COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS FOR LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT

LOW FLYING MILITARY AIRCRAFT ARE ENDANGERED BY TERRAIN OBSTACLES AND OTHER AIRCRAFT. A MEANS TO SENSE THE DIRECTION, CLOSURE RATE AND DISTANCE TO THESE OBSTACLES IS NEEDED TO ENHANCE SAFETY. THE FOCUS OF THIS STUDY WILL BE ON AN AUTONOMOUS, HIGHLY INTEGRATED, DOPPLER SENSOR/SYSTEM COMPOSED OF ONLY 3 TO 5 CHIPS WHICH DETECT ALTITUDE AND THE DISTANCE, BEARING, AND CLOSURE RATE OR TIME-TO-IMPACT TO THREATING OBSTACLES. THE SENSORS CAN BE CONFIGURED TO PROVIDE FULL HEMISPHERICAL COVERAGE AGAINST OTHER AIRCRAFT ABOVE AND BELOW THE PROTECTED AIRCRAFT AT ALTITUDES ABOVE 200 FEET AGL. BELOW 200 FEET THE LOWER SENSOR CAN SWITCH TO A FORWARD SCANNING, NARROW BEAM TO DETECT OBSTACLES IN ITS FLIGHT PATH. MAXIMIZING INTEGRATION OF CIRCUITS AND ANTENNAS FOR BOTH MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS WILL BE A HIGH PRIORITY. A VARIETY OF MICROWAVE/MILLIMETER SENSORS WILL BE STUDIED TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMUM DESIGN WHICH IS EFFECTIVE, SMALL, LIGHT, AND LOW-COST. THIS STUDY WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMUM FREQUENCY(S), OUTPUT POWER, MODULATION, AND SCANNING METHODS FOR ACHIEVING THE RESOLUTION NEEDED TO DISCERN THE THREATENING OBSTACLES. SENSOR COMPONENTS WILL BE DEFINED FOR A COMPLETE SYSTEM CAPABLE OF ALERTING THE PILOT IN A TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE MANNER.