Advances in force field conflict resolution algorithms

Abstract

Conflict detection and resolution (CD&R) systems are envisioned as an enabling technology for improving the efficiency, capacity, and safety of Air Traffic Management. The concept includes airborne equipment that monitors the traffic situation (conflict detection), informs pilots of potential airspace conflicts (conflict alerting), and suggests flight plan modifications to resolve the conflicts (conflict resolution.) This new, airborne surveillance and separation assurance function is made possible by Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B). One of the primary challenges for CD&R is the development of a conflict resolution algorithm that is both simple and robust. This paper contains results from recent tests of one such algorithm. The tests examined 1) the effects of delays in maneuver execution, 2) the problem of conflicts that occur near waypoints, and 3) the challenge of performing conflict resolution in the absence of intent information (i.e. knowledge of intended way point positions and arrival times). The first two studies confirmed the algorithm's robustness. The third study produced a surprising and exciting result - conflict resolution may be very successfully performed without knowledge of other aircrafts' intent information.