LIDAR Sensor Based Obstacle Avoidance System for Manned and Unmanned Aircraft

The demand for reliable obstacle avoidance capabilities to ensure safe operation of manned and unmanned aircraft platforms in proximity of the terrain has led to the development of a number of obstacle detection and warning systems. Among the different technologies proposed for the application, the Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology employing eye-safe laser sources, advanced electro-optics and mechanical beam-steering components has proven to deliver the highest angular resolution and accuracy performances in a wide range of incidence angles and weather conditions. LIDAR obstacle avoidance systems have become a mature and successful solution for rotorcraft platforms, and current research activities are addressing its extension to other platforms, both civil and military. Small-to-medium size Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) also employ LOAM sensor, especially for operations in proximity of the ground, further aggravated by the very limited see-and-avoid capabilities of the pilot. In this paper we describe the design and test activities performed to develop and certify the Laser Obstacle Avoidance “Marconi” (LOAM) system. After a brief description of the system architecture as well as of the data processing algorithms, emphasis is given to avoidance trajectory generation and performance estimation models. The evaluation of the avoidance trajectory generation algorithm in realistic scenario is also described. An overview of ground and flight test activities performed on various platforms and their results is also presented. The paper also overviews the future LOAM developments and integration activities with a focus on non-cooperative RPAS Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) applications. Keywords-Laser Sensor, Obstacle avoidance, Sense-andAvoid, RPAS