The NASA approach to realize a sensor enhanced-synthetic vision system (SE-SVS) [aircraft displays]

There exists a need by the cockpit crews for confirmation of runway location and detection of non-responding objects on or near the active runway. This is a major role for an onboard enhanced vision system (EVS). The NASA aircraft EVS configuration is composed of a visual (CCD) camera, a short-wave FLIR, a long-wave FLIR and a modified X-band radar. Inputs from externally-generated sensor sources are piped directly to the SVS processors and are merged to provide the pilot (on head-up or head-down displays) situational awareness in adverse weather and darkness for and during airport approach, approach and landing guidance, runway incursions/runway object detection, and taxiing. On smaller aircraft (commuter, business jets, and GA) where the proposed radar technology cannot be installed, FLIRs and low-light visible cameras are likely the only sensor candidates that perform these functions.