Extending the Modified Voltage Potential algorithm for use in converging traffic flows

Extending the Modified Voltage Potential algorithm for use in converging traffic flows

Jacobse, Ruben (TU Delft Aerospace Engineering)

Ellerbroek, J. (mentor)
Hoekstra, J.M. (mentor)

Delft University of Technology

Aerospace Engineering

2020-09-21

The maximum workload for air traffic control officers is a key constraint on the capacity of the airspace system. In the free flight concept air traffic control is removed and aircraft themselves take over its responsibilities. The Modified Voltage Potential (MVP) algorithm is an implementation of this concept. However, its use in the presence of airspace restrictions has not been studied extensively. Five new concepts with additional steering rules added to the MVP using a steering rule hierarchy are tested in a constrained airspace using fast-time simulations. One method adds a relative-position-based velocity averaging rule and the four others add absolute-position-based geovectoring rules. The experiment shows that three of the concepts using geovectoring perform better than the baseline MVP method whereas the velocity averaging concept increases the system workload. Further research is suggested to better understand the interaction effects between the different rules in the steering behavior hierarchy.

Modified Voltage Potential
Self-separation
Airborne Separation Assurance System
conflict prevention
geovectoring
airspace restriction

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:efe1071e-5704-4a46-956f-a6a94d74818f

Student theses

master thesis

© 2020 Ruben Jacobse