Automatic Takeoff and Landing
Automatic Takeoff and
Landing
A YouTube video posted by user wwwAirplaneTvcom shows an
Airbus A320 descending, breaking out of the clouds at 200’ and automatically
landing on a runway on a Winter’s night.
Watching the video gives the viewer the sense of enhanced operational
safety and the reduction of human intervention during the landing process. Automated assistance, especially during
periods of high stress levels, can reduce human error. Reducing stress levels on pilots is important
because a more relaxed (but attentive) environment enhances their abilities to
divert attention to other tasks.
The A320 is also capable of automatically taking off, but
rarely accomplished during actual flight operations. The auto-throttles need to be set for a
specific altitude and problems arise when the airplane may initiate an early
rotation from the runway. Because of
these concerns, the A320 normally lifts from the runway manually and then the autopilot
is engaged shortly after take-off (Samarth, 2015). The autopilot system completes the takeoff,
turning to headings and climbing to desired cruise altitudes.
Nasr notes that elevated levels of autonomy do not
necessarily equate to safer flying (2015).
There have been several accidents occurring recently whose catalysts
were the elevated levels of automation and resulting pilot confusion (Nasr,
2015). If human crews of manned aircraft
are confused by automation, then either enhanced training or human removal from
the system seem like obvious choices.
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are utilizing automated
takeoff and landing functions more frequently than their manned-aircraft
counterparts. Most modern DJI UAS will
now take-off automatically and enter a four to six -foot hover once powering up
by the operator (Corrigan, 2018). This
assistance is helpful to novice pilots or as an aid when flying in turbulent
air or high winds.
There have been reports of problems with DJI automatic
takeoff systems resulting from other ancillary settings (Corrigan, 2018). For example, selecting some of the automatic
return to home (RTH) functions could result in some DJI UAS assuming
twenty-foot initial takeoff altitudes instead of the expected four to six-foot
height.
Most
DJI systems have automatic landing capabilities. Many of these intelligent flight
modes are interrelated. For example, DJI manufactures automatic
landing features combined
with return to home functions
(Corrigan, 2018).
While researching for this brief paper, it was obvious that
manned aircraft utilize less autonomous function on takeoff versus
landing. Manned aircraft are far more
restricted in using intelligent flight modes than their UAS counterparts. The
absence of onboard human lives may be an influential factor highlighting this
difference.
Increasingly automated, manned aircraft operations are
associated with significant human factors.
These factors are variable between UAS and manned aircraft for several
reasons. UAS rely more heavily on
software for intelligent flight modes during takeoffs and for emergency
procedures. As human beings develop
stronger trust of these engineered systems, there may eventually be no flight
crew to say hello to when you climb onboard your next flight.
References
Corrigan, F. (2018).
Top DJI Phantom Pro Intelligent Flight Modes Reviewed. Retrieved
from https://www.dronezon.com/drone-reviews/phantom-4-intelligent-modes-obstacle- sensing-active-tracking/
Samarth, S. (2015).
Can an Airplane Takeoff and Land Automatically without Pilot Intervention? Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Can-a-plane-take-off-and-land
automatically-without-pilot-intervention
Nasr, R. (2015). Autopilot: What the
System Can and Can’t Do. Retrieved from
https://www.cnbc.com/2015/03/26/autopilot-what-the-system-can-and-cant-do.html
wwwAirplaneTVcom. (2013). Airbus
A320 Autoland (automatic landing) CAT IIIb VIE- LOWW
in Winter at night. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mSNE3SmYA-8
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