Robert Walters

(Advisor: Prof. JVR Prasad)

will propose a doctoral thesis entitled,

Augmented Reality Cueing Methodologies for Rotorcraft Shipboard landings

On

Thursday, August 26 at 1:30 p.m. (EST)

MK Room 317

Online via MS Teams: https://bit.ly/Walters-PhD-Proposal

Abstract

The helicopter-ship interface is one of the most challenging flight regimes in which pilots operate. Several factors make this flight regime complicated such as the relative motion between the aircraft, ship, and the sea, air wake turbulence, and the confined nature of the landing zone. Degraded visuals conditions such as sea spray, adverse weather, and poor lighting conditions compound the other difficulties. The high pilot workload from these factors can lead to a loss of situational awareness which can result in catastrophic aircraft accidents.  Currently fielded cueing systems are not up to this challenge.

To reduce pilot workload and improve situational awareness and performance better pilot cueing is required.  This thesis will investigate the extent that augmented reality cueing reduces pilot workload and improves situational awareness and performance by supporting a ‘heads-up, eyes-out’ ego-centric interface philosophy.  The cueing systems will seek to incorporate mission task elements that pilots are already familiar into the design as a basis for the system.  Varying amounts of both path preview and trajectory prediction will be studied.

Cueing that the pilot does not trust and therefore does not follow is useless at best and dangerous at worst.  Therefor this thesis will also ensure that the cued flight paths have reachable vehicle dynamics, adhere to vehicle operating limits, and avoid terrain and other known obstacles.  The mathematical framework of bézier curves will be utilized for trajectory planning to ensure the paths satisfy the previously mentioned constraints.

To evaluate the performance and potential of the cueing system a series of pilot-in-the loop flight simulator test will be conducted.

Committee

•Prof. JVR Prasad – School of Aerospace Engineering (advisor)

•Prof. Karen Feigh – School of Aerospace Engineering (co-advisor)

•Prof. Marilyn Smith – School of Aerospace Engineering

•Prof. Emeritus Daniel Schrage – School of Aerospace Engineering

•COL Richard Melnyk, PhD. – United States Military Academy Dept. of Civil and Mechanical Engineering