IP Library Granted Patent US 12664901
Granted Patent B2
US 12664901 · App. 18/811,453 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Method and system for simulating an airspace for air traffic management

Inventor: Waseem Naqvi (Marlborough, MA)
Assignee: Raytheon Company
G08G5/56G08G5/22G08G5/55G08G5/57G08G5/59
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12664901
App. No.
18/811,453
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Generally discussed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for simulating an airspace including a method that receives a plurality of flight intent data inputs from a plurality of sources including service suppliers of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM), advanced air mobility (AAM) and conventional air traffic management (ATM). The plurality of flight intent data inputs include, UTM flight intent volumes, UTM flight intent trajectories, conventional flight plans, conventional flight trajectories and an airspace design configuration. The method includes generating a center line route corresponding to each of the plurality of flight intent data inputs; generating a flight volume for each the plurality of flight intent data inputs; generating a four-dimensional trajectory based upon the center line route and the flight volume; and verifying the four-dimensional trajectory against constraints and potential conflicts.

Claims (43)

1 . A method simulating an airspace comprising:

receiving, with an electronically networked system, a plurality of flight intent data inputs from a plurality of sources including service suppliers of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM), advanced air mobility (AAM) and conventional air traffic management (ATM), wherein the plurality of flight intent data inputs include UTM flight intent volumes, UTM flight intent trajectories, conventional flight plans, conventional flight trajectories and an airspace design configuration;

generating, with the electronically networked system, a center line route corresponding to each of the plurality of flight intent data inputs;

generating, with the electronically networked system, a flight volume for each the plurality of flight intent data inputs;

generating, with the electronically networked system, a four-dimensional trajectory based upon the center line route and the flight volume;

verifying, with the electronically networked system, the four-dimensional trajectory against constraints and potential conflicts, wherein the verifying the four-dimensional trajectory includes simultaneously simulating all of the plurality of flight intent data inputs as a plurality of four-dimensional trajectories;

issuing an alert to one or more of the service suppliers if the one or more of the plurality of flight intent data inputs has been disapproved;

regenerating, with the electronically networked system, a second four-dimensional trajectory using a revised center line route and revised flight volume; and

reverifying, with the electronically networked system, the second four-dimensional trajectory against constraints and potential conflicts.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the airspace design configuration includes airspace classes and airway corridors.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the constraints include aircraft-based constraints based upon an airline procedure model and an aircraft performance model.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the aircraft performance model includes aircraft characteristics including drag, lift, weight, thrust, fuel consumption, motion data and operation data including a phase of flight.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the constraints include geographic flight restrictions, temporary flight restrictions and weather conditions.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the verifying the four-dimensional trajectory includes evaluating the plurality of flight intent data inputs for the potential conflicts or violation of one or more constraints and further comprising notifying one or more of the service suppliers if one or more of the plurality of flight intent data inputs has been approved or disapproved based upon the potential conflicts or a violation of one or more of the constraints.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, with the electronically networked system, data including sensor data and aircraft telemetry data with the plurality of flight intent data inputs.

8 . A method simulating an airspace comprising:

receiving, with an electronically networked system, a plurality of flight intent data inputs from a plurality of sources including service suppliers of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM), advanced air mobility (AAM) and conventional air traffic management (ATM), wherein the plurality of flight intent data inputs include UTM flight intent volumes, UTM flight intent trajectories, conventional flight plans, conventional flight trajectories and an airspace design configuration, wherein the airspace design configuration includes airspace classes and airway corridors;

generating, with the electronically networked system, a center line route corresponding to each of the plurality of flight intent data inputs;

generating, with the electronically networked system, a flight volume for each the plurality of flight intent data inputs;

generating, with the electronically networked system, a four-dimensional trajectory based upon the center line route and the flight volume; and

verifying, with the electronically networked system, the four-dimensional trajectory against constraints and potential conflicts, wherein the constraints include aircraft-based constraints based upon an airline procedure model and an aircraft performance model, wherein the constraints include geographic flight restrictions, temporary flight restrictions and weather conditions, wherein the aircraft performance model includes aircraft characteristics including drag, lift, weight, thrust, fuel consumption, motion data and operation data including a phase of flight;

wherein the verifying the four-dimensional trajectory includes simultaneously simulating all of the plurality of flight intent data inputs as a plurality of four-dimensional trajectories;

wherein the verifying the four-dimensional trajectory includes evaluating the plurality of flight intent data inputs for the potential conflicts or violation of one or more constraints and further comprising notifying one or more of the service suppliers if one or more of the plurality of flight intent data inputs has been approved or disapproved based upon the potential conflicts or a violation of one or more of the constraints;

issuing an alert to one or more of the service suppliers if the one or more of the plurality of flight intent data inputs has been disapproved;

regenerating, with the electronically networked system, a second four-dimensional trajectory using a revised center line route and revised flight volume; and

reverifying, with the electronically networked system, the second four-dimensional trajectory against constraints and potential conflicts.

9 . An electronically networked system for simulating an airspace comprising:

processing circuitry; and

a memory that includes instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to:

receive a plurality of flight intent data inputs from a plurality of sources including service suppliers of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM), advanced air mobility (AAM) and conventional air traffic management (ATM), wherein the plurality of flight intent data inputs include UTM flight intent volumes, UTM flight intent trajectories, conventional flight plans, conventional flight trajectories and an airspace design configuration;

generate at least one four-dimensional trajectory by determining at least one center line route and determining at least one flight volume derived from at least one of the plurality of flight intent data inputs;

evaluate the at least one four-dimensional trajectory against constraints and potential conflicts, wherein to evaluate the at least one four-dimensional trajectory includes simultaneously simulating all of the plurality of flight intent data inputs as a plurality of four-dimensional trajectories; and

notify one or more of the service suppliers if the at least one of the plurality of flight intent data inputs has been approved or disapproved based upon a potential conflict or a violation of one or more of the constraints;

wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to:

issue an alert to one or more of the service suppliers if at least one of the plurality of flight intent data inputs has been disapproved;

regenerate a second four-dimensional trajectory with revised center line route and revised flight volume; and

reverify the second four-dimensional trajectory against constraints and potential conflicts.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the airspace design configuration includes airspace classes and airway corridors.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the constraints include aircraft-based constraints based upon an airline procedure model and an aircraft performance model.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the aircraft performance model includes aircraft characteristics including drag, lift, weight, thrust, fuel consumption, motion data and operation data including a phase of flight.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the constraints include geographic flight restrictions, temporary flight restrictions and weather conditions.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to:

receive data including sensor data and aircraft telemetry data with the plurality of flight intent data inputs.