Rotorcraft SV Landing Display System with Self-generating 3D Terrain and Obstacle Model

We propose a new Synthetic Vision (SV) system architecture for helicopter brown-out landing use. Instead of authoring 3D terrain and feature datasets outside of the flight system and then uploading the prepared data prior to mission use, the proposed solution self-generates a dynamic 3D terrain model using aircraft passive-sensor camera imagery. The approach eliminates the pre-flight data acquisition, processing and uploading operations. The TerraBlocks™ “Clear-to-Land” (CTL) strategy builds on our TerraBlocks SV rendering and display engine using the wavelet-encoded, multiple level-of-detail TerraBlocks 3D terrain data structure and run-time methodology. The CTL system pivots around a dynamic implementation of the TerraBlocks 3D terrain model component. The SV component receives the aircraft INS datastream and generates the out-the-window rendering based on aircraft position and attitude. Flight symbology overlays such as flight data, landing corridor and dangerous obstacle cueing are added. As the 3D terrain model is refined based on sensor data availability and quality, the refined model appears in the rendered display. Ultimately, as the helicopter enters brown-out conditions, the model is frozen, or even rolled back to an earlier “last-good” state and used for the rendering and pilot display of terrain and obstacles throughout the landing maneuver.