SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY, INC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: Landing a piloted helicopter such as the SH-60R on the moving deck of a small ship current

Description

Landing a piloted helicopter such as the SH-60R on the moving deck of a small ship currently requires close cooperation between the pilot, copilot, Landing Safety Officer (LSO), and the onboard Sensor Operator (for RAST/free deck recoveries). This critical task is resource-intensive and can be extremely challenging due to factors that include: 1) deck constraints requiring precise flight maneuvering, stabilization, and landing execution; 2) a landing target that moves randomly in six degrees-of-freedom; 3) a chaotic airmass that buffets the helicopter; and 4) the helicopter"s proximity to the ship structure constrains the pilot in command"s attention to the forward hangar face when hovering over the deck. Systems Technology, Inc. proposes to leverage advances in ship motion prediction, human-machine integration, display design, and brain-monitoring analysis with the Adaptive Shipboard Recovery Display (ASRD). ASRD will allow single pilot deck recovery, displaying a set of intuitively integrated guidance and spatial cues that are optimized in real time for wake turbulence, observed and predicted ship motion, and pilot control capability. While accounting for nominal helicopter dynamics, ASRD will also adapt to changes in the airframe and task such as boost off, SAS off, RAST, free deck, and one-engine-inoperative landing.