CONVERT TERRAIN/OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE SYSTEM FOR HELICOPTER

ARMY HELICOPTERS CONDUCT EXTENSIVE NIGHT OPERTIONS WHICH PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL ADVANTAGES. HOWEVER, OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS (OASS) ARE REQUIRED TO HELP THE PILOT DETECT, LOCATE, AND AVOID OBSTACLES SUCH AS WIRES, CABLES, TOWERS, ANTENNAE, TREES, AND TERRAIN FEATURES. THE CENTRAL PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT WITH SENSORS, SIGNAL PROCESSING OR IMAGE PROCESSING; IT IS HOW TO PRESENT LARGE AMOUNTS OF DATA FROM MULTIPLE SENSORS TO THE PILOT. THE RESEARCH FOCUS WILL DETERMINE METHODS FOR IMPROVING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IN FUTURE OASS. THE OAS CAN IMPART SITUATIONAL AWARENESS BY PROVIDING ACCURATE AND COHERENT DESCRIPTIONS OF EXTERNAL ENTITLES (TERRAIN AND OBSTACLES) THAT CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT THE MISSION. INFORMATION MUST BE PRESENTED SUCH THAT IT DOES NOT DISTRACT THE PILOT FROM OTHER TASKS YET CATCHES THE PILOT'S ATTENTION WHEN REQUIRED. WE WILL INVESTIGATE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A REASONING SYSTEMS WHICH CAN ASSIST THE PILOT BY DRAWING INFERENCES ABOUT TERRAIN AND OBSTACLES. INCORPORATING KNOWLEDGE-BASED PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY WILL RESULT IN AN INTELLIGENT OAS. OUR RESEARCH WILL LEAD TO A SOLUTION WHICH PROVIDES A FUNDAMENTALLY NEW APPROACH TO THE OBSTACLE AWARENESS AND MANAGEMENT PROBLEM THROUGH THE USE OF INTELLIGENT SITUATION AWARENESS AND SENSOR MANAGEMENT. THIS APPROACH WILL YIELD TO BREAKTHROUGHS IN MISSION SAFETY, AND THUS SUCCESS.