Roke Manor Research Limited

Timothy John Spriggs

Richard John Evans

Bryan Stephen Rickett

Andrew David Chadwick

A device for detection of undesired objects on surfaces, for example airport runways co-ordinates sensed data from a plurality of sensor units. With radar sensors, synthetic aperture radar processing is found to be advantageous. A vehicle which is configured with a plurality of sensors may be either remotely controlled or autonomous. It may also be provided with communication equipment and debris retrieval apparatus and that includes both mobile sensing devices and fixed installations. A suitable mobile sensing device and a method for operating the debris detection system are also provided.

Detection of undesired objects on surfaces

A method for operating an autonomous vehicle at an airport comprises the steps of: receiving a set of general purpose navigation signals; receiving a supplementary set of navigation signals; receiving constraint data representing a permitted area of operation; calculating a present position of the vehicle; comparing the calculated present position of the vehicle with the constraint data, thereby to determine whether the vehicle's present position lies within the permitted area; and producing a signal indicative of the result of said comparing step. The autonomous vehicle for use at an airport, comprising: a navigation processor for calculating a present position of the vehicle; a constraint store for storing constraint data indicating a permitted area of operation; navigation receivers for receiving general purpose navigation signals and supplementary navigation signals, for guiding aircraft to land at the airport; and a comparator for comparing the constraint data with the present position.

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Hampshire, United Kingdom

Timothy John Spriggs