Multiagent approach for collision avoidance systems in aviation

Abstract

The problem of aircraft midair collisions exists since aviation appeared. One of the instruments used for increasing flight safeness is Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (or TCAS). TCAS is an air-borne system that monitors the airspace around flying aircraft and detects nearby aircrafts. In critical situa-tions (when distance between aircrafts becomes less then critical miss distance) it sends to the pilot a ma-neuver advisory (often called resolution advisory). But there are some imperfections in TCAS algorithms, es-pecially in coordination and interaction between systems. These imperfections can be eliminated by applying multiagent approach. According this technology each aircraft can be presented as an intelligent agent. Agents can communicate and generate common decisions that consider interests, technical characteristics and limi-tations of all aircrafts. Proposed approach can reduce possibility of midair collisions because in this case TCAS does not only make, accept or reject decisions, but also analyses them and so chooses optimal scenario of solving conflict situation.