CatchUp
Advanced Air Mobility requires an efficient and automated landing process. The aim is to develop infrastructure for safe landing processes for vertical take-off aircraft. An active ground system will grab the aircraft from the air and prepare it for further ground processes. The aim is to significantly speed up the landing process and improve positioning accuracy. The essential basis for this is the collection and low-latency exchange of position and environmental measurement data between the aircraft and the ground station.
An active ground system will grab the aircraft out of the air and prepare it for further ground processes. The aim is to significantly speed up the landing process and improve positional accuracy. The essential basis here is the collection and low-latency exchange of position and environmental measurement data between the aircraft and the ground station.
Based on a requirements analysis, a system architecture is first derived and then implemented by setting up a demonstrator consisting of a robot, aircraft, and simulation environment, and developing wireless communication and sensor technology (radar, optical, wind sensors) as well as algorithms. The goal is to use the demonstrator to create a virtual representation of various air and ground systems (in-flight/in-process simulation). Finally, the functionality of the entire system will be demonstrated and evaluated. This will enable the automation of other ground processes such as loading and unloading. In addition, the demonstrator will make it possible to test the integration of advanced air mobility systems into airport operations.
Project Partners and Links:
FH Aachen (Coordinator)
IMST GmbH
Fraunhofer IEM
Airport Mönchengladbach (associated partner)
Funding: Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV)
Project's Internet Site: CatchUp
Radar and Communication Development Phase
Radar sensors are used for precise localization of the flying object. The challenge lies in achieving highly accurate distance measurement in real time. To this end, IMST uses radar sensors that operate in the 60 GHz band and have an accuracy of 2 cm. The image shows a single chip radar sensor with integrated antennas. With one Tx and three Rx antennas, simple angular resolution in azimuth and elevation is possible. A front-end board is located under the PCB with the radar chip. A continuous data stream is delivered during the capture process. The entire capture process is organized by the Aachen University of Applied Sciences. Environmental influences such as steady wind and gusts are also recorded and considered.
A drone suitable for this system is being developed and built by Fraunhofer IEM. For the secure and reliable communication between the ground station and the drone, IMST GmbH develops dedicated radio module operating in the 2.4 GHz ISM band.
The selected module is based on LoRa® spread-spectrum modulation and combines high robustness against interference with low latency and low power consumption. Operating in the globally license-free 2.4 GHz band allows worldwide usability without regional frequency adaptations. Compared to sub-GHz LoRa® systems, the 2.4 GHz solution enables higher data rates while still maintaining long-range and reliable communication, which is essential for time-critical landing maneuvers.
Its compact form factor and integrated RF components facilitate seamless integration into both the drone avionics and the ground station infrastructure. The high link robustness ensures stable communication even in challenging environments with metallic structures, or electromagnetic interference typical of airport surroundings.
The entire system is designed for aircraft with a wingspan of up to 2 m. A model is being created for simulation purposes. This will make the system scalable for larger aircraft as well.
60 GHz Radar sR60-13RLi
LoRa® Module iM284A-L
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