Disorientation Mitigation Display for Helicopter and Tiltrotor Pilots

Brownout refers to obfuscation of cockpit window visibility during landings or takeoffs from areas with loose, dry, ground soil or snow. The USAF Institute of Technology reported that brownout mishaps cost the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) over 100 million USD per year. The US Navy is interested in a cockpit visual display that mitigates spatial disorientation experienced by pilots that find themselves in a brownout event. Integrated Solutions for Systems, (IS4S) and its research institution partner, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), propose a head mounted display presenting synthetic scene information and peripheral stimuli (e.g. grid) necessary to maintain orientation during brownout events. Unlike previous developed solutions using energy emitting devices, IS4S will render synthetic scenes from precompiled maps as the aircraft navigates in real life.