ALLFlight - Fusing sensor information to increase helicopter pilot's situation awareness

Abstract

After years of experiences regarding enhanced and synthetic vision research projects in the fixed wing domain, the Institute of Flight Guidance is now addressing helicopter applications in the scope of the project ALLFlight (Assisted Low Level Flight and Landing on Unprepared Landing Sites). The main objective of this project is to demonstrate and evaluate the characteristics of different sensors for helicopter operations within degraded visual environments. A visual guidance of the helicopter during take-off or landing on sand, dust or snow becomes impossible, if whirled particles from the ground produce a dense cloud around the helicopter. This effect is called brownout for landings on sand, or whiteout for landings on snow. In this situation, the pilot is no longer able to acquire visual cues from outside to evaluate the helicopter’s lateral drift. Sensors, which are able to look through this nontransparent surrounding area could help the pilot in flying safely to the ground.