The Boeing Company

Francisco A Navarro Felix

Carlos Querejeta Masaveu

Ernesto Valls Hernandez

Michael W Hardt

Andrew Hayes

Javier Lopez Leones

Gary Lee Viviani

Carlos Querejeta

Miguel Angel Vilaplana Ruiz

Eduardo Gallo

Jesús Cuadrado Sánchez

Jesús Cuadrado Sanchez

Jesus Cuadrado Sanchez

Gary Viviani

A system and a method for generating a 3D path from a source to a destination for an aerial vehicle is disclosed. An example system includes a managing unit to select a group of altitude layers including source and destination and generate a 2D horizontal scenario by identifying constraints to avoid at each altitude layer. The example system includes a path computing unit to determine common constraints for the altitude layers of the 2D horizontal scenario and compute a 2D lateral path avoiding the common constraints. The managing unit generates a 2D vertical scenario based on a projection of the previously computed 2D lateral path onto the constraints at the altitude layers. The path computing unit computes a 2D vertical path avoiding constraints of the 2D vertical scenario. The managing unit composes 3D waypoints of a conflict-free 3D path according to the 2D lateral path and 2D vertical path.

Computer-implemented method and a system for generating a 3D path to a landing location for an aerial vehicle

A computer-implemented method and a system for communicating high fidelity (HIFI) trajectory-related information of an aerial vehicle (AV) through standard aircraft trajectory conventions is disclosed. The method includes obtaining, from a first entity, a flight intent containing low fidelity (LOFI) trajectory-related information. The method also includes obtaining intent generation (IG) configuration parameters defining constraints, objectives, or a combination thereof, supplementary to the flight intent, the IG configuration parameters containing HIFI trajectory-related information for closing all degrees of freedom of motion of the AV and configuration. The method includes encoding, using standard aircraft trajectory conventions, the LOFI trajectory-related information from the flight intent and IG configuration parameters as a flight plan and user-defined fields available for information exchange. The method further includes sending, to a second entity, the flight plan and the user-defined fields.

System and method for communicating high fidelity aircraft trajectory-related information through standard aircraft trajectory conventions

Methods and apparatus of tracking moving targets from air vehicles are disclosed. An example system includes an air vehicle including a moving target state estimator to determine at least one of an estimated speed or an estimated location of a moving target, a tracking infrastructure to determine a detectability zone surrounding the moving target based on at least one of the estimated speed or the estimated location of the moving target, and generate a guidance reference to command the air vehicle to move towards a reference location, the reference location based on the estimated location, and a flight control system to cause the air vehicle to follow the moving target outside of the detectability zone based on the guidance reference.

Methods and apparatus of tracking moving targets from air vehicles

Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes one or more processors configured to determine a discrete automaton of a UAV by translating boundary constraint information into linear temporal logic (LTL), determine a maneuver automaton by calculating a set of motion primitives in aircraft intent description language (AIDL), combine the discrete automaton and the maneuver automaton to generate a product automaton corresponding to a motion plan to move the UAV from the first position to a second position different from the first position, determine whether the product automaton satisfies a trajectory specification threshold, produce a second aircraft intent description of the UAV in AIDL representative of second flight plan instructions different from the first flight plan instructions when the product automaton satisfies the trajectory specification threshold, and execute the second flight plan instructions with the UAV to move the UAV to the second position.

Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods

Example air vehicle navigation systems and methods are described herein that utilize a Common Runtime Aircraft Intent Data Structure (CRAIDS). An example method includes determining an initial condition of a flight of an air vehicle, determining a flight constraint, determining, using a common runtime aircraft intent data structure (CRAIDS), an aircraft trajectory based on the initial condition and the flight constraint, and performing the determined aircraft trajectory during the flight of the air vehicle.

Air vehicle navigation systems and methods using a common runtime aircraft intent data structure

Methods and apparatus of tracking moving targets from air vehicles are disclosed. An example method in response to an estimated speed and an estimated location of a moving target, determines a detectability zone surrounding the moving target; and causes an air vehicle to follow the moving target outside of the detectability zone.

Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods are disclosed. An example automated aircraft intent generation method based on specifications expressed in formal languages includes: calculating first motion primitives associated with an aircraft intent description and a position of an aircraft; representing the first motion primitives in a second formal language as second motion primitives; collecting first information associated with at least one of 1) an aircraft performance model, 2) an environmental model, 3) a flight dynamic model, or 4) at least one of the first motion primitives or the second motion primitives; initializing a maneuver automaton based on the first information; collecting second information associated with at least one of: 1) flight plan instructions, 2) user preference indications, or 3) operational context indications; representing the second information as third information in a first formal language; combining the maneuver automaton and the third information to form a product automaton; determining that the product automaton satisfies a trajectory specification threshold; and in response to the product automaton satisfying the trajectory specification threshold, producing a representation of the aircraft intent description in the second formal language.

The present invention provides a computer-implemented method of producing a description of aircraft intent expressed using a formal language. The description may be used to predict aircraft trajectory, for example by air traffic management. Rules are used in association with information provided to generate a set of instructions describing both the aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and the motion of the aircraft. These instructions are checked to ensure that they describe unambiguously the aircraft's trajectory. The instructions are then expressed using a formal language.

Growing community of inventors

Madrid, Spain

Francisco A Navarro Felix