Autonomous Helicopter Sensor-Display System for Brown-out Landing Conditions

Technest Holdings Inc. proposes to develop an autonomous 3D terrain modeling sensor-display system called 3D-Nav for helicopter landings under brownout conditions. 3D-Nav is a complete and integrated hardware and software system based on an innovative GPS/INS aided 3D reconstruction algorithm and our miniature high performance and low power consumption DSP/FPGA based SOS hardware. To ensure safe landings under brownout conditions, the 3D-Nav algorithm conducts accurate 3D terrain modeling before the brownout occurs. The 3D-Nav algorithm intelligently fuses the passive imagery data with the GPS/INS data, generates 3D terrain models, and identifies dangerous 3D terrain features. During the brownout landing process, the 3D-Nav system automatically displays and update the 3D terrain model in real time with the help of the GPS/INS information and generates the navigation control signals to guide the aircraft to avoid obstacles and rollovers. The novel 3D-Nav design proposed herein leverages Technest’s extensive expertise and experience in 2D/3D imaging hardware and software system development and its application in ground and aerial vehicle navigation and collision avoidance. The proposed technology has a number of applications including autonomous aircraft navigation and landing control, ground vehicle navigation in temporary brownout conditions, military surveillance, and commercial 3D modeling and reverse engineering.