While flying, have you ever looked down to tune a radio? Check an engine or fuel gauge? Referenced your navigation chart? Chat with your passenger? Focus on something on the ground?
Well, then you aren’t seeing and avoiding to the best of your ability. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some help? Something that doesn’t cost what TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system) costs.
Car makers recognize the need to assist continuously distracted drivers.
https://youtu.be/02IOrZLsaw8
This Subaru commercial touts sensing as a huge safety feature.
Here is where technology for remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) will help. Sense and avoid technology — often dismissed by “real” pilots — will filter up to full scale aviation.
UNBLINKING EYE
Imagine a sensor co-located with your aircraft light system. An unblinking eye that’ll warn you when another aircraft is getting too close for comfort.
First versions may be simple auditory alerts in your headset.
Follow-on updates will tap directly into the aircraft autopilot (should one be installed) to take evasive measures to avoid a collision. Just like in the Subaru commercial.
This is exactly the safety enhancement the FAA should be excited about with the Part 23 rewrite.
Good things are coming … from the RPA industry. I sense it.
Test drove a car that warned me if another car was coming from the side while reversing. Also had blind spot detection. Never thought this could be used for general aviation. All it would need is for sensors with a longer range.
Having see and avoid sensing equipment on an airplane is an outstanding idea. It’s not easy seeing traffic at times. It would be like having a spider sitting next to you and being able to see outside in a multitude of directions all at once.
If at first you don’t succeed, try try again. Good out of the box thinking.
I agree. I am also Ed Watson. In what part of the world are you located?
Several converging factors and issues may be driving toward a single solution.
Factors/issues include:
– Pilot actions (intended and/or unintended) at the root of accidents.
– Looming Pilot Shortage
– Expanding semi and fully autonomous operation of Unpiloted Aerial Systems (AKA Drones)
Human “On the Loop vs. In the Loop”
– The Military’s successful In theater proof of concept Optionally Piloted Helicopter
– Public acceptance of autonomous automobile systems
Single Solution:
One of the pilots in the cockpit is virtual, one human
– In normal circumstances the Virtual Pilot controls the aircraft under shared authority of an on board Live Pilot who has final authority.
– In some defined emergency situations, and/or with agreement from “Ground Control” the Virtual Pilot may exercise final authority.
Not a single name of the technology, no background or link to a website. Yeah, could the article provide some relevant data?
So…TIS-B, Xaon, FLARM and other systems already give us your proposed first generation capability. Don’t think this represents anything good coming out of RPAs.