Flying vehicle automatic lighting control system and method

A processor-implemented method in a computing system in a flying vehicle for controlling a plurality of exterior lights on the flying vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining, by a processor, whether a flying vehicle status for the flying vehicle is a normal status, an emergency status, or another abnormal status;
• determining, by the processor, an environment status for the flying vehicle comprising a plurality of the proximity of surrounding traffic, time of day, visibility, and weather;
• identifying, by the processor, a plurality of exterior lights on the flying vehicle that are in an automatic lighting control mode;
• and
• for a current flight phase:
• automatically illuminating the plurality of exterior lights in accordance with a first predefined lighting pattern when the flying vehicle status is a normal status and the environment status is in a first state;
• automatically illuminating the plurality of exterior lights in accordance with a second predefined lighting pattern when the flying vehicle status is a normal status and the environment status is in a second state;
• and
• automatically illuminating the plurality of exterior lights in accordance with a third predefined lighting pattern when the flying vehicle status is an abnormal or emergency status, wherein the first, second, and third predefined lighting patterns are different.

Non-transitory computer readable media encoded with programming instructions that are configurable to cause a processor on avionics computing equipment on a flying vehicle to perform a method, the method comprising:

• determining whether a flying vehicle status for the flying vehicle is a normal status, an emergency status, or another abnormal status;
• determining an environment status for the flying vehicle comprising a plurality of the proximity of surrounding traffic, time of day, visibility, and weather;
• identifying a plurality of exterior lights on the flying vehicle that are in an automatic lighting control mode;
• and
• for a current flight phase:
• automatically illuminating the plurality of exterior lights in accordance with a first predefined lighting pattern when the flying vehicle status is a normal status and the environment status is in a first state;
• automatically illuminating the plurality of exterior lights in accordance with a second predefined lighting pattern when the flying vehicle status is a normal status and the environment status is in a second state;
• and
• automatically illuminating the plurality of exterior lights in accordance with a third predefined lighting pattern when the flying vehicle status is an abnormal or emergency status, wherein the first, second, and third predefined lighting patterns are different.