Evaluating sensor technology for UAS collision avoidance

The problem of "sense-and-avoid" for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is genuinely multi-dimensional: there is a wide range of UAS sizes, speeds, and maneuverability, as well as missions for which these UAS will be used. There are also a variety of sensors that might be used for sense-and-avoid, which have widely varying capabilities to measure distance or angle to an obstacle, as well as closing rate, and time to collision. Most sensors are not able to provide all required information about the geometry of an encounter; therefore, using a combination of sensors offers one possible solution. We are investigating the concept that there may be a variety of possible sensor solutions for each distinct UAS capability or mission. By studying the breadth of UAS types and missions, and selectively testing certain sensors in the field, we are evaluating the limits to the capabilities of sensors and sensor combinations. This report is on the progress of this multi-dimensional evaluation. We have scoped the dimensions for evaluating UAS capabilities and the capabilities of sensors. We are experimentally evaluating sensor parameters on a variety of aircraft to validate the specified capabilities. This reports on our methodology for field evaluation of sensor technology and the lessons learned on evaluation platforms and capabilities.     

Mars navigation system utilizes GPS

Tasks envisioned for future generation Mars rovers - sample collection, area survey, resource mining, habitat construction, etc. - will require greatly enhanced navigational capabilities over those possessed by the Mars Sojourner rover. Many of these tasks will involve cooperative efforts by multiple rovers and other agents, adding further requirements both for accuracy and commonality between users. This paper presents a new navigation system a "Self-Calibrating Pseudolite Array" (SCPA) that can provide centimeter-level, drift-free localization to multiple rovers within a local area by utilizing GPS-based transceivers deployed in a ground-based array. Such a system of localized beacons can replace or augment a system based on orbiting satellite transmitters, and is capable of fully autonomous operations and calibration. This paper describes the prototype SCPA developed at Stanford to demonstrate these capabilities and then presents results from a set of field trials performed at NASA Ames Research Center. These experiments, which utilize the K9 Mars rover research platform, validate both the navigation and self-calibration capabilities of the system. By carrying an on-board GPS transceiver, K9 was successfully able to calibrate the system using no a priori position information and localized the pseudolite beacons to under 5 cm RMS.     

Aging avionics: the problems and the challenges

Aging avionics have become a problem because aircraft are being kept in service far longer than the original plan. This paper discusses the four key problems of aging avionics: (1) determining the systems that are the high cost drivers in order to select those that should receive priority; (2) determining the requirements for the replacement; (3) identifying alternative technologies that will satisfy the requirements and are affordable; and (4) determining the funding required and acquiring the funding needed to replace the aging avionics. Challenges encountered in solving these problems include management and technical. The problem of aging avionics is not limited to a single aircraft, but occurs across all aircraft. Cost-effective modernization requires cutting horizontally across all aging aircraft, and coordination with the end users and the existing management structure. A key technical challenge is to select an architecture that is upgradeable since the funding limitations may ensure parts will become obsolete prior to the completion of a drawn-out production.     

Safe Flight 21: ground broadcast service system

The FAA-initiated Safe Flight 21 program is a cooperative government/industry effort to evaluate enhanced aerodome and aircraft capabilities based on evolving communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) technologies. Safe Flight 21 will demonstrate the in-cockpit display of traffic, weather, terrain, and obstacle information for pilots and will provide improved information to controllers. The Ground Broadcast Service (GBS) System will act as the main communication service between the Safe Flight 21 sensors and both the avionic and ground vehicle users. The data, collected and processed by multiple sensors, is routed to the GBS System for formatting, broadcast timing coordination, filtering, and transmission to the end-users. This paper provides an overview of the GBS System as part of the FAA Safe Flight 21 program. It also presents the GBS System's complete functional requirements as well as user interface formats and protocols necessary for compliance with the Safe Flight 21 Program architecture.     

多传感器信息融合技术在现代战机设计中的应用

基于综合航电系统设计中的关键技术———信息融合 ,介绍了信息融合的概念、目标跟踪的算法及传感器的管理 ,以此说明现代作战飞机应用信息融合技术可增强作战平台在恶劣战场环境下的生存能力     

Small UAV Automation Using MEMS

This paper presents a framework for the automation of a small UAV using a low cost sensor suite, MNAV, and an embedded computing platform, Stargate, which together provide a complete avionics package for aerial robotic applications. In order to provide a complete INS solution (i.e., attitude, velocity, position, and biases), an extended Kalman filter algorithm is developed and implemented in real-time. A devised control strategy utilizes multiple PID loops with a hierarchy enabling simple attitude stabilization to full waypoint navigation. The developed ground station unit, a laptop computer, communicates with the avionics package via 802.11b WiFi, displays the aircraft critical information, provides in-flight PID gain tunings, and uploads waypoints through a simple GUI. The system is installed in an off-the-shelf delta-wing R/C aircraft and demonstrates its performance for aerial robotic applications     

General aviation aircraft avionics: integration & system tests

The avionics of current-day aircraft is termed as modular integrated full glass cockpit. Unlike lots of dials and gauges, the pilot will interact with Multi-Function Displays (MYD). This means that the systems are coupled with multi-function displays, communication and navigation radios with control units, multi-mode interactive instruments for control and navigation, recording and fault management systems, airframes and health monitoring diagnostic capabilities. Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI) is an important measure of good avionics and cockpit layout, which implies the optimization of man-machine interface, enhancement of the economy, and safety of flight operations. This presents the avionics architecture of a 14-seat Light Transport Aircraft (LTA) for general aviation, which has multi-role commuter capabilities. LTA is a twin turbo-prop, multi-role aircraft, with air taxi and commuter services as its primary roles. The avionics is built on the digital communication mode for both command and control with current requirements of TCAS, digital Autopilot, and AMLCD multi-purpose glass displays. The LTA Avionics suite is grouped into six major groups based on functionality: Display System, Communication System, Navigation System, Recording System, Radar System, and Engine instruments and other cockpit displays. This paper also covers details about the extensive tests carried out to prove the avionics design in terms of functionality, inter-operability, interference, and compatibility. Various practical integration and flight-test issues, methodologies, and details of the scenarios is presented herein.     

Reconfigurable flight control via multiple model adaptive controlmethods

An aircraft flight control system with reconfigurable capabilities is considered. A multiple model adaptive controller (MMAC) is shown to provide effective reconfigurability when subjected to single and double failures of sensors and/or actuators. A command generator tracker/proportional-plus-integral/Kalman filter (CGT/PI/KF) form of controller was chosen for each of the elemental controllers within the MMAC algorithm and each was designed via LQG synthesis to provide desirable vehicle behavior for a particular failure status of sensors and actuators. The MMAC performance is enhanced by an alternate computation of the MMAC hypothesis probabilities, use of maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) versus Bayesian form of the MAC (or a modified combination of both), and reduction of identification ambiguities through scalar residual monitoring for the case of sensor failures     

Aircraft health management network: A user interface

Network management is one of the most discussed topics in the networking fraternity. The efficiency of the network management suit is measured by the number of parameters/components handled by the application while making decisions. In the case of internet-enabled aircrafts, along with network security, even aircraft safety needs to be considered as a factor while designing the Network Management suit. This requires the Network Management suit to monitor/analyze the aircraft-related data (avionics data, physical security parameters, etc.) while determining the proper functioning of the overall system. Herein, these authors present a framework for Network Management suit that, along with network health, monitors inputs from avionics, video surveillance system, weather monitoring system, and manual pilot alarms, and based on the situation, reconfigures the on-board networking devices to stream appropriate flight-critical data to the ground station. The proposed framework attempts to provide a comprehensive user interface for the flight health monitoring crew with all relevant data.     

基于增强现实技术的飞行视景系统

提出一种基于增强现实技术的新型飞行视景系统。该系统利用机载图像设备及飞机位姿传感器，计算飞机获得的真实空间兴趣点的三维信息，并据此实时叠加相应的可视化信息，最终形成虚实融合的图像显示在飞机的显示设备中，便于飞行员能同时感知飞机外部的真实环境和相应位置上的关键信息。这套系统具有数据量小、显示直观的特点，能为飞行员提供更加有效的信息，具有广阔的应用前景。     

Ultra-reliable real-time control systems-future trends

Today's aircraft use ultra-reliable real-time controls for demanding functions such as Fly-By-Wire (FBW) flight control. Future aircraft, spacecraft and other vehicles will require greater use of these types of controls for functions that currently are allowed to fail, fail to degraded operation, or require human intervention in response to failure. Fully automated and autonomous functions will require ultra-reliable control. But ultra-reliable systems are very expensive to design and require large amounts of on-board equipment. This paper will discuss how the use of low-cost sensors with digital outputs, digitally commanded fault-tolerant actuation devices and interconnecting networks of low-cost data buses offer the promise of more affordable ultra-reliable systems. Specific technologies and concepts to be discussed include low-cost automotive and industrial data buses, “smart” actuation devices with integral fault masking capabilities, management of redundant sensors, and the fault detection and diagnosis of the data network. The advantages of integrating the control and distribution of electrical power with the control system will be illustrated. The design, installation, and upgrade flexibility benefits provided by an all-digital and shared network approach will be presented. The economic benefits of systems that can operate following failure and without immediate repair will be reviewed. The inherent ability of these redundant systems to provide effective built-in test and self-diagnostics capabilities will be described. The challenges associated with developing ultra-reliable software for these systems and the difficulties associated with exhaustive verification testing will be presented as will additional development hurdles that must be overcome     

Firewire in modern integrated military avionics

High performance communications, navigation, and identification (CNI) functions on modern military aircraft are increasingly required for mission readiness. The operation of simultaneous waveforms through an integrated avionics rack of shared resources becomes a test in moving data rapidly from one signal processing stage to the next. The IEEE 1394, or Firewire, is a commercial high bandwidth bus whose 64-bit addressing and maximum 400 Mbits/second throughput satisfies this demanding military avionics interconnect need. The challenge in applying this commercial product to integrated avionics is the requirement to seamlessly add message priority encoding. By having message priorities, the slower strategic communications links will not impair the performance of higher data rate tactical communications, thereby avoiding potentially life-threatening bottlenecks. The flight environment imposes additional challenges to ruggedize the cabling between integrated avionics racks and to utilize the full capabilities of the Firewire bus. A discussion of the physical, data link, network, and transport layers, as used in avionics applications will be done. Additionally, the versatility of 1394 in military avionics with its variable channel sizes, bandwidth on demand, hierarchical addressing, and upgrade to 800 and 1600 Mbps with a 64-bit wide data path, is emphasized. Finally, system maintenance advantages of 1394's hot pluggable features are discussed, with an eye toward cost reduction on the flight line and total operational time of the aircraft avionics systems     

航空发动机在线综合诊断结构设计及仿真验证

随着机载航空电子设备的快速发展,使得传统地面系统承担的发动机诊断任务可以在线实现。实时数据的使用,可以在线监测发动机性能退化,减少故障检测和隔离的潜伏期,增加间歇性故障的检测率。为此,提出并设计了一种用于航空发动机气路故障检测和隔离、健康监测及参数估计的在线综合诊断结构。基于xPC Target 原理搭建了硬件实时仿真平台,对该结构进行了仿真验证。仿真结果表明,该结构中的机载自适应模型对发动机健康参数、可测参数和不可测参数的估计误差在0.5%以内;气路故障诊断系统采用实时数据,可以更早地检测和隔离包含间歇性故障在内的各种气路故障。     

飞机着陆时的容错导航

研究了飞机在微波着陆环境中的传感器容错系统。该系统的主要目的是检测辅助导航设备和机载传感器的故障,并在这些传感器可能发生故障时提供可靠的飞机状态估计值。自动导航和控制系统利用这些状态估计控制和引导飞机按预定路线降落。     

Analysis of towed decoys

Recent advances in RF missile systems have reduced the effectiveness of conventional on-board electronic countermeasures (ECM) to defend friendly aircraft. To provide the much needed defense, off-board ECM techniques are being developed. The effectiveness of off-board RF ECM is analyzed, and specific observations are made about the effectiveness of such ECM when used to defend friendly aircraft     

Architectures and GPS/INS integration: impact on missionaccomplishment

The GPS (Global Positioning System) signal contains information which, when properly combined with information from INS and other sensors, provides exceptionally high accuracy position, velocity, attitude, and time measurements. These ten elements of information (three each in position, velocity, and attitude, and one in time) are common, in various combinations, to most avionics functions. When viewed from a system perspective, this high-precision information can be thought of as an integration basis, or a reference set, which offers opportunities for reconfiguration of the offensive, defensive, communication, navigation, and other sensors. Various integration architectures for fusion of these sensors can inherently enhance, enable, or severely limit these potential mission capabilities. The choice of integration architecture, can directly and profoundly affect performance, cost of integration, cost of ownership, and exploitation of much greater mission capability. This is illustrated by an example     

The Flight 2000 avionics suite: paving the way to free flight

The FAA's Flight 2000 project is an innovative initiative to implement and validate selected operational improvements leading to Free Flight. It integrates new avionics, new ground systems, new procedures, avionics certification, and operational approval. Approximately 2000 aircraft operating in Alaska, Hawaii, and Oceanic airspace will be equipped with new capabilities enabling benefits such as improved situational awareness, increased flexibility, and efficiency gains. By developing and fielding these operational improvements, the actual benefits of new procedures and capabilities will be validated and risks associated with national implementation will be reduced     

飞机综合航电系统总体设计综合评估方法

 航空电子系统的费用 效能是飞机总体系统效能的重要组成部分,也是降低飞机寿命周期费用的关键之一。在航空电子系统的总体设计阶段,传统的系统评估和优化方法主要针对的是独立子系统/设备的费用或效能指标。综合航电系统设计方案的费用 效能重要指标包括：可支付性、构型能力、任务能力、可靠性、维修性、测试性和技术风险,以组合的方式获得了相应的综合评估准则,给出了计算公式。以某新研航电系统作为实例演示了综合评估方法的实施情况,演示的重点集中于总体设计方案的可视化量化评估分析。该综合评估方法已显示出其在实际工程设计中的可行性和应用价值。     

机载电子对抗系统效率分析

随着电子对抗的发展,机载电子对抗系统的效率评价成为人们越来越关注的问题。本文首先分析了评价效率的重要性,进而运用运筹学的方法进行了分析和计算。也就是用排队论的有关方法解算了载机的突防概率和生存概率;用博奕论的方法分析了电子对抗运用手段对系统效率的影响。最后,通过对一次电子对抗实战情况的分析,提出了载机利用系数的计算方法。     

航空装备的完整性

 简述完整性概念在航空装备上的应用情况,提出了航空装备完整性概念,并简介了航空装备的完整性原理,