Digital Map Enabled Boundary Search Pattern

An apparatus for digital map enabled search pattern generation, including one or more processors configured to:

• determine at least one flight pattern parameter including at least one of a coastline, a political boundary, a natural feature, and a manmade feature;
• determine at least one flight pattern area corresponding to at least one aircraft;
• retrieve, from at least one digital map coupled to the one or more processors, at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−1), each pattern point located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to the at least one flight pattern parameter;
• generate at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points, and (ii) a search radius, each waypoint located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to a pattern point;
• and
• generate, via the flight management system, at least one flight pattern including a search pattern for display or approval for display on a display unit based on (i) one or more of the second ordered plurality of waypoints, (ii) and a track space offset, wherein the search pattern includes the at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points.

A method for digital map enabled search pattern generation, comprising:

• determining at least one flight pattern parameter via a flight management system (FMS) associated with at least one aircraft, the FMS comprising one or more processors;
• determining, via the FMS, at least one flight pattern area;
• generating, via a digital map coupled to the FMS, at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points P(0) . . . P(n−1), each pattern point located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to the at least one flight pattern parameter;
• generating, via the FMS, at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints W(0) . . . W(x) based on (i) one or more of the at least one first ordered plurality of n pattern points, and (ii) a search radius, each waypoint located within the at least one flight pattern area and corresponding to a pattern point;
• generating, via the FMS, at least one flight pattern including a search pattern for display or approval for display on a display unit based on (i) one or more of the second ordered plurality of waypoints, and (ii) a track space offset;
• and
• providing the search pattern for display or approval for display flight pattern including the search pattern, wherein the search pattern includes at least one second ordered plurality of waypoints connected to a portion of the first ordered plurality of n pattern points.