Research on Aircraft Surface Taxi Path Planning and Conflict Detection and Resolution

Abstract

Aircraft surface taxiing conflict avoidance is mostly adopted by waiting and rerouting methods, but this method does not consider the difference in total taxiing time that may be caused by different strategies. In this study, the airport taxiing path optimization model and taxiing area division model are constructed first. Then, the taxiway use is controlled by subregion based on the analysis of the surface activity area connection relationship. Based on the results of aircraft surface taxiway preselection, the time window of the taxiing area is solved and conflict detection is performed. For aircraft with taxiing conflicts, waiting or changing paths is selected to deconflict taxiing by comparing priorities. An improved A∗ algorithm solution is applied to generate conflict-free glide paths and new glide trajectory occupancy time windows, while the glide paths of aircraft without glide conflicts are not affected. The results of the study show that the use of time windows for conflict detection and deconfliction can further reduce the total taxiing time of aircraft operating on the surface, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of aircraft conflicts, and thus, airport operational safety is ensured. This study has a high practical value and is expected to be applied in the real-time control decision of aircraft taxiing in the future.