Method and a device for flying safely at low altitude in an aircraft

• US 8,392,475 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Original Assignee: Eurocopter
• Inventors: Pire, Richard, Filias, Francois-Xavier
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh
• Application Number:
  US13/043,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 707/812, 707/E17.005, 701/3, 701/4, 701/9, 701/13, 701/301, 701/467, 342/29, 342/38, 342/50, 342/149, 348/61, 348/143, 348/148
• US Class Current: 707/812
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of flying safely and at low altitude in an aircraft, in which method unsafe relief (R0) of terrain is determined as is the position of at least one high point (4, 5) representing an obstacle (4′, 5′) overlying said unsafe relief (R0). A main volume (V0) is added to said unsafe relief (R0), the main volume being defined between a main volume base (2) placed on the unsafe relief (R0) and an envelope (1), thereby obtaining safe relief (R1) for overflying that contains at least said unsafe relief (R0) and said main volume (V0), said main volume base (2) having an area (2′) defined by a closed peripheral curve (3) resting on said unsafe relief (R0), said envelope (1) being generated using a moving segment (S) of predetermined length (L) extending from said high point (4, 5) to a second point (3′) moving along said peripheral curve (3).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of making a safe relief of a terrain for enabling an aircraft to fly safely at a low altitude above the terrain, the method comprising:

obtaining an unsafe relief of said terrain, wherein said unsafe relief relates to a surface which represents a ground of the terrain, and obtaining a position of a high point representing a top of an obstacle extending upright from the terrain into the low altitude above the terrain, by making use of a primary database of said terrain containing information representing said unsafe relief and said obstacle; and

combining with said unsafe relief a main volume that is defined between

(i) a main volume base on the unsafe relief and

(ii) an envelope, so as to obtain the safe relief of said terrain for overflying that contains at least said unsafe relief and said main volume, said main volume base having an area defined by a closed peripheral curve on said unsafe relief, the closed peripheral curve extending on said unsafe relief around an axis extending in a gravity direction through said high point and said unsafe relief, said envelope being generated using a segment of predetermined length extending from said high point to a second point that is on said closed peripheral curve and is moved along the entirety of said closed peripheral curve;

wherein at least two high points overlie said terrain, a link line connects together said two high points, the link line having a predetermined thickness and a link length shorter than said predetermined length;

the method further including adding a secondary volume to said unsafe relief, the secondary volume lying between said link line and an orthogonal projection of said link line onto said unsafe relief in order to optimize said safe relief.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said obstacle is a first upright that is connected to a second upright by a wire, wherein said predetermined length is equal to a maximum allowed length of the wire.

3. The method according claim 1, wherein a secondary database is used that contains only said unsafe relief, and said secondary database is enriched with the help of obstacles detected by obstacle detector means in order to obtain said primary database.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adding a protection volume to the unsafe relief, the protection volume being determined and positioned by an operator in order to optimize said safe relief.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said safe relief is recorded in order to provide a reusable safe database of said terrain that includes wire and non-wire obstacles.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle is a structure for supporting at least one of wiring and cabling above the terrain.

7. A device for making a safe database in order to fly safely at a low altitude in an aircraft, wherein the device comprises:

a primary database including information representing at least an unsafe relief of a terrain for overflying and a position of a high point of a top of an obstacle overlying said unsafe relief, wherein said unsafe relief relates to a surface which represents a ground of the terrain; and

a primary computer for combining a main volume with said unsafe relief, the main volume being defined between a main volume base placed on the unsafe relief and by an envelope, thereby obtaining a safe relief of said terrain for overflying containing at least said unsafe relief and said main volume, said main volume base having an area defined by a closed peripheral curve on said unsafe relief, the closed peripheral curve extending on said unsafe relief around an axis extending in a gravity direction through said high point and said unsafe relief, said envelope being generated by using a segment of a predetermined length extending from said high point to a second point that is on said closed peripheral curve and is moved along the entirety of said closed peripheral curve;

wherein at least two high points overlie said terrain, a link line connects together said two high points, the link line having a predetermined thickness and a link length shorter than said predetermined length;

the primary computer further for adding a secondary volume to said unsafe relief, the secondary volume lying between said link line and an orthogonal projection of said link line onto said unsafe relief in order to optimize said safe relief.

8. The device according to claim 7, comprising:

a secondary database containing solely said unsafe relief;

an active obstacle detector; and

a secondary computer for enriching said secondary database with obstacles detected by the obstacle detector in order to obtain said primary database.

9. The device according to claim 7, including an interface to enable an operator to add a protection volume to the unsafe relief, the protection volume being determined and positioned by said operator in order to optimize said safe relief.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein the obstacle is a structure for supporting at least one of wiring and cabling above the terrain.