Boeing arm creates worldwide terrain database using data culled from Shuttle mission
Jeppesen plans to release a worldwide terrain database by the end of the year that will meet aviation quality requirements for use in future synthetic vision systems (SVS).
The system, which is based on terrain data culled from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in 2000, will provide a synthetic visual image of the outside world to the pilot at a 3 arc second, or roughly 90m (295ft) resolution level. The data will be available on devices such as the company’s Class 3 electronic flight bag, and will be viewable on appropriately linked flightdeck displays.
The SRTM was an international project led by the US National Imagery and Mapping Agency and NASA, with participation of the German Aerospace Centre, DLR. SRTM consisted of a modified imaging radar system that flew on board the Space Shuttle during STS 99. This 11,800kg (26,000lb) radar system gathered data to produce three dimensional images of the Earth’s surface between latitudes 60°N and 56°S. In advance of the database release, and to underscore the potential capabilities of an SVS supplied with very high resolution terrain data, Jeppesen has also released details of a recent trial of a 1m-resolution “photographic-like” database.
Colorado-based Jeppesen, which is a Boeing Commercial Airplanes Aviation Services subsidiary, conducted the trial with long-running partners Swissphoto Group, Technical University Darmstadt and Swiss-Jet. The system was flown on a Bell 407 helicopter through the Swiss Alps south west of Zurich. “The flightcrew operated the helicopter in visual meteorologicalconditions, while the rugged terrain provided a perfect venue for the Jeppesen team to use a 3D SVS display to compare various levels of terrain data quality derived from different generation methods,” says the company.
Jeppesen says the Swissphoto-provided very high-resolution terrain data was used to drive the Technical University Darmstadt-developed SVS software, while navAero supplied the electronic flight bag computer hardware. The company says it has “no plans” to offer a production version of this high-resolution level of database, but says, “it was more of a demonstration of just what’s possible”. It adds: “We think that SVS is definitely the future.”
GUY NORRIS/LOS ANGELES
Source: Flight International
