Decentralized Automated Algorithm for Self-merging and Self-spacing in the Next Generation Air Traffic Control
Michael Fruhnert, Jingjing Guo · 14th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference · 2014
Terminal area congestion is a pressing issue in today’s air traffic control system. One way to address congestion is using computer based automated flight management systems to free air traffic controllers from handling increasingly complicated conflict resolution and path planning tasks. In this paper we propose a decentralized automated algorithm for self-merging and self-spacing in terminal air traffic control using proposed technological advancement of Next Generation Air Transportation System. The proposed algorithm automates the aircraft alignment process which constitutes the first two segments of the Instrument Approach Procedure in today’s Air Traffic Control system. The proposed algorithm employs a consensus based protocol to negotiate for a target flow which is implemented concurrently with a guidance law incorporating collision avoidance based on potential field theory. The simulation results of two different hypothetical scenarios illustrate the validity of the algorithm and outlines its application scope as well.