SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING AN AIRCRAFT TRAJECTORY

摘要

Systems and methods of the present invention are provided to generate a plurality of flight trajectories that do not conflict with other aircraft in a local area. Interventions by an air traffic control system help prevent collisions between aircraft, but these interventions can also cause an aircraft to substantially deviate from the pilot's intended flight trajectory, which burns fuels, wastes time, etc. Systems and methods of the present invention can assign a standard avoidance interval to other aircraft in the area such that a pilot's aircraft does not receive an intervention by an air traffic control system. Systems and methods of the present invention also generate a plurality of conflict-free flight trajectories such that a pilot or an automated system may select the most desirable flight trajectory for fuel efficiency, speed, and other operational considerations, etc.

主权项

1. A method for automatically determining a plurality of conflict-free flight trajectories for a first aircraft, comprising:
providing a traffic avoidance spacing system having at least one electronic device to process instructions for determining a plurality of flight trajectories and providing a flight management system; providing information regarding a first aircraft moving in space according to a first state vector; providing information regarding a second aircraft moving in space according to a second state vector, said second aircraft having a standard avoidance interval extending in at least one direction from said second aircraft; providing sector loading information regarding a number of aircraft in an air traffic control sector; determining, by said at least one electronic device, a first flight trajectory for said first aircraft based on said first state vector of said first aircraft and based on said sector loading information; comparing, by said at least one electronic device, said first flight trajectory to said second state vector of said second aircraft to determine a miss distance between said first aircraft and said second aircraft; comparing, by said at least one electronic device, said miss distance to said standard avoidance interval of said second aircraft to confirm that said miss distance is greater than said standard avoidance interval; determining, by said at least one electronic device, a second flight trajectory for said first aircraft based on said first state vector of said first aircraft and based on said sector loading information, said second flight trajectory being distinct from said first flight trajectory; and receiving and executing, by said flight management system, one of said first and second flight trajectories so that said first aircraft travels on a conflict-free flight trajectory.