Recent progress in the development of mobile Eye Tracking (ET) systems shows that there is a demand for modern flexible solutions that would allow for dynamic tracking of objects in the video stream. The paper describes a newly developed tool for work with ET glasses, and its advantages are outlined with the example of a pilot study. A flight task is performed on the FNTP II MCC simulator, and the pilots are equipped with the Mobile Tobii Glasses. The proposed Smart Trainer tool performs dynamic object tracking in a registered video stream, allowing for an interactive definition of Area of Interest (AOI) with blurred contours for the individual cockpit instruments and for the construction of corresponding histograms of pilot attention. The studies are carried out on a group of experienced pilots with a professional pilot CPL(A) license with instrumental flight (Instrument Rating (IR)) certification and a group of pilots without instrumental training. The experimental section shows the differences in the perception of the flight process between two distinct groups of pilots with varying levels in flight training for the ATPL(A) line pilot license. The proposed Smart Trainer tool might be exploited in order to assess and improve the process of training operators of advanced systems with human machine interfaces.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe simulation research carried out for the needs of multi-sensor anti-collision system for light aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents an analysis related to the practical possibilities of detecting intruders in the air space with the use of optoelectronic sensors. The theoretical part determines the influence of the angle of view, distance from the intruder and the resolution of the camera on the ability to detect objects with different linear dimensions. It has been assumed that the detection will be effective for objects represented by at least four pixels (arranged in a line) on the sensor matrix. In the main part devoted to simulation studies, the theoretical data was compared to the obtained intruders’ images. The verified simulation environment was then applied to the image processing algorithms developed for the anti-collision system. Findings A simulation environment was obtained enabling reliable tests of the anti-collision system using optoelectronic sensors. Practical implications The integration of unmanned aircraft operations in civil airspace is a serious problem on a global scale. Equipping aircraft with autonomous anti-collision systems can help solve key problems. The use of simulation techniques in the process of testing anti-collision systems allows the implementation of test scenarios that may be burdened with too much risk in real flights. Social implications This paper aims for possible improvement of safety in light-sport aviation. Originality/value This paper conducts verification of classic flight simulator software suitability for carrying out anti-collision systems tests and development of a flight simulator platform dedicated to such tests.

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In the near future, the integration of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles into the common airspace will proceed. The changes taking place mean that the safety of light aircraft, ultralight aircraft and unmanned air vehicles (UAV) will become an increasing problem. The IDAAS project (Intruder Detection And collision Avoidance System) meets the new challenges as it aims to produce technically advanced detection and collision avoidance systems for light and unmanned aerial vehicles. The work discusses selected elements of research and practical tests of the intruder detection vision system, which is part the of IDAAS project. At the outset, the current formal requirements related to the necessity of installing anticollision systems on aircraft are presented. The concept of the IDAAS system and the structure of algorithms related to image processing are also discussed. The main part of the work presents the methodology developed for the needs of dedicated flight tests, its implementation and the results obtained. The initial tests of the IDAAS system carried out on an ultralight aircraft generally indicate the possibility of the effective detection of intruders in the airspace with the use of vision methods, although they also indicated the existence of conditions in which this detection may prove difficult or even impossible.

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