Patent ID: 6502015
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: G01C,G05D,G08G

Abstract:
A terrain following apparatus for an aircraft having flight control surfaces and a pilot for effecting autonomous following of terrain by the aircraft, said apparatus comprising:a terrain following means for autonomously controlling said flight control surfaces to maintain said aircraft a specific distance from terrain over which said aircraft is flying; a control device, operable by said pilot, to engage and disengage the autonomous terrain following means; a terrain referenced navigation system for providing navigation data for the aircraft; and validation means for validating and invalidating the integrity of the navigation data and for providing, when the integrity of the navigation data is validated, an output signal for permitting the control device, when engagedly operated by the pilot, to operate the autonomous terrain following means and for providing, when the integrity of the navigation data is invalidated, an output signal for preventing the control device, when engagedly operated by said pilot, from operating the autonomous terrain following means.