Passive aircraft wingtip strike detection system and method

A passive aircraft wingtip strike detection system, comprising:

• an aerodrome database having aerodrome data stored therein, the aerodrome data including data representative of specific wingtip strike threats;
• and
• a processor in operable communication with the aerodrome database, the processor configured to selectively retrieve aerodrome data from the aerodrome database and, upon retrieval thereof to:
• generate a digital base map of at least a portion of an aerodrome that includes one or more specific wingtip strike threats, the digital base map represented by a plurality of aerodrome cells;
• assign a numeric value to each of the aerodrome cells, the numeric value assigned to each aerodrome cell representative of the specific wingtip strike threat associated with that aerodrome cell;
• generate an index count array, the index count array having a separate entry for each numeric value;
• generate a digital aircraft structure representative of an aircraft, the digital aircraft structure represented by a plurality of aircraft cells;
• determine whether a portion of the aerodrome cells are or would be replaced with the plurality of aircraft cells;
• count each numeric value of the aerodrome cells that are or would be replaced to determine a replacement count associated with each numeric value of the aerodrome cells that are or would be replaced;
• enter the replacement count associated with each numeric value into the separate entry in the index count array for that numeric value;
• and
• detect one or more potential aircraft wingtip strikes based on the replacement counts in the index count array,
• wherein the digital aircraft structure comprises a plurality of protective envelopes around the aircraft.

A method for passively detecting aircraft wingtip strikes, comprising the steps of:

• in a processing system:
• generating a digital base map of at least a portion of an aerodrome that includes one or more specific wingtip strike threats, the digital base map represented by a plurality of aerodrome cells;
• assigning a numeric value to each of the aerodrome cells, the numeric value assigned to each aerodrome cell representative of the specific wingtip strike threat associated with that aerodrome cell;
• generating an index count array, the index count array having a separate entry for each numeric value;
• generating a digital aircraft structure representative of an aircraft, the digital aircraft structure represented by a plurality of aircraft cells;
• determining whether a portion of the aerodrome cells are or would be replaced with the plurality of aircraft cells;
• counting each numeric value of the aerodrome cells that are or would be replaced to determine a replacement count associated with each numeric value of the aerodrome cells that are or would be replaced;
• entering the replacement count associated with each numeric value into the separate entry in the index count array for that numeric value;
• detecting one or more potential aircraft wingtip strikes based on the replacement counts in the index count array,
• wherein:
• the digital aircraft structure comprises a plurality of protective envelopes around the aircraft,
• the plurality of protective envelopes comprises a first protective envelope and a second protective envelope,
• the first protective envelope is coded to respond to a first type of wingtip strike threat,
• the second protective envelope is coded to respond to the first type of wingtip strike threat and to a second type of wingtip threat,
• each of the protective envelopes has a size, and
• the method further comprises detecting aircraft speed, and varying the size of one or more of the protective envelopes based at least in part on the detected aircraft speed.