Procedure to minimize the risk of mid-air collision for personal air vehicles

• US 7,676,304 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Colich, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen; Shelley
• Application Number:
  US12/117,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20090099712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 701/8
• US Class Current: 701/8
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A method of and a system for controlling personal air vehicle (PAV) traffic provides a take-off-and-landing zone, and a forward flight zone. The take-off-and-landing zone may be from the ground up to a first altitude. The forward flight zone may be from the first altitude up to a second altitude. A maximum airspeed is provided in the take-off-and-landing zone. Minimum and maximum airspeeds are provided in the forward flight zone. In the forward flight zone there is a single heading for each altitude. Any change in heading must be accompanied by a change in altitude.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of controlling a personal air vehicle, flown at altitudes below general aviation traffic without assistance from air traffic controllers, comprising:

providing a processor programmed with flight control rules for the personal air vehicle to assist in avoiding a collision with other personal air vehicles, the flight control rules requiring;

that when the personal air vehicle is operating in a take-off-and-landing zone between a ground altitude and a first altitude that the personal air vehicle be flown between a first minimum airspeed and a first maximum airspeed but not requiring the personal air vehicle to fly at a unique altitude for every different heading of the personal air vehicle; and

that when the personal air vehicle is operating in a forward flight zone between the first altitude and a second altitude that the personal air vehicle be flown between a second minimum airspeed and a second maximum airspeed and also requiring the personal air vehicle to fly at the unique altitude for said every different heading of the personal air vehicle;

and flying the personal air vehicle using the programmed flight control rules.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first maximum airspeed in said take-off-and-landing zone is equal to the second minimum air speed in said forward flight zone.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first minimum airspeed is about 0 miles per hour and said first maximum airspeed is about twenty-five miles per hour.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second minimum airspeed is about twenty-five miles per hour and said second maximum airspeed is about one hundred miles per hour.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said forward flight zone is at a higher altitude than said take-off-and-landing zone.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ground altitude is zero and said first altitude is about two hundred feet above the ground altitude.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first altitude is about two hundred feet and said second altitude is about one thousand feet.