Researchers use augmented reality headsets to help helicopter pilots navigate in low-visibility

Researchers from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, in conjunction with the Institute of Helicopter Technology have found a way to use a helicopter-mounted Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system that can help pilots navigate through challenging flight scenarios.

With LIDAR being able to ‘see’ through low-visibility atmosphere conditions such as fog and rain, the system can detect real-world obstacles such as trees and rock structures. This ranging information is then fed to a processor on board the helicopter that composes the objects detected directly onto the screen of the pilot’s head-mounted display.

"Databases containing obstacles and terrain data are used together with real-time data from sensors in order to substitute the lost visual cues in degraded visual environment," said Franz Viertler, the professor of aeronautical engineering who worked on the project revealed to Digital Trends. "The other part of the research then deals with how to best visualize the data for the pilot in order to enable a safe flight. The head-mounted display is a perfect means to do this, because the pilots can keep their eyes out of the window, while they get additional information about hazardous obstacles."

When put to the test within simulated environments, pilots who wore these augmented headsets responded with greater precision and safety, even in low-visibility conditions.

While the systems were demonstrated to work satisfactorily, it may be a while before they become mainstream due to the legal process that accompany putting such a system into mainstream practice.