National Aerospace Laboratory Flight Systems Research Center
National Aerospace Laboratory Flight Systems Research Center
National Aerospace Laboratory Flight Systems Research Center
National Aerospace Laboratory Flight Systems Research Center
National Aerospace Laboratory Flight Systems Research Center
A graphic image on the display in the cockpit of aircraft can be used for providing the pilot with information in respect to the aircraft position and attitude relative to the runway when the aircraft is approaching for landing. This is particularly important for autonomous navigations. In this paper, a method was proposed by photographing the runway with a camera, installed at the cockpit, with a particular attention to the horizontal images and the side lines of the runway strip. Furthermore, validation was made on the accuracy of the method by carrying out the flight tests for landing with a Do-228 aircraft, installing the image processing system. The graphic input for sensor information was provided with the camera, photographing the runway during the approach, the data of which were processed for calculating the cross point coordinates and the gradients of the side lines of the airstrip image into obtaining the aircraft position and attitude relative to the runway. The experimental flights were conducted with Do-228 aircraft during the approach to landing. The data acquired were compared with the other data reference supplied from the conventional landing navigation systems, such as D (Differential) GPS and INS. As a result, the angle of the attitude was turned to be 0.2 deg and the position was 1.5 m each deviated from the conventional system measurements. The accuracy was practically satisfactory, though further improvements could still be valuable to be considered.