Airport surface collision-avoidance system (ASCAS)
Systems and methods for performing airport surface collision-avoidance. A wingtip-mounted camera allows the pilot to positively ascertain that the wingtip will clear objects located in the video. An exemplary system implemented on an aircraft includes a wingtip module having a camera that generates a video stream and a communication device that transmits the generated video stream. A processor receives the video stream and generates a reticule for the video stream. A display device simultaneously presents the video stream and the reticule. The reticule includes a horizon line and is based on a focal length of a lens of the camera and height of the camera above ground. The reticule includes curved and/or straight distance lines and curved or straight travel lines. The travel line(s) correspond to at least one aircraft component or a zone of importance and are based on location of the camera and trajectory of the aircraft.
1. A system comprising:
at least one wingtip module configured to be mounted on a wing of an aircraft, the wingtip module comprising:
at least one camera configured to generate a video stream; and
a communication device configured to receive and transmit the generated video stream;
a processor configured to:
receive the video stream from the communication device, and
generate a reticule for the video stream, wherein the reticule provides a reference for determining a location of a wingtip of the wing relative to obstacles visible in the video stream; and
a display device configured to simultaneously present the video stream and the reticule.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor generates the reticule based on a focal length of a lens of the camera.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor generates the reticule further based on the height of the camera above the ground.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the reticule comprises a horizon line.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wingtip module comprises at least one of a navigation or collision light.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wingtip module further comprises an eye-safe laser configured to generate an eye-safe laser beam, and wherein the eye-safe laser directs the laser beam in a direction approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of a fuselage of the aircraft.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reticule comprises at least one of curved or straight distance lines.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reticule comprises at least one travel line, wherein the at least one travel line corresponds to at least one aircraft component.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an aircraft system configured to identify trajectory of the aircraft, wherein the processor is further configured to generate at least a portion of the reticule, based on the location of the camera and the identified trajectory.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the reticule based on a ground speed and a heading of the aircraft.
11. A method comprising:
generating, by a camera located in a wingtip module located at least near a wingtip of an aircraft, a video stream directed along a forward motion of travel of the aircraft;
wirelessly transmitting, by a communication device located in the wingtip module, the generated video stream;
receiving, by a processor, the video stream from the communication device; and
generating, by the processor, a reticule for the video stream, wherein the reticule provide a reference for determining a location of the wingtip relative to obstacles visible in the video stream; and
at a display device, simultaneously presenting the video stream and the reticule.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the reticule comprises generating the reticule based on a focal length of a lens of the camera.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein generating the reticule further comprises generating the reticule based on the height of the camera above the ground.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reticule comprises a horizon line.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing, by at least one of a navigation or collision light included in the wingtip module, an illumination.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating, by an eye-safe laser included in the wingtip module, an eye-safe laser beam that is directed in a direction approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of a fuselage of the aircraft.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reticule comprises at least one of curved or straight distance lines.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reticule comprises at least one travel line, wherein the at least one travel line corresponds to at least one aircraft component.
19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining, by an aircraft system, a trajectory of the aircraft, wherein generating the reticule comprises generating at least a portion of the reticule based on the location of the camera and the identified trajectory.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the reticule for the video stream comprises generating, by the processor, the reticule based on a ground speed and a heading of the aircraft.