ASSISTING VEHICLE NAVIGATION IN SITUATIONS OF POSSIBLE OBSCURED VIEW

摘要

Restrictions of conventional techniques for assisting navigation of a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, in circumstances where there is a possibility of the view being obscured, can be overcome by using a three-dimensional model in combination with image processing to determine which segments of a landing zone are visible and which segments are obscured. A pilot is provided with a view of the landing zone that is a combination of live images and simulated segments from the three- dimensional model. Whereas conventional techniques focus on generating better- simulated views, an implementation of this invention includes generating a view of an obscured landing zone that includes live imagery. Fusing live imagery with other sensor information to generate a view allows the pilot to use as much real information as possible, and facilitates increased pilot confidence that the pilot can proceed and execute a successful landing.