Algorithmic support of low-altitude aircraft flight based on the hazard analysis of the flight situation
Authors: Malyshev V.A. , Leontyev A.S. , Poluektov S.P. , Volotov Е.М. 
Published: November 2021

Low-altitude flight of an aircraft is an effective, but at the same time, a very complex tactical technique, during which the crew does not always have the opportunity to timely recognize the occurrence of an abnormal case, determine the way out of it and counteract an aviation accident development. Despite many advantages of the automatic mode of low-altitude flight performing, its practical implementation is associated with a number of features and disadvantages, which determined the preference for the manual mode of low-altitude flight control. These are the presence of telltale factors, limited ability of performing flights at night and in difficult weather conditions, insufficient reliability etc. The considered features determined the relevance of the of low-altitude flight safety ensuring problem in relation to the manual control mode. As a result of an experimental study of the low-altitude flight performing process in a manual control mode, it was found that when performing manually-controlled low-altitude flight, a hazard assessment of the flight situation becomes pivotal. However the crew being under such conditions is not always able to correctly assess the flight situation hazard due to a combination of objective reasons. The current state of the adaptive and on-board flight safety systems theory makes it possible to increase the safety of the manuallycontrolled low-altitude flight by using adaptive control algorithms based on the flight situation hazard assessment. To solve this problem an adaptive control algorithm is proposed that ensures the formation of a security corridor in the longitudinal control channel, where the upper limit is determined by the critical value of the aircraft detection hazard, and the lower limit is determined by the critical value of the error in maintaining a given flight altitude. For a continuous assessment of the flight situation hazard and the timely formation of control signals the complex information about the current true flight altitude and the foreground is needed. Taking into account the peculiarities of low-altitude flight a digital terrain map containing data on natural and artificial obstacles along the flight route is a more rational source of information, that will make it possible to predict the development of the flight situation hazard. The above reasoning makes it possible to form an aircraft low-altitude flight adaptive control algorithm. A distinctive feature of the proposed algorithm is the implementation of a combined control variety where the pilot is provided with ample manual control opportunities within the security corridor, and the automatic flight control system is assigned the role of a safety subsystem that ensures control and timely return of the flight situation to normal flight conditions. The presented algorithm will allow to increase the crew logical-analytical activity information support during continuous analysis of the existing flight situation due to the formation of protective control actions based on the current flight situation hazard analysis.