Searchlight auto-land system

A method for an auto-land system for a rotorcraft, comprising:

• at a control module, continuously receiving actual rotorcraft state data from a rotorcraft inertial navigation system;
• continuously receiving searchlight state data for a searchlight (SL), including orientation and range values associated with locations on which the SL is focused;
• receiving a user input command to auto-land on a selected position of interest (POI) on which the SL is focused;
• responsive to receiving the command to auto-land, beginning an auto-land operation by
• (i) generating a desired trajectory from a rotorcraft actual orientation and a rotorcraft actual range to the POI;
• and
• (ii) generating guidance commands for navigating the rotorcraft in accordance with the desired trajectory.

A rotorcraft having an auto-land system, comprising:

• a searchlight assembly comprising a search light (SL), the searchlight assembly configured to receive user input directing the SL to a point of interest (POI) and determine an actual SL orientation and an actual SL range to the POI;
• an inertial reference system configured to provide a rotorcraft actual orientation and rotorcraft instantaneous location;
• a user input device;
• and
• a searchlight controller operationally coupled to the search light assembly, the inertial reference system, and the user input device, the search light controller configured to:
• receive a command to auto-land at the POI;
• determine coordinates of the POI based on the rotorcraft instantaneous location and the user directed POI;
• responsive to receiving the command to auto-land, begin an auto-land operation by
• (i) generating a desired trajectory from the rotorcraft actual orientation and rotorcraft actual range to the POI;
• (ii) generating guidance commands for navigating the rotorcraft in accordance with the desired trajectory;
• (iii) monitoring an actual SL range and an actual SL orientation;
• and
• (iv) generating controlling commands for the searchlight assembly in accordance with the coordinates of the POI.