TRAFFIC PATTERN CONTROL OF UAVS AND AUTOMATED DOWNWIND EXTENSIONS

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . An aircraft landing pattern control system configured to allow a user to modify a landing pattern of an aircraft through a graphical user interface, the aircraft landing pattern control system comprising:

a user interface module configured to display a graphical user interface on an operator device during a mission, wherein the graphical user interface comprises:

one or more waypoints, wherein the one or more waypoints include a landing waypoint;

one or more flight legs, wherein the one or more flight legs include a downwind leg; and

one or more flight maneuver buttons, wherein each of the one or more flight maneuver buttons corresponds to a predefined flight maneuver, and wherein a selection, by the user, of a first flight maneuver button triggers a request, transmitted to the aircraft, to perform a first predefined flight maneuver comprising a downwind extension flight maneuver; and

a flight management system, operating on the aircraft, configured to:

receive a first request via the user interface module;

update the mission based on the first request;

generate one or more autopilot commands corresponding to the updated mission; and

control the aircraft based on the one or more autopilot commands.

22 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 21 , wherein the first request corresponds to a request to perform the first predefined flight maneuver, and wherein updating of the mission is based on the first predefined flight maneuver.

23 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 22 , wherein the one or more waypoints further include a base waypoint, and wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the first flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection and a number of times a first flight maneuver has been performed by the aircraft;

move the base waypoint and final leg waypoint to updated positions based on the updated mission; and

redraw the downwind leg, base leg, and final leg based on the updated positions of the base waypoint and final leg waypoint.

24 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 23 , wherein the one or more waypoints further include a final leg waypoint associated with a final leg on a runway heading, and wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

modifying the base waypoint and the final leg waypoint, wherein the modifying comprises:

moving the base waypoint and final leg waypoint by a first predetermined distance (Pd) in a direction opposite the runway heading;

increasing the final leg waypoint's altitude by the equation tangent (3 degrees)*Pd, up to a predetermined traffic pattern altitude limit, to generate a new final leg waypoint altitude; and

increasing a base waypoint's altitude to the new final leg waypoint altitude if the new final leg waypoint altitude is higher; and

interpolating altitude from the aircraft to a modified base waypoint and from the modified base waypoint to a modified final leg waypoint.

25 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 22 , wherein second flight maneuver button selection corresponds to a turn-base maneuver; and

wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the second flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection by the user;

move the base waypoint and final leg waypoint to updated positions based on the updated mission; and

redraw the downwind leg, base leg, and final leg based on the updated positions of the base waypoint and final leg waypoint.

26 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 25 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

modifying the base waypoint and the final leg waypoint, wherein the modifying comprises:

moving the base waypoint to a position that is a second predetermined distance in front of the aircraft, to generate a new base waypoint position; and

moving the final leg waypoint to a position that is directly across from the new base waypoint position in a direction perpendicular to the runway heading and at an altitude that keeps it on a 3 degree glideslope relative to the final leg waypoint before being moved.

27 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 22 , wherein a second flight maneuver button selection corresponds to a 360 degree maneuver; and

wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the second flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection by the user;

display a button configured to generate a request to cancel the 360 degree maneuver; and

display a circular flight path corresponding to the 360 degree maneuver.

28 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 27 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

calculating a first point at a third predetermined distance from the aircraft, wherein the first point is perpendicular to a leg being traveled; and

generating a circular flight path centered at the first point, wherein a radius of the circular flight path is determined based on true airspeed of the aircraft and a nominal banking angle.

29 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 28 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises adjusting the flight path to perform a climb during the 360 degree maneuver.

30 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 28 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises adjusting the flight path to descend a predetermined amount during the 360 degree maneuver.

31 . A computer implemented method for modifying a landing pattern of an aircraft through a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying, by a user interface module, a graphical user interface on an operator device during a mission, wherein the graphical user interface comprises:

one or more waypoints, wherein the one or more waypoints include a landing waypoint;

one or more flight legs, wherein the one or more flight legs include a downwind leg; and

one or more flight maneuver buttons, wherein each of the one or more flight maneuver buttons corresponds to a predefined flight maneuver, and wherein a selection, by the user, of a first flight maneuver button triggers a request, transmitted to the aircraft, to perform a first predefined flight maneuver comprising a downwind extension flight maneuver;

receiving a first request via the user interface module;

updating the mission based on the first request;

generating one or more autopilot commands corresponding to the updated mission; and

controlling the aircraft based on the one or more autopilot commands.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the first request corresponds to a request to perform the first predefined flight maneuver, and wherein updating of the mission is based on the first predefined flight maneuver.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the one or more waypoints further include a base waypoint, and wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the first flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection and a number of times a first flight maneuver has been performed by the aircraft;

move the base waypoint and final leg waypoint to updated positions based on the updated mission; and

redraw the downwind leg, base leg, and final leg based on the updated positions of the base waypoint and final leg waypoint.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the one or more waypoints further include a final leg waypoint associated with a final leg on a runway heading, and wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

modifying the base waypoint and the final leg waypoint, wherein the modifying comprises:

moving the base waypoint and final leg waypoint by a first predetermined distance (Pd) in a direction opposite the runway heading;

increasing the final leg waypoint's altitude by the equation tangent (3 degrees)*Pd, up to a predetermined traffic pattern altitude limit, to generate a new final leg waypoint altitude; and

increasing a base waypoint's altitude to the new final leg waypoint altitude if the new final leg waypoint altitude is higher; and

interpolating altitude from the aircraft to a modified base waypoint and from the modified base waypoint to a modified final leg waypoint.

35 . The method of claim 32 , wherein a second flight maneuver button selection corresponds to a turn-base maneuver; and

wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the second flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection by the user;

move the base waypoint and final leg waypoint to updated positions based on the updated mission; and

redraw the downwind leg, base leg, and final leg based on the updated positions of the base waypoint and final leg waypoint.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

modifying the base waypoint and the final leg waypoint, wherein the modifying comprises:

moving the base waypoint to a position that is a second predetermined distance in front of the aircraft, to generate a new base waypoint position; and

moving the final leg waypoint to a position that is directly across from the new base waypoint position in a direction perpendicular to the runway heading and at an altitude that keeps it on a 3 degree glideslope relative to the final leg waypoint before being moved.

37 . The method of claim 32 , wherein a second flight maneuver button selection corresponds to a 360 degree maneuver; and

wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the second flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection by the user;

display a button configured to generate a request to cancel the 360 degree maneuver; and

display a circular flight path corresponding to the 360 degree maneuver.

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

calculating a first point at a third predetermined distance from the aircraft, wherein the first point is perpendicular to a leg being traveled; and

generate a circular flight path centered at the first point, wherein a radius of the circular flight path is determined based on true airspeed of the aircraft and a nominal banking angle.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises adjusting the flight path to perform a climb during the 360 degree maneuver.

40 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises adjusting the flight path to descend a predetermined amount during the 360 degree maneuver.