Aircraft collision avoidance system

A collision avoidance system for an aircraft that includes a fuselage and a plurality of aircraft surfaces coupled to and extending from the fuselage, the collision avoidance system comprising:

• a laser light source mounted on at least one of the aircraft surfaces and configured, upon being energized, to emit a laser light beam in one or more directions, the laser light source further configured such that, when the laser light beam is emitted, it creates a laser light plane that (i) is disposed at a predetermined angle relative to a ground surface on which the aircraft is located and (ii) extends, from the aircraft surface, along the ground surface thereby producing an elongated light pattern on the ground surface and on any obstacle that the laser light plane encounters;
• and
• a processing system in operable communication with the laser light source, the processing system configured to:
• determine when a collision threat is within a predetermined distance of the aircraft,
• energize the laser light source such that the laser light beam has a first color when a collision threat is not within the predetermined distance of the aircraft, and
• energize the laser light source such the laser light beam has a second color when a collision threat is within the predetermined distance of the aircraft.

A collision avoidance system for an aircraft that includes a fuselage and a plurality of aircraft surfaces coupled to and extending from the fuselage, the collision avoidance system comprising:

• a light engine mounted on at least one of the aircraft surfaces and configured, upon being energized, to emit a light beam in one or more directions, the light engine further configured such that, when the light beam is emitted, it creates a light plane that (i) is disposed at a predetermined angle relative to a ground surface on which the aircraft is located and (ii) extends, from the aircraft surface, along the ground surface thereby producing an elongated light pattern on the ground surface and on any obstacle that the light plane encounters;
• and
• a processing system in operable communication with the light engine, the processing system configured to:
• determine when a collision threat is within a predetermined distance of the aircraft,
• energize the light engine such that the light beam is emitted as steady, non-variable light beam when a collision threat is not within the predetermined distance of the aircraft, and
• energize the light engine such that the light beam is emitted with one or more variable characteristics when a collision threat is within the predetermined distance of the aircraft.

A collision avoidance system for an aircraft that includes a fuselage and a plurality of aircraft surfaces coupled to and extending from the fuselage, the collision avoidance system comprising:

• a laser light source mounted on at least one of the aircraft surfaces and configured, upon being energized, to emit a laser light beam in one or more directions, the laser light source further configured such that, when the light beam is emitted, it creates a laser light plane that (i) is disposed at a predetermined angle relative to a ground surface on which the aircraft is located and (ii) extends, from the aircraft surface, along the ground surface thereby producing an elongated light pattern on the ground surface and on any obstacle that the light plane encounters;
• and
• a processing system in operable communication with the laser light source, the processing system configured to:
• determine when a collision threat is within a predetermined distance of the aircraft,
• energize the laser light source such that the laser light beam is emitted as steady, non-variable laser light beam when a collision threat is not within the predetermined distance of the aircraft, and
• energize the laser light source such that the laser light beam is emitted with one or more variable characteristics when a collision threat is within the predetermined distance of the aircraft.