths between the start point and end point, via different voxels in the three dimensional space; and selecting a flight path which has a probability of encounter lower than the first threshold value.

4 . A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3 , wherein selecting an alternative flight path comprises selecting the shortest flight path which has a probability of encounter lower than the first threshold value.

5 . A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 , wherein selecting an alternative flight path comprises selecting the flight path which has the lowest overall probability of encounter.

6 . A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 , wherein selecting an alternative flight path comprises selecting a flight path which has a zero probability of encounter.

7 . A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein determining a probability of encounter comprises determining if one or more voxels along the flight path comprise a traffic intensity value above a second threshold value.

8 . A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein determining a probability of encounter comprises determining if one or more voxels along the flight path comprise an average traffic intensity value that is above a second threshold value.

9 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein determining a probability of encounter comprises:
partitioning a flight path of length D into a series of K elements, each element of length D/K; for each of the K elements, interpolating a local intensity (p FP,i ) from the array of voxels to a point in the centre of the element; and determining the probability of encounter for a particular element based on the local traffic intensity value multiplied by the time taken for the aircraft system to cover the element.

10 . A method as claimed claim 9 , wherein the probability of an encounter for the entire flight path is determined as:

p
FP

=

∑

i
=
1

K



p

FP
,
i

*

D
KV

where V is the velocity of the aircraft system.

11 . A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein selecting an alternative flight path comprises selecting an alternative flight path which avoids one or more voxels having a traffic intensity value above a second threshold value.

12 . A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein selecting an alternative flight path comprises selecting an alternative flight path via one or more voxels having traffic intensity values below a second threshold value.

13 . A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein selecting an alternative flight path comprises selecting an alternative flight path via one or more voxels having traffic intensity values of zero.

14 . A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3 , wherein selecting an alternative flight path comprises first attempting to selecting a flight path having a different altitude in the three dimensional space compared to the preferred flight path.

15 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein selecting an alternative flight path comprises selecting a flight path having a minimum altitude in the three dimensional space.

16 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein selecting a flight path comprises:
receiving capability data relating to one or more capabilities of the aircraft system which the flight path is being determined for; and using the capability data as at least part of the step of selecting the flight path.

17 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein selecting an alternative flight path comprises:
receiving population density data relating to the population density under a voxel; and using the population density data as at least part of the step of selecting the alternative flight path.

18 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first threshold value and/or second threshold value is set in relation to the type of aircraft system a flight path is being determined for.

19 . A method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first threshold level and/or second threshold value is linked to a collision capability of the aircraft system whose flight path is being determined.

20 . A method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the first threshold level and/or second threshold level is set to be inversely proportional to the capability level and/or collision avoidance level of the aircraft system whose flight path is being controlled.

21 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first threshold value and/or second threshold value is set in relation to an experience level of an operator of the aircraft system whose flight path is being determined for.

22 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intensity map further comprises terrain data.

23 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intensity map further comprises restricted or controlled airspace data.

24 . A method as claimed in claim 22 or 23 , wherein a voxel relating to an area comprising terrain and/or controlled or restricted airspace is set a traffic intensity value of 100%, or a traffic intensity value ramping up from a first value on a boundary thereof towards a 100% value.

25 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of generating the intensity map.

26 . A method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein generating the intensity map comprises:
receiving transponder signals and/or automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, ADS-B, signals and/or other flight position informat

Assignees

• Univ Bath

Inventors

• Cleaver David
• Du Bois Jonathan
• Iravani Pejman
• Lawrenson Anthony

Classifications

• G06T7/246

  using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments · CPC title

• G06T17/05

  Geographic models · CPC title

• G06T2207/20076

  Probabilistic image processing · CPC title

• G06T2207/30241

  Trajectory · CPC title

• G08G5/04

  Physics · mapped topic