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Active Beacon Collision Avoidance System (BCAS) functional overview

December 17, 1980
  |
Project Report
Author:
Jerry D. Welch
…
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-102
Topic:
collision avoidance
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

The Active Beacon Collision Avoidance System (BCAS) is a beacon-based airborne collision avoidance system that provides for cooperative threat resolution between BCAS and conflicting aircraft and coordination with the ground ATC control function through the DABS data link. All beacon-equipped aircraft in the vicinity of the BCAS are detected. ATCRBS-equipped aircraft are interrogated using a special Mode C interrogation. DABS aircraft are initially detected passively. Those aircraft that represent a possible threat are discretely interrogated to maintain a range/altitude track. This document provides a functional overview of BCAS including operational features, a description of the avionics package, and examples of surveillance data obtained with experimental BCAS equipment. The results show that reliable surveillance performance is achieved in low and medium density airspace.
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Summary

The Active Beacon Collision Avoidance System (BCAS) is a beacon-based airborne collision avoidance system that provides for cooperative threat resolution between BCAS and conflicting aircraft and coordination with the ground ATC control function through the DABS data link. All beacon-equipped aircraft in the vicinity of the BCAS are detected. ATCRBS-equipped...

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Active Beacon Collision Avoidance System (BCAS) functional overview

Active BCAS: design and validation of the surveillance subsystem

December 17, 1980
  |
Project Report
Author:
William H. Harman III
…
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-103
Topic:
collision avoidance
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

Lincoln Laboratory, under FAA sponsorship, is developing an Active Beacon Collision Avoidance System (BCAS), concentrating primarily on the air-to-air surveillance subsystem. The surveillance functions required are to detect the presence of nearby aircraft (whether they are equipped with ATCRBS transponders or DABS transponders), and then generate a surveillance track on each aircraft, issuing range and altitude reports once per second. The development effort consisted of airborne measurements complemented by simulation studies and analyses. The basic effects of ground-bounce multipath, interference, and power fading were assessed by air-to-air measurements. In other measurements, the BCAS interrogation and reply signal formats were transmitted between aircraft, and the results recorded for later playback and computer processing using the BCAS surveillance algorithms. This is a flexible means of experimentation which allows many of the design parameters to be changed as the effects are noted. In the most recent phase of the program, Lincoln designed and built realtime BCAS Experimental Units (BE Us), flight tested them, and then delivered them to the FAA for more extensive flight testing. In one of these flight tests, a BEU-equipped Boeing 727 flew to New York, Atlanta, and other major terminal areas in the eastern U.S. An analysis of BEU performance during this "Eastern Tour" is given in this report.
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Summary

Lincoln Laboratory, under FAA sponsorship, is developing an Active Beacon Collision Avoidance System (BCAS), concentrating primarily on the air-to-air surveillance subsystem. The surveillance functions required are to detect the presence of nearby aircraft (whether they are equipped with ATCRBS transponders or DABS transponders), and then generate a surveillance track on...

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Active BCAS: design and validation of the surveillance subsystem

IPC design validation and flight testing final report

March 31, 1978
  |
Project Report
Author:
John W. Andrews
…
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-85
Topic:
air traffic control
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

A series of flight tests were conducted to evaluate the collision avoidance system known as Intermittent Positive Control (subsequently re-named Automatic Traffic Advisory and Resolution Service, ATARS). These tests involved both professional test pilots and subject pilots selected from the aviation community. This report includes analysis of the collision avoidance algorithm, pilot visual acquisition performance, and pilot reaction to avoidance instructions.
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Summary

A series of flight tests were conducted to evaluate the collision avoidance system known as Intermittent Positive Control (subsequently re-named Automatic Traffic Advisory and Resolution Service, ATARS). These tests involved both professional test pilots and subject pilots selected from the aviation community. This report includes analysis of the collision avoidance...

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IPC design validation and flight testing final report

Simulation of surveillance and processing algorithms proposed for the DABS mode of BCAS

February 16, 1978
  |
Project Report
Author:
Patricia H. Mann
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-82
Topic:
surveillance
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

Surveillance Processing Algorithms for the DABS Mode of BCAS have been implemented in software for the non-real time processing of air-to-air link data. The data to be processed may be either AMF recorded air-to-air data, or data derived from simulated flight encounters. Examples of simulation trials for a specific collision encounter are presented with illustrate the impact of increased ATCRBS fruit levels upon the performance of the surveillance processor. This document also provides detailed definitions of the surveillance processing algorithms.
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Summary

Surveillance Processing Algorithms for the DABS Mode of BCAS have been implemented in software for the non-real time processing of air-to-air link data. The data to be processed may be either AMF recorded air-to-air data, or data derived from simulated flight encounters. Examples of simulation trials for a specific collision...

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Simulation of surveillance and processing algorithms proposed for the DABS mode of BCAS

Empirical characterization of IPC tracker performance using DABS data

June 9, 1976
  |
Project Report
Author:
John L. Leeper
…
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-61
Topic:
surveillance
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

The performance of a set of tracker algorithms proposed for use in the DABS-based Intermittent Positive Control (IPC) collision avoidance system is assessed. The position projecting tracker algorithms are subjected to actual surveillance data obtained at the Lincoln Laboratory DABS Experimental Facility. Effects of turn-rate, speed, wind and surveillance accuracy upon heading error, speed error and position error are presented.
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Summary

The performance of a set of tracker algorithms proposed for use in the DABS-based Intermittent Positive Control (IPC) collision avoidance system is assessed. The position projecting tracker algorithms are subjected to actual surveillance data obtained at the Lincoln Laboratory DABS Experimental Facility. Effects of turn-rate, speed, wind and surveillance accuracy...

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Empirical characterization of IPC tracker performance using DABS data

Beacon CAS (BCAS) an integrated air/ground collision avoidance system

March 23, 1976
  |
Project Report
Author:
Vincent A. Orlando
…
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-62
Topic:
surveillance
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

BCAS is a DABS-based airborne collision avoidance system that exploits the feature of DABS discrete addressing and integral data link. This provides for a CAS with the unique capabilities of (1) cooperative threat resolution between BCAS and conflicting aircraft through the transmission of maneuver intent (to DABS-only aircraft) and tie breaking (with other BCAS aircraft) and (2) coordination of CAS activities with the ground ATC control function through the DABS air-ground-air data link. All beacon-equipped aircraft in the vicinity of the BCAS are detected. ATCRBS-equipped aircraft are interrogated using a special Mode C interrogation. DABS aircraft are detected passively through periodic squitters emitted by all DABS transponders. Squitter-detected aircraft are tracked on altitude and only those aircraft that represent a co-altitude threat are discretely interrogated to establish a range/altitude track. The use of discrete addressing eliminates synchronous garble for the BCAS in the same manner as for DABS. This document provides a general description of BCAS from the viewpoint of its operational features and then describes the avionics package required to achieve the capability.
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Summary

BCAS is a DABS-based airborne collision avoidance system that exploits the feature of DABS discrete addressing and integral data link. This provides for a CAS with the unique capabilities of (1) cooperative threat resolution between BCAS and conflicting aircraft through the transmission of maneuver intent (to DABS-only aircraft) and tie...

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Beacon CAS (BCAS) an integrated air/ground collision avoidance system

IPC design validation and flight testing - interim results

March 16, 1976
  |
Project Report
Author:
John W. Andrews
…
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-57
Topic:
air traffic control
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

Intermittent Positive Control, an automated aircraft collision avoidance system requiring the participation of the aircraft pilots involved, is being evaluated in a series of live flight tests. This document provides an interim summary of the results obtained in these flight tests. Results are given for IPC algorithm design evaluation flights (34) and for pilot interaction evaluation flights (14) flown from Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts between February and October, 1975.
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Summary

Intermittent Positive Control, an automated aircraft collision avoidance system requiring the participation of the aircraft pilots involved, is being evaluated in a series of live flight tests. This document provides an interim summary of the results obtained in these flight tests. Results are given for IPC algorithm design evaluation flights...

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IPC design validation and flight testing - interim results

Plan for flight testing intermittent positive control

June 1, 1975
  |
Project Report
Author:
John W. Andrews
…
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-46
Topic:
air traffic control
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

Intermittent Positive Control is an automated aircraft collision avoidance system requiring the participation of the aircraft pilots involved. The operational interface between pilots and the IPC system is being evaluated in a series of live flight tests. The Lincoln Laboratory DABS Experimental Facility, augmented to include the IPC function, is the test bed for these evaluation flights. This document described the objectives and methods of the IPC flight testing being conducted by Lincoln Laboratory.
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Summary

Intermittent Positive Control is an automated aircraft collision avoidance system requiring the participation of the aircraft pilots involved. The operational interface between pilots and the IPC system is being evaluated in a series of live flight tests. The Lincoln Laboratory DABS Experimental Facility, augmented to include the IPC function, is...

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Plan for flight testing intermittent positive control

The influence of surveillance system parameters on automated conflict detection and resolution

November 29, 1972
  |
Project Report
Author:
John W. Andrews
…
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-15
Topic:
collision avoidance
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

The effects of sensor accuracy, data rate, and message delivery delay upon automated conflict detection,and resolution processing is analyzed and particular considerations for DABS/IPC operation are discussed. Various options in the design of the algorithmic logic are enumerated and a particular logic is chosen for quantitative inspection. Performance sensitivity calculations for the conflict detection and command generation functions are then presented. The influence of algorithmic logic and traffic environment upon surveillance requirements is delineated.
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Summary

The effects of sensor accuracy, data rate, and message delivery delay upon automated conflict detection,and resolution processing is analyzed and particular considerations for DABS/IPC operation are discussed. Various options in the design of the algorithmic logic are enumerated and a particular logic is chosen for quantitative inspection. Performance sensitivity calculations...

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The influence of surveillance system parameters on automated conflict detection and resolution

Concept formulation studies of the control aspects of the fourth generation air traffic control system, final report

September 15, 1971
  |
Project Report
Author:
John U. Beusch
…
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-6
Topic:
air traffic control
R&D area:
R&D group:

Summary

A concept formulation study of the control aspects of the fourth generation air traffic control system is presented. The results of this study are not strongly influenced by present-day equipment. They are influenced by certain aspects of present airspace utilization and procedures which appear necessary for the design of an effective system. The inputs to the control system design include the fourth generation air traffic demand, characteristics of fixed elements (types of aircraft, etc.), and disturbances such as weather effects. The control system which has been formulated includes flight plan generation, flow control, conformance monitoring, and collision avoidance as control functions. A baseline control system is given as a first iteration of the fourth generation system. The baseline system is defined by classifying types of airspace, conformance requirements, and required segregation of classes of flight paths. The airspace is divided into three categories: positive control air space containing only controlled aircraft, controlled (mixed) air space containing both controlled and cooperative aircraft, and uncontrolled airspace containing uncontrolled aircraft. Cooperative aircraft must be able to accept IPC co-ands as well as simplified flight plans when flying in high density retied air space. The surveillance, navigation, and communications systems complete the interacting parts of the control system. Candidate fourth generation system concepts ranging from the completely tactical to the highly strategic have been described both in this report and elsewhere. In order to characterize a proposed concept we have drawn up a list of decisions which we find must be made in the course of a flight. We then consider where these decisions are made and thereby characterize the system. The feasibility of generating conflict free flight plans is investigated with the aid of analytical models. A consideration of the factors which influence the flight planning process is presented. Use is made of a generally accepted traffic density model for the 1995 time period. The expected number of conflicts for selected routes and the distances required to resolve conflicts are evaluated. The use of aircraft performance characteristics in evaluating the effectiveness of conflict resolution maneuvers is discussed. The level of conformance necessary for conflict free flight plans is determined for each maneuver. For cases in which the required conformance was unrealistically high, it was determined that providing velocity structure in high density airspace permitted a decrease in conformance requirements. Factors which directly influence the capability of aircraft to conform to flight plans in a strategic system as well as the relevant technology areas peculiar to the implementation of conflict free flight plans are considered. The conclusions reached during this study are followed by recommendations for future work in specific areas.
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Summary

A concept formulation study of the control aspects of the fourth generation air traffic control system is presented. The results of this study are not strongly influenced by present-day equipment. They are influenced by certain aspects of present airspace utilization and procedures which appear necessary for the design of an...

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Concept formulation studies of the control aspects of the fourth generation air traffic control system, final report
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