A Landing Display Concept with an Augmented Reality Enhanced Camera View for Advanced Air Mobility Vehicles

The emerging market of Advanced Air Mobility will encounter challenges similar to those faced by the conventional aviation industry in flight safety, particularly during the critical phase of approach and landing. Both helicopter and fixed-wing accidents frequently occur during this stage. While pilots play a crucial role in avoiding obstacles, their workload remains high, especially when approaching undesignated landing sites. An additional camera-based support system enhances situational awareness by overlaying relevant information onto the camera feed. This augmentation is especially valuable during abnormal situations, aiding pilots in swiftly identifying suitable and safe landing areas. The primary contribution of this paper is an Augmented Reality concept that includes a correctly scaled preview of the aircraft at its predicted stopping position. The concept underwent evaluation in an expert study within a flight simulator. It explored suitable field of view angles for the camera, highlighting potential variations based on the flight phase. Furthermore, integration and testing with a remote-controlled drone, utilizing its onboard camera and sensor data, were conducted.