The idea of ODESSA (Obstruction DEtection Sensor for Surveillance on Aircraft) is to provide a small, light, reliable and low-cost sensor that could be installed on aircrafts piloted and non. Mainly derived from automotive technologies and based on modular avionics concepts, the proposed solution will be independent from the aerial platforms as an “after market” product.
Mid-air, near mid-air, but also on ground collisions with obstacles are considered significant cause of accident in general aviation. For this reason, the design of an affordable obstacle warning sensor, helping pilots in preventing accidents could be very important.
The use of millimetric radar, derived from automotive domain, gave different advantages. Reliability and solutions that are small, light, low consumption and low cost.
ODESSA system improves the safety of landing and ground procedures, being independent from the airport infrastructure.
Achieved key objectives:
• Build up a prototype of ODESSA Sensor, based on millimetric radar technology combined with a video camera (A and B-models ), suitable for large scale production of “on board” certified equipment
• Build up a Control Unit, which provides a smart graphic HMI, to manage the data incoming from the sensors. Image Processing algorithm (AI techniques) was developed to enable the target detection and recognition capabilities
• Perform the characterization of the prototypes both in flight (RPAS payload), and in ground, by simulating different environmental scenarios like rain, smoke, Ice spray, etc. More than 60 different tests have been carried out
• Optimization of Size, Weight and Power consumption to be compatible with the aeronautic constraints, achieving consequently one of main topic of CleanSky2: reducing emission, optimising aircraft design
The Control-Unit weight is 1.8 kg with a Power Consumption of 30 W, small footprint (230x216x102 mm). The Sensor-Unit is less than 1 kg with a Power Consumption of 18 W.
key technical results:
• Linear Range detection: up to about 150 meters. The test limited up to 138 m, due to the test field area limitation
• Target speed: The tests in flight, and at during ground test showed the capacity to detect moving targets at the relative speed of 10-50Km/h
• Elevation detection : vertical FoV 15° total, with the use of three sensors installed in in the ODESSA B-model equipment
• Azimuth detection: horizontal FoV of a single equipment is ± 40°. In order to reach the 80° azimuth, the final system application must be configured simply installing two sensors, placed side by side to cover a greater horizontal FoV
• Target recognition and identification: different targets have been used for the Target recognition and identification capability characterization: Cables (8mm, 16mm diameter), unanimated and animated objects such as car, tree, building, high voltage pylon, human, aircraft, small UAV, corner reflector (target simulator). During test case, all objects have been detected by the sensor and recognized
• Number of target: the sensor showed the capability to detect and identify more than 10 obstacles simultaneously.
