3D Exocentric Aircraft Navigation Displays: Review and Recommendations

Abstract

A synthetic vision system (SVS) provides pilots with an understanding of their flying environment by conveying crucial information about the external scene in 3D. Avionic manufacturers produce various SVSs to enhance the pilot’s experience through stylized features like synthetic terrain. However, there are numerous possible ways to present information through SVS features and configurations and it is unclear how these affect system usage, interpretability, and pilot performance. Modern aircraft allow navigation features, including a flight plan, to be displayed from different exocentric views, including lateral or vertical perspectives. However, there is a lack of existing research on the overall benefits and limitations of exocentric SVS features making it a challenge to design desirable exocentric SVS navigation displays. 3D SVS concepts have remained relatively unexplored compared to 2D top-down navigation displays, primary Flight Displays (PFDs), and egocentric SVSs. More research is needed on features used by SVS navigation displays for in flight applications, including best practices for avionics designers and how various exocentric SVS features impact flight deck performance of pilots. We conducted a literature review of scholarly articles for exocentric display features. Based on features within the literature, five feature categories emerged as having a prominent impact on exocentric displays. The results of the literature review suggest there are possible tradeoffs for the mutual inclusion of certain exocentric display features that could interfere with pilot performance. The findings will support future research into display development in the 3D exocentric space, with benefits for novel navigation display guidelines. We also discuss cutting-edge aircraft design concepts, including autonomous vehicles, as they have the potential to alter human interactions with exocentric displays and their features.