Air Traffic Control Automation Research Articles

Towards conformal automation in air traffic control: Learning conflict resolution strategies through behavior cloning

A critical factor in achieving conformity of automation tools in performing expert tasks, such as air traffic conflict resolution, is the identification of air traffic controllers’ (ATCOs’) preferences (conflict resolution strategies) and the automation tool’s ability to learn and recommend solutions that incorporate these preferences. We propose a machine learning-based framework to learn and predict ATCOs’ conflict resolution preferences through behavior cloning. This framework is an ensemble of five regressor and classifier models. The conflict resolution data to train the machine learning models was collected from 8 experienced enroute ATCOs. The prediction results demonstrate that the ATCOs’ strategies encoded in the data can be learned by the model with high accuracy for the classification tasks and with low mean absolute error (MAE) for the regression task (for instance, the classification accuracy of above 92.7% for predicting the maneuvering aircraft, MAE for maneuver initiation distance ¡ 5.3 NM, MAE for predicting the heading angle ¡ 5.3°) for the ATCOs’ datasets. A sensitivity analysis performed to test the model robustness demonstrates that the proposed models are robust to up to 7.5% added Gaussian noise (with a mean equal to the value of each feature and varying standard deviation) to the dataset. In addition, we discuss the extent of acceptance of these predictions by the ATCOs through an ATCO acceptance exercise involving two ATCOs who demonstrate different conflict resolution strategies. ATCO A selected the original strategy as one of the resolution preferences for 97% of the scenarios and the predicted strategy as one of the options for 78% of the scenarios. ATCO B selected the conflict resolution strategies depicting ATCO B’s original strategies for 68% of the scenarios. The results from the acceptance exercise demonstrate that the proposed machine learning model can generate ATCO conformal predictions. The presented results and discussions also demonstrate the viability of using behavior cloning with chained predictions to develop individual and group conformal automation assistance tools for ATCOs.

Flight Conflict Resolution and Trajectory Recovery Through Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming Based on Speed and Heading Angle Change

A scheme for conflict resolution with trajectory recovery is proposed to solve the problem of multi-aircraft flight conflict. First, the conflict resolution problem is modeled as an optimal control problem. The weighted sum of the speed change and the heading angle change is defined as the objective function. The limitations of distance, aircraft performance, and route width are taken as constraints. Second, the optimization problem is resolved by mixed integer nonlinear programming. Conflict resolution with trajectory recovery is then achieved by speed and heading angle changing three times based on the optimal solution; whether the speed and heading angle need to be changed depends on the corresponding weight coefficients in the objective function. Finally, the applicability and superiority of the designed conflict resolution scheme are verified, which is of great significance to the application of conflict resolution with trajectory recovery schemes in automated air traffic control systems.

Optimization Of The Use Of ATC Automation Approach Control Surveillance At Perum LPPNPI MATSC Branch

ATC (Air Traffic Control) automation system is a complex system, which helps maintain air traffic order, guarantee flight intervals, and prevent aircraft collisions. This is important to ensure the safety of air traffic. Failure effect evaluation is an important part of ATC automation system reliability engineering. However, changes like these also present challenges and ethical considerations that need to be considered to ensure that aviation safety remains a top priority. In optimizing the use of ATC Automation, research was carried out using qualitative analysis, which means that in this study, data, interviews and documents related to the problem were used. The data used is the result of interviews submitted to the ATC. In conducting this research, the study was conducted in May 2023 using descriptive analysis. The intended purpose of this study is to find out that the use of ATC Automation has been running optimally and has also reduced workload. Accurate in dealing with complex traffic situations. This research is also expected to be used as further research in the use of ATC Automation.

Reducing the Costs of Automation Failure by Providing Voluntary Automation Checking Tools.

We investigated the extent to which a voluntary-use range and bearing line (RBL) tool improves return-to-manual performance when supervising high-degree conflict detection automation in simulated air traffic control. High-degree automation typically benefits routine performance and reduces workload, but can degrade return-to-manual performance if automation fails. We reasoned that providing a voluntary checking tool (RBL) would support automation failure detection, but also that automation induced complacency could extend to nonoptimal use of such tools. Participants were assigned to one of three conditions, where conflict detection was either performed: manually, with RBLs available to use (Manual + RBL), automatically with RBLs (Auto + RBL), or automatically without RBLs (Auto). Voluntary-use RBLs allowed participants to reliably check aircraft conflict status. Automation failed once. RBLs improved automation failure detection - with participants intervening faster and making fewer false alarms when provided RBLs compared to not (Auto + RBL vs Auto). However, a cost of high-degree automation remained, with participants slower to intervene to the automation failure than to an identical manual conflict event (Auto + RBL vs Manual + RBL). There was no difference in RBL engagement time between Auto + RBL and Manual + RBL conditions, suggesting participants noticed the conflict event at the same time. The cost of automation may have arisen from participants' reconciling which information to trust: the automation (which indicated no conflict and had been perfectly reliable prior to failing) or the RBL (which indicated a conflict). Providing a mechanism for checking the validity of high-degree automation may facilitate human supervision of automation.

Extraction of CD&R Work Phases from Eye-Tracking and Simulator Logs: A Topic Modelling Approach

Automation in Air Traffic Control (ATC) is gaining an increasing interest. Possible relevant applications are in automated decision support tools leveraging the performance of the Air Traffic Controller (ATCO) when performing tasks such as Conflict Detection and Resolution (CD&R). Another important area of application is in ATCOs’ training by aiding instructors to assess the trainees’ strategies. From this perspective, models that capture the cognitive processes and reveal ATCOs’ work strategies need to be built. In this work, we investigated a novel approach based on topic modelling to learn controllers’ work patterns from temporal event sequences obtained by merging eye movement data with data from simulation logs. A comparison of the work phases exhibited by the topic models and the Conflict Life Cycle (CLC) reference model, derived from post-simulation interviews with the ATCOs, indicated that there was a correspondence between the phases captured by the proposed method and the CLC framework. Another contribution of this work is a method to assess similarities between ATCOs’ work strategies. A first proof-of-concept application targeting the CD&R task is also presented.

Automation in Air Traffic Control: Trust, Teamwork, Resilience, Safety

In the future, Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) will be exposed to various new situations that will make their work much more complex and demanding. Automation of the system may enable support to ATCOs and facilitate decision-making and execution of different types of actions and tasks. Also, the introduction of automation can increase workload, information uncertainty, and potential negative outcome on performance at the task level. Trust in automation plays the main role in forming the connection between the ATCO and the automation. According to that, this paper aims to explain the concept of trust in general and in automation with a brief review of the methods and measurements of trust in the relevant literature.

An en route capacity optimization model based on air traffic control process.

In order to resolve the imbalance of demand-capacity and airspace congestion, improve the performance of the en route air traffic management, promote the development of air traffic control automation system in the future, this paper proposes an En route air traffic control process model from the perspective of operation requirements. Taking the minimization of operation time, instantaneous density, maximum lateral displacement and air traffic controllers' workload as the optimization objectives, the commonly used air traffic control instructions such as climb and descent and speed restriction are set as constraints, the algorithm is designed based on the air traffic control scheme, and a complete air traffic control process are modeled which outputs instructions for each aircraft. Finally, the model is applied to a case study in the northwest region of China. The simulation results show that compared with the actual operation process, the total operation time is reduced by 18.6%, the variance of the lateral displacement and the vertical separation are efficiently reduced, and the en route air traffic capacity is improved. The proposed model envisages the following two innovations: (ⅰ) the whole process of air traffic controllers' command is considered in the model, especially the control scheme and different types of instructions, and (ⅱ) the en route historical trajectory data of aircraft is used to as the key parameters of the input data to efficiently yield the acceptable results of the model. By quantifying the operation requirements of air traffic control, this model can also balance the distribution of traffic flow density, reduce the utilization rate of horizontal airspace, alleviate flight conflicts on air routes, and lessen the workload of controllers.

Development and research of the rangefinder of the information and measurement system of air traffic control based on data from on-board sensors of the aircraft

The question of improving the standard deviation of the phase coordinate error, stability, and noise immunity of the rangefinder for information and measurement system of the automated air traffic control of aircraft is considered. Rangefinder state and observation models which consider kinematic and dynamic characteristics of air crafts have been proposed. A rangefinder algorithm has been developed and investigated through simulation modelling on a computer with research results obtained.

АНАЛІЗ ІСНУЮЧИХ ПІДХОДІВ ЩОДО ОЦІНЮВАННЯ ФУНКЦІОНАЛЬНОЇ СТІЙКОСТІ ГЕТЕРОГЕННИХ ІНФОРМАЦІЙНИХ СИСТЕМ ВІЙСЬКОВОГО ПРИЗНАЧЕННЯ

The article provides a comparative analysis of approaches, methods and formalized mathematical descriptions used to assess the functional stability of heterogeneous information systems. Features and criteria of functional stability are considered. The definitions of the concepts of functional stability, heterogeneous information systems, indicator and criterion of functional stability are given. The difference between the concepts of stability of functioning and functional stability of complex technical systems is indicated. Formalized descriptions of the structural and probabilistic criteria for the functional stability of the structure of a heterogeneous information system are given. The mathematical formalization of the functional stability indicator for structures with serial and parallel connection of elements is given. The indicator of the structural complexity of the data transmission system of the automated air traffic control system is mathematically formalized. The article presents a method for assessing the functional stability of an automated air traffic control system and a method for calculating a generalized probabilistic indicator of functional stability as a convolution of the structure connectivity matrix. The directions of further research on the assessment of the functional stability of heterogeneous information systems are determined.

SUBSTANTIATION OF COSTS MODEL FOR OPERATION OF AIR NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT

The article is devoted to the substantiation of costs model for the operation of electronic navigation equipment. The equipment of air navigation includes a set of ground, near-ground and onboard technical means, the quality and reliability of which largely influences on the safety and regularity of civil aviation. These include ground radio navigation and radar systems, radio communications, and automated air traffic control systems, which generate and provide consumers with information on flight parameters along the entire route from take-off to landing. The tasks of maintaining the required level of efficiency and reliable operation of these equipment are solved in the operation systems. The article considers the issues of obtaining analytical relations and determining mathematical relations for estimating the cost of resources for current repairs. Normative documents usually use such a concept of cost indicator as mathematical expectation, although the efficiency of resource costs for current repairs are objectively random variables and therefore the most complete characteristic is the probability density function or a number of characteristics, not only mathematical expectation but also variance, asymmetry, kurtosis and other moments of a higher order. In this paper, the author considered two options for financing repair procedures. The first option is related to the case when the level of the reserve for repairs is determined at the level of mathematical expectations. The second option is related to the case when the maintenance and repair system has a reserve of resources for repair procedures, which differs from the traditional approach to cost planning. The article analyzes the results of calculations of mathematical expectations of resource costs for different levels of interest rates and different indicators of reserve funds. Analytical relations are obtained to solve the problem of optimal choice of the resource fund for current repairs. At the same time, modeling was performed and histograms were constructed for different values ​​of reserve funds for repairs. Based on theoretical calculations, a nomogram is constructed, which shows that at certain interest rates there is an optimal value of total operating costs. The research results can be used in the process of designing and improving the operation systems of ground-based air navigation equipment.

Summary and outlook of 4D track prediction methods

Four-dimensional track prediction is the precise control of the time dimension of three-dimensional space at each stage of the flight. Accurate prediction of the aircraft trajectory is a prerequisite for the automation of air traffic control. This article reviews 4D track prediction technology, that is, particle motion-based prediction method, hybrid estimation-based prediction method and machine learning-based prediction method. At the end, combined with aircraft track data, the method of data mining is used to extract the flight profile and describe the applicable scope of each method. The contents of this paper can be used for reference in the research direction of 4D track prediction technology.

Toward Individual-Sensitive Automation for Air Traffic Control Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Lack of trust and lack of acceptance caused by strategic mismatches in problem-solving have been identified as obstacles in the introduction of workload-alleviating automation in air traffic control. One possible way to overcome these obstacles is by creating automation capable of providing personalized advisories conformal to the individual controller. This paper focuses on performing an exploratory investigation into the tools and methodology required for creating conformal automation. Central in the creation of individualized prediction models is the combination of a visual feature, capturing traffic situations, and a tailored convolutional neural network model trained on individual controller data recorded from a human-in-the-loop simulation. The main advantage of using a visual feature is that it could facilitate “transparency” of the machine learning model. Results show that the trained models can reasonably predict command type, direction, and magnitude. Furthermore, a correlation is found between controller consistency and achieved prediction performance. A comparison between individual-sensitive and general models showed a benefit of individually trained models, confirming the strategy heterogeneity of the population, which is a critical assumption for personalized automation. Future research should be done in refining the model architecture, finding richer visual features that capture the breadth of human decision-making behavior and feedback model outputs back to individuals for measuring controller agreement.

Algorithm synthesis for tertiary information processing of distance measuring channel in information and measurement system of air traffic control

The issue of improving the efficiency of the information and measurement system of automated air traffic control systems on the example of the distance measuring channel algorithm synthesis for following up the aircraft is considered. The choice of state and observation models is justified, computer simulation is performed, and the results of the studied algorithm are obtained.

Cooperation of combinatorial solvers for en-route conflict resolution

One of the key challenges towards more automation in Air Traffic Control is the resolution of en-route conflicts. In this article we present a generic framework for the conflict resolution problem that clearly separates the trajectory and conflict models from the resolution. It is able to handle any kind of maneuver and detection models, though we propose our own realistic 3D maneuvers and conflict detection that takes into account uncertainties on the positioning of aircraft. Based on these models, realistic scenarios are built, for which potential conflicts are detected using an efficient GPU-based algorithm. The resulting instances of the conflict resolution problem are provided to the community as a public benchmark.To efficiently solve this problem, we also introduce a generic framework for the cooperation of optimization algorithms. The framework benefits from the various optimization algorithms plugged to it by sharing relevant information among them, and is implemented as a distributed application for better performance. We illustrate its behavior on the conflict resolution problem with the cooperation between a Memetic Algorithm and an Integer Linear Program which consistently outperforms previous approaches by orders of magnitude. Instances with up to 60 aircraft are optimally solved within a few minutes using this framework, while each algorithm taken individually only provides sub-optimal solutions. This cooperative approach thus seems appropriate for application in a real-time context.

The problem of implementation of automated air traffic control systems using EGNOS systems

Analysis of the problem of implementation of automated air traffic control systems showed that automation in aviation began to be used primarily to solve navigation problems and control various systems. The widespread introduction of computer-aided automation in ground-based air traffic control systems has freed air traffic controllers and air traffic controllers from time-consuming computational operations and made it possible to automate a number of complex tasks and thus significantly increase flight safety. Further development of aviation equipment, information technology, radio navigation and surveillance requires a rapid solution of complex problems with high accuracy, which necessitated the improvement of existing and creation of fundamentally new technical means that meet the requirements of modern aviation and international air traffic regulations. Such technical means include EGNOS systems. The study of the proposed location for the EGNOS RIMS station at the Kyiv International Airport (Zhulyany) was carried out. Thanks to the fruitful support of the DCA provided by the GSA contractor ThalesAleniaSpace, the study helped to gather the necessary data to work offline. This offline processing is complete and issues have been identified. The interference that has been selected affects the location. One of the key criteria for site selection is the radio frequency (RF) environment, as environmental conditions have a direct negative impact on the performance of the EGNOS system. It turns out that the measurements carried out during the study highlighted the sources of interference, the power of which exceeds the required level in the used frequency bands GPS L1 and L2. as these interferences will adversely affect the performance of the EGNOS RIMS receiver. One way to restore compliance is to study these interference sources and remove them if possible. On the other hand, the proposed location at Kyiv International Airport (Zhulyany) provides a promising level of compliance for life safety services.

ИЗМЕНЕНИЕ СТРУКТУРЫ АВТОМАТИЗИРОВАННОЙ СИСТЕМЫ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЕЙ ВОЗДУШНОГО ДВИЖЕНИЯ В АЭРОПОРТУ

The work is carried out on an up-to-date topic and is devoted to the research of methods to improve safety when landing an aircraft (VS) in conditions of vortex danger and variability of wind speed fields. The main task of the study is to find a new set of signs of remote control of the environment and to form the structure of an automated air traffic control system when landing at the airport. The structure, the list of tasks and methods of intelligent monitoring and analysis of data have been expanded in order to effectively detect anomalies that threaten the safety of the Armed Forces and other objects in the runway area.) The problem is the lag behind the development of electronic equipment (REOs) to ensure the efficiency of the use of runway while maintaining and increasing the level of safety of the armed forces during landing. The subject is an information automated system to provide and control the required level of air traffic safety. The object of the study is the methods of the REO of the Armed Forces in the area of the runway of the airfield. The aim of the work is to improve the efficiency of the runway by improving safety by applying the extended space of measurable parameters to the airborne vehicles in anticipation of landing, assessing the threat of the armed forces on the glissad and intelligent support for the control of the armed forces, which is especially important for unmanned air. The work provides a characteristic and proposals to change the structure of the ASU, considered the criteria for optimization. The work examines the task of managing the operation of the expanded structure of the system to improve efficiency through the time and tasks of information monitoring of the environment and the Armed Forces in the airport runway area. Relevance lies in the lack of remotely measurable, prompt and reliable information about the dynamics of the Armed Forces system and the environment sufficient to make informed automatic decisions.

Method of risk assessment in decision-making to develop an automated air traffic control system under uncertainty

This article provides an overview of the methods used in practice to assess the risks that arise in the process of designing automated air traffic control systems. The classification of risks and possible negative consequences of risks are determined. Based on this analysis, it is concluded that in order to increase the success of the design process, risk management tools are needed, including the accumulation of risk management experience for its further use. To achieve this goal, a risk assessment model for the development of automated air traffic control systems based on explicit and implicit expertise, including an analysis of situations in which risk processing is required. With the emergence of fundamentally new automated systems, the problem of risk assessment of design as a strategic direction of automation and intellectualization of relevant processes in various fields of science and technology. Note that in this context, the concept of automated systems includes such concepts as "complex phenomena", "complex technological processes", "complex systems", including the person himself, which is considered as an element responsible for the generation, storage and use of knowledge. The peculiarity of modern automated systems is that they operate in conditions given, as a rule, by a finite set of quantitative and non-quantitative (verbal) variables and corresponding constraints. At the same time, many risk assessment tasks are formed and described both verbally in the professional language of this field of knowledge, and formally using different classes of models. The proposed method of risk assessment of the development of ACS by air traffic is based on production rules, which provides the opportunity to accumulate and use the experience of overcoming the risks of the project, and thus increases the success of the project.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE INTERFACE DEVELOPED USING THE METHOD OF INFORMATION MODEL SYNTHESIS AT THE AUTOMATED WORKSTATION OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL MANAGER

Using the method of synthesis of the information model at the automated workstation of the air traffic control dispatcher, a fragment of the user interface at the automated workstation of the radar control dispatcher of the Minsk district control center was synthesized, which allows to simulate the stages of the dispatcher's activity in the automated air traffic control system at the modern level of air traffic intensity. The verification of the adequacy and effectiveness of the synthesized user interface fragment was carried out directly with the participation of experts and specialists with experience in such systems. The adequacy of the synthesized user interface fragment was evaluated using a known consent criterion. The evaluation of the efficiency of the synthesized fragment of the user interface of the environment at the dispatcher's automated workstation was carried out under conditions of high air traffic intensity, which force the radar control dispatcher to control in critical mode of operation. Shows the advantage of a synthesized user interface fragment over an existing user interface in terms of time and accuracy. In general, the synthesized user interface fragment exceeds the existing one by about thirty percent. The synthesized user interface fragment noted the more stable activities of the subjects, as well as their better learning capability compared to the existing user interface. The developed experiment scheme allows to carry out research of engineering and psychological factors in human-machine systems of special purpose, including analysis of user interfaces at automated workstations of dispatching personnel in existing automated systems of air traffic control for their assessment and further improvement.

Designing fine-grained interactions for automation in air traffic control

Our work aims to explore novel approaches to the challenge of designing the interaction between people and automation. Through a case study within the domain of air traffic control, we focus on designing fine-grained human–automation interactions. We design a concept and develop an interactive lo-fi prototype of an assisted sketching system to enable air traffic controllers to interact with automation in a fine-grained manner and to externalize mental images. Assisted sketching seems to offer a possible way to communicate different degrees of predictive certainty using visual cues and interaction. Our insights further suggest that externalization through assisted sketching could encourage exploration of future scenarios, and support communication and collaboration between air traffic controllers and between air traffic controllers and pilots. The explorative benefits for the individual decision-making process might be more evident in situations where air traffic controllers have more time for reflection, for example during planning or debriefing and in educational settings.

Trajectory Specification for Terminal Airspace: Conflict Detection and Resolution

Trajectory Specification is a method of specifying aircraft trajectories with tolerances such that the position at any given time in flight is constrained to a precisely defined bounding space. The bounding space is defined by tolerances relative to a reference trajectory that specifies position as a function of time. The tolerances are dynamic and are based on the aircraft navigation capabilities and the traffic situation. Trajectory Specification can guarantee safe separation for an arbitrary period of time even in the event of an air traffic control (ATC) system or datalink failure. It can help to achieve the high level of safety and reliability needed for ATC automation, and it can reduce the reliance on tactical ATC backup systems during normal operation. This paper presents algorithms and software for detecting and resolving conflicts between specified trajectories in the terminal airspace serving a major airport. In a fast-time simulation of a full day of traffic in a major terminal airspace, all conflicts were resolved in near real time, demonstrating the computational feasibility and the preliminary operational feasibility of the concept.