FlightHorizon PILOT traffic-detection or avoidance system

The FlightHorizon PILOT is a traffic-detection or avoidance system from Vigilant Aerospace with fusion sensor type and avoidance guidance. FlightHorizon PILOT, in the PILOT-C configuration described by Vigilant Aerospace Systems, is an onboard detect-and-avoid computer system for commercial uncrewed aircraft. It is a traffic-detection and collision avoidance system that correlates data from several sensors to detect, track and predict nearby traffic and help avoid mid-air collisions.

The system runs on the aircraft, so detect-and-avoid decisions rely on direct sensor inputs and not on ground infrastructure, and it keeps operating on onboard processing when external connectivity is limited. It connects to the aircraft's telemetry, ADS-B In receivers and radar through the aircraft network interfaces. It is meant for beyond visual line of sight operations, where the vendor positions it as support for the safety case and waiver packages for commercial missions. In the vendor's product line, the PILOT variant uses an onboard flight computer with transponder data and, where available, radar data, and sends self-separation guidance to the onboard autopilot.

The functions are built around well-clear monitoring. The software evaluates nearby traffic against well-clear thresholds using relative position, altitude and closure rate, calculates collision risk, and issues prioritised cautions and warnings so that the highest-risk traffic is shown first. It generates resolution advisories for a pilot interface or ground control station, which keeps the remote pilot in the loop, and supports guidance for optional autopilot integration. The algorithms are DAIDALUS II, which support ACAS X, Xu and sXu concepts, and the vendor states that the design is intended to align with RTCA DO-365C Change 1 and ASTM F3442, with full compliance dependent on hardware and configuration.

For integration, the system is built for aircraft that support non-cooperative traffic sensors and works with several ADS-B In receiver and transponder models. It connects over Ethernet, USB or both. The computer is compact and low-power, intended for onboard installation with low size, weight, power and cost, and it can be configured for a range of airframes and operating environments. The hardware is aviation-grade, and installation with RTCA DO-160 compliant equipment is supported, with hardware selection depending on the configuration. Modular software add-ons extend the system to additional sensors and autopilots.

The system logs telemetry, sensor, transponder and detect-and-avoid feeds onboard. This supports post-flight review, test reporting and safety analysis, and it keeps a record of surveillance inputs and advisory events for assessments and approvals. Output formats depend on the configuration.

Typical applications are beyond visual line of sight flights of large professional drones, long-range inspection, survey and delivery missions, and autonomous or remotely piloted operations that need traffic awareness and documented detect-and-avoid behaviour for operational approval.