Autonomous aircraft set for automatic landings

Unlike large commercial airports, smaller airstrips lack the infrastructure to ensure the safe navigation of aircraft for automatic landings.

Now, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and TU Braunschweig say they have demonstrated a completely automatic landing with vision assisted navigation that functions properly without the need for ground-based systems. The research is detailed in the Journal of the Institute of Navigation.

The team point out that large airports are equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) which allows commercial aircraft to land automatically and precisely. Antennas send radio signals to the autopilot to make sure it navigates to the runway safely. Procedures are also currently being developed that will allow automatic landing based on satellite navigation, which requires a ground-based augmentation system.

Systems like these, however, are not available for general aviation at smaller airports.

"Automatic landing is essential, especially in the context of the future role of aviation," said Martin Kügler, research associate at the TUM Chair of Flight System Dynamics. This applies for example when automated aircraft transport freight and of course when passengers use automated flying taxis.