Method and device for aircraft, for avoiding collision with the terrain

• US 8,897,935 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Meunier, Hugues, Marty, Nicolas, Percier, Julia
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Darby, Kelly E
• Application Number:
  US12/440,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,645 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701 8- 10, 701 16- 17, 701/301, 340947-948, 340/951, 340/954, 340960-961, 340/967, 340/976, 340/979, 342/29, 342/36, 342/65, 342/455
• US Class Current: 701/9
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0607 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a system for preventing collisions with a terrain. The system includes a detecting means for detecting risks of collision with the terrain after a predetermined forecasting delay. The system further includes a determining means for determining, based on a trajectory followed by the aircraft, a possible limit point for success of the vertical terrain avoidance maneuver. The system further includes indication means for giving indications on azimuth clearance sections, around the direction in which the aircraft is moving, suitable for success of the vertical terrain avoidance maneuver. The system further includes means for estimating a free-travel distance in each azimuth clearance sector on a straight distancing trajectory with constant gradient and over a distance correspond to more than one minute of flight, the free-travel distance being free of potential conflicts with the terrain. The system further includes means for signaling azimuth clearance sections and free-travel distances.

Claims

1. A system for preventing collisions with a terrain comprising:

a detecting unit configured for detecting risks of collision with the terrain after a predetermined forecasting delay, the risks of collision being located in a protection volume linked to an aircraft and located relative to the terrain being flown over by means of an onboard locating equipment item, the detecting unit being oriented in a direction in which the aircraft is moving and configured in such a way as to model a vertical terrain avoidance maneuver trajectory undertaken over the forecasting delay from the trajectory followed by the aircraft predicted from flight information delivered by flight equipment of the aircraft,

a determining unit configured for determining, based on a trajectory followed by the aircraft, a possible limit point for success of the vertical terrain avoidance maneuver, said trajectory being predefined as a function of the type of the aircraft, and

an indications unit configured for giving indications on azimuth clearance sectors, around the direction in which the aircraft is moving, suitable for of the vertical terrain avoidance maneuver, the indication unit linked to the aircraft and configured in such a way as to contain a limit point protection volume and, for different azimuths covered, trajectories of a compound maneuver beginning with change-of-heading maneuvers making it possible to reach an azimuth and continuing with the vertical terrain avoidance maneuver,

an estimating unit configured for estimating a free-travel distance in each azimuth clearance sector on a straight distancing trajectory with constant gradient and over a distance corresponding to more than one minute of flight, the free-travel distance being free of potential conflicts with the terrain, and

a signaling device configured for signaling azimuth clearance sectors and free-travel distances.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for estimating free-travel distance determine, on the distancing trajectories, possible limit points for success of the vertical avoidance maneuver marking the limit of a free-travel distance.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the estimating unit is configured to determine, on the distancing trajectory, points of initiation of a vertical avoidance maneuver having an arbitrary slope less than a slope of the vertical avoidance maneuver, said points of initiation being taken as a limit of an immediate free-travel distance.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distancing trajectory is a horizontal straight trajectory.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distancing trajectory is a straight trajectory reproducing a slope of a current trajectory of the aircraft.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distancing trajectory is a climbing straight trajectory.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compound maneuver used to generate the protection volume for the determination of the clearance sectors begins with a change-of-heading maneuver including a turn in a horizontal plane.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compound maneuver used to generate the protection volume for the determination of the clearance sectors begins with a change-of-heading maneuver including in a climbing turn.

9. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vertical avoidance maneuver has a trajectory predefined as a function of a type of the aircraft including current climb capabilities.

10. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vertical avoidance maneuver has a trajectory predefined as a function of a type of the aircraft including a current configuration.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a selecting unit configured for selecting at least one compound terrain avoidance maneuver for minimizing a change of route and conflicts with the terrain is approximately 20 seconds of flight time from a current position of the aircraft.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising means for displaying the selected compound maneuver or maneuvers.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising means for guiding the crew of the aircraft in the execution of a compound terrain avoidance maneuver.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising means for automatically executing a compound terrain avoidance maneuver acting directly on the flight equipment of the aircraft.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a warning unit configured for warning of the risk of collision in a medium term with the terrain, likening a collision with the terrain to the penetration of the terrain into a warning protection volume linked to the aircraft that models a predefined vertical avoidance maneuver trajectory undertaken in the medium term, wherein the medium term is approximately 20 seconds of flight time.

16. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a short-term terrain collision risk alarm unit configured for likening a collision in a short term with the terrain to the penetration of the terrain into an alarm protection volume linked to the aircraft that models a predefined standard vertical avoidance maneuver undertaken in the short term, wherein the short term is between about 5 seconds and 8 seconds of flight time.

17. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a medium- and short-term terrain collision risk warning and alarm unit configured for implementing a protection volume for the determination of the clearance sectors and of the warning and alarm protection volumes modeling predefined avoidance maneuver trajectories of different types, the predefined trajectory modeled in the protection volume for the determination of the clearance sectors having a climb slope greater than the predefined avoidance maneuver trajectories modeled in the warning and alarm protection volumes.