Device for assisting the piloting of a rotorcraft, associated display, and a corresponding method of assisting piloting

• US 10,384,801 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Original Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Inventors: Filias, Francois-Xavier, Zoppitelli, Pierre, Belanger, Nicolas, Salesse-Lavergne, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/644,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20180009546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/18 using automatic pilot
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/57 automatic or condition responsive, e.g. responsive to rotor speed, torque or thrust
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/08 optical
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A device for assisting the piloting of a rotorcraft in order to pilot a rotorcraft during an approach stage preceding a stage of landing on a rotorcraft landing area. Such a device includes in particular a camera for taking a plurality of images of the environment of the rotorcraft along a line of sight, looking at least along a forward direction Dx of the rotorcraft, and processor for identifying in at least one image from among said plurality of images at least one looked-for landing area.

Claims

1. A device for assisting the piloting of a rotorcraft in order to enable a rotorcraft to be piloted during an approach stage preceding a stage of landing on a rotorcraft landing area, wherein the device comprises:

preselection means for preselecting a type of landing area to be looked for by the device, the preselection means being actuated by a crew member of the rotorcraft;

at least one camera for taking a plurality of images of the environment of the rotorcraft along a line of sight, the line of sight pointing at least in a forward direction Dx of the rotorcraft;

processor means for identifying in at least one image from among the plurality of images at least one looked-for landing area corresponding to the type of landing area preselected via the preselection means;

a display member for at least displaying an image representative of the at least one looked-for landing area;

selection means enabling the crew of the rotorcraft to select a desired landing area from among the at least one looked-for landing area; and

a control unit for generating a control setpoint enabling the rotorcraft to be piloted automatically substantially horizontally towards the desired landing area.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display member serves to display various images respectively representative of a plurality of types of landing area to be looked for by the device, and the preselection means are of the touch type and are arranged directly on a display surface of the display member.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the processor means serve to identify in at least one image from the plurality of images at least one group including a plurality of looked-for landing areas corresponding to the type of landing area preselected via the preselection means;

the display member serves to display an image representative of the at least one group including a plurality of looked-for landing areas; and

the selection means enable a desired group to be selected from among the at least one group including a plurality of looked-for landing areas.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes calculation means for using an image of the desired landing area to determine the distance d between the rotorcraft and a geometrical center of the desired landing area.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein:

the calculation means determine at least one approach path for the rotorcraft in order to approach the desired landing area;

the display means display an image representative of the at least one approach path for the rotorcraft;

the selection means serve to select a desired approach path from among the at least one approach paths for the rotorcraft; and

the control unit (9) generates a control setpoint enabling the rotorcraft to be piloted automatically substantially horizontally towards the desired landing area following the desired approach path.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the processor means serve to identify in at least one image from among the plurality of images whether an immediate environment of the at least one desired landing area includes a prohibited area, and wherein at least one approach path for the rotorcraft serves to avoid a prohibited area present in the immediate environment of the at least one desired landing area.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor means serve to identify in at least one image from among the plurality of images whether the at least one desired landing area includes an occluding element, and then to display an information message on the display member with the image representative of the at least one desired landing area including the occluding element.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor means serve to identify in at least one image from among the plurality of images whether an immediate environment of the at least one desired landing area includes a prohibited area.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one camera includes a first camera arranged in a movable turret to adjust the orientation of a first line of sight of the first camera along an elevation angle and/or a relative bearing angle, the first camera possessing a first field of view and serving to obtain a panoramic image of the at least one looked-for landing area.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one camera includes a second camera arranged in a movable turret for adjusting the orientation of a second line of sight of the second camera along an elevation angle and/or a relative bearing angle, the second camera possessing a second field of view smaller than the first field of view of the first camera and serving to obtain a high-resolution image of the at least one looked-for landing area.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes at least one memory for storing information about the at least one looked-for landing area, the display member enabling the information to be displayed simultaneously with and/or as a replacement for the corresponding image representative of the at least one looked-for landing area.

12. A rotorcraft, including at least one device for assisting piloting in accordance with claim 1 in order to enable the rotorcraft to be piloted during an approach stage preceding a landing stage on a rotorcraft landing area.

13. A method of assisting the piloting of a rotorcraft, the method being performed during an approach stage preceding a stage of landing on a rotorcraft landing area, wherein the method comprises:

a preselection step for preselecting a type of landing area to be looked for by the method, the preselection step being performed by a crew member of the rotorcraft actuating preselection means;

an acquisition step for taking a plurality of images of the environment of the rotorcraft at least along a forward direction Dx of the rotorcraft;

a processing step for identifying in at least one image of the plurality of images at least one looked-for landing area corresponding to the type of landing area preselected during the preselection step;

at least one display step for at least displaying one image representative of the at least one looked-for landing area;

at least one selection step performed by the crew of the rotorcraft at least to select one desired landing area among the at least one looked-for landing area; and

at least one control step for at least generating a control setpoint enabling the rotorcraft to be piloted automatically substantially horizontally towards the desired landing area.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

the processing step serves to identify in at least one image from among the plurality of images at least one group including a plurality of looked-for landing areas corresponding to the type of landing area preselected during the preselection step;

the display step serves to display an image representative of the at least one group including a plurality of looked-for landing areas;

the selection step serves to select a desired group from among the at least one group including a plurality of looked-for landing areas; and

the control step generates a control setpoint enabling the rotorcraft to be piloted automatically substantially horizontally towards the desired group.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the method includes a calculation step on the basis of an image of the desired landing area to determine the distance d between the rotorcraft and a geometrical center of the desired landing area.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein:

the calculation step determines at least one approach path for the rotorcraft in order to approach the desired landing area;

the display step displays an image representative of the at least one approach path (for the rotorcraft;

the selection step serves to select a desired approach path from among the at least one approach path for the rotorcraft; and

the control step generates a control setpoint serving to pilot the rotorcraft automatically substantially horizontally towards the desired landing area following the desired approach path.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the processing step serves to identify in at least one image from among the plurality of images whether an immediate environment of the at least one desired landing area includes a prohibited area, and wherein the at least one approach path for the rotorcraft serves to avoid a prohibited area present in the immediate environment of the at least one desired landing area.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the processing step serves to identify in at least one image from among the plurality of images whether the at least one desired landing area includes an occluding element and then to display an information message during the display step with the image representative of the at least one desired landing area including the occluding element.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the processing step serves to identify in at least one image from among the plurality of images whether an immediate environment of the at least one desired landing area includes a prohibited area.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the method includes at least one storage step for storing information about the at least one looked-for landing area, the display step enabling the information to be displayed simultaneously with and/or as a replacement for the corresponding image representative of the at least one looked-for landing area.