Attributed scattering feature models have shown potential in aiding automatic target recognition and scene visualization from radar scattering measurements. Attributed scattering features capture physical scattering geometry, including the non-isotropic response of target scattering over wide angles, that is not discerned from traditional point scatter models. In this paper, we study the identi...

The big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, uses echolocation for foraging and orientation. The limited operating range of biosonar implies that bats must rely upon spatial memory in familiar spaces with dimensions larger than a few meters. Prior experiments with bats flying in obstacle arrays have revealed differences in flight and acoustic emission patterns depending on the density and spatial exten...

This paper presents a novel real-time path planning approach for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) based on bi-level programming (BLP), in which the planning problem is described as a leader–follower decision making model. The proposed approach can fulfill an integrated path planning requirement, including several realistic abilities of convergence to target, obstacle avoidance, path length optim...

In this work, we consider the design of a probabilistic trajectory planner for a highly maneuverable unmanned air vehicle flying in a dense and complex city-like environment. Our design hinges on the decomposition of the problem into a) flight controls of fundamental agile-maneuvering flight modes and b) trajectory planning using these controlled flight modes from which almost any aggressive ma...

Enhancing aircrew situational awareness has become recognized as a critical element in reduction of overall aircraft accident rates. Improved display concepts have been investigated for several decades as a means of enhancing awareness of position, flight path, and terrain in three dimensions. One of the most promising is the “Tunnel-in-the-Sky” primary flight display, which presents a three-di...

The future management of air traffic allows aircraft choosing their own velocities, altitudes and directions in real time. In aviation industry, this possibility is known as “free flight”. One of the most important issues in the free flight method is conflict detection and resolution problem. In successful free flight, conflicts while maintaining satisfactory performance must be avoided. This p...

Solar-powered aircraft promise significantly increased flight endurance over conventional aircraft. While this makes them promising candidates for large-scale aerial inspection missions, their structural fragility necessitates that adverse weather is avoided using appropriate path planning methods. This paper therefore presents MetPASS, the Meteorology-aware Path Planning and Analysis Software ...

A pilot study was performed to examine flight paths for an airborne foliage-penetrating Laser Detection and Ranging (LADAR) three-dimensional (3D) imaging system. Such systems form 3D images based on time-of-flight of laser photons, some of which pass through gaps in foliage or other partial obscurants such as camouflage nets. Hence the 3D image will contain partial information about any object...

High precision 4D flight path predictions are crucial for reliably optimizing the complex ATM/ATC system. The presented enhanced jet performance model provides a significant improvement over currently applied trajectory prediction methods. The use of purely analytical methods allows a high level of adoption of the real physical aircraft environment. This paper presents the model and applies the...

In the present study we investigated the behavioural strategies with which freely flying fruit flies (Drosophila) control their flight trajectories during active optomotor stimulation in a free-flight arena. We measured forward, turning and climbing velocities of single flies using high-speed video analysis and estimated the output of a 'Hassenstein-Reichardt' elementary motion detector (EMD) a...