Trajectory Specification for Terminal Air Traffic Control: Conflict Detection and Resolution

Area of Science:

• Aviation safety
• Aerospace engineering
• Control systems

Background:

• Current air traffic control (ATC) systems rely on tactical separation, which can be vulnerable to system failures.
• Ensuring safe aircraft separation is paramount for air traffic management automation.
• Dynamic adjustments to flight paths are needed to enhance safety and reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce Trajectory Specification, a method for defining aircraft flight paths with dynamic tolerances.
• To present algorithms and software for conflict detection and resolution in terminal airspace.
• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of Trajectory Specification in a simulated environment.

Main Methods:

• Defining aircraft trajectories within a time-based bounding space using dynamic tolerances.
• Developing algorithms for detecting and resolving conflicts between specified trajectories.
• Conducting fast-time simulations of a full day of air traffic in a major terminal airspace.

Main Results:

• All conflicts between specified trajectories were resolved in near real-time during simulations.
• The study demonstrated the computational feasibility of the Trajectory Specification concept.
• Preliminary operational feasibility was shown through successful conflict resolution.

Conclusions:

• Trajectory Specification offers a robust method for guaranteeing safe aircraft separation.
• This approach enhances safety and reliability for air traffic control automation.
• It reduces reliance on traditional tactical backup systems, improving operational efficiency.