US 11,851,206 B2
Aircraft landing systems and methods
Marc Pos, Duvall, WA (US); and Lawrence Surace, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Assigned to Honeywell International Inc., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Honeywell International Inc., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Dec. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/644,963.
Prior Publication US 2023/0192313 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. B64D 15/04 (2006.01); G01S 13/93 (2020.01); B64F 1/18 (2006.01); B64D 45/04 (2006.01); G01S 13/933 (2020.01)
CPC B64D 45/04 (2013.01) [B64F 1/18 (2013.01); G01S 13/933 (2020.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method of navigating a vertical take-off and landing (“VTOL”) vehicle near a landing zone, the method comprising:
receiving data related to a first radar signal reflected from at least one corner reflector;
determining whether the received data is consistent with a predefined target landing zone;
upon determining that the received data is consistent with the predefined target landing zone, determining a location of the VTOL vehicle relative to the predefined target landing zone, using a second radar signal reflected from at least one corner reflector;
determining whether the location of the VTOL vehicle is consistent with a predefined landing position; and
upon determining that the location of the VTOL vehicle is inconsistent with the predefined landing position, automatically repositioning the VTOL.
 
8. A computer-implemented method of navigating a VTOL vehicle near a landing zone, the method comprising:
receiving data related to a radar signal reflected from at least three corner reflectors on a predefined target landing zone;
using the received data, determining whether a location of the VTOL vehicle is consistent with a predefined landing position, wherein the determining includes comparing the received data to a predefined profile in a library having a plurality of profiles of a plurality of landing positions; and
upon determining that the location of the VTOL vehicle is consistent with the predefined landing position, automatically landing the VTOL vehicle or providing a visual or auditory indicator to an operator of the VTOL vehicle.
 
13. A system for vehicle landing, the system comprising:
a first corner reflector;
a second corner reflector; and
a third corner reflector, wherein the first corner reflector, the second corner reflector, and the third corner reflector are arranged in a triangular shape on a single landing zone for a vertical take-off and landing (“VTOL”) vehicle, wherein the first corner reflector has a first radar cross section (“RCS”), wherein the second corner reflector has a second RCS, wherein the first RCS differs from the second RCS, wherein the third corner reflector has a third RCS, and wherein the third RCS differs from the first RCS and the second RCS.