Use of 3D conformal symbology on HMD for a safer flight in degraded visual environment

Since the entry of coalition forces to Afghanistan and Iraq, a steep rise at the rate of accidents has occurred as a result of flying and landing in Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) conditions. Such conditions exist in various areas around the world and include bad weather, dust and snow landing (Brownout and whiteout) and low illumination at dark nights. A promising solution is a novel 3D conformal symbology displayed on head-tracked helmet mounted display (HMD). The 3D conformal symbology approach provides space stabilized three-dimensional symbology presented on the pilot helmet mounted display and has the potential of presenting a step function in HMD performance. It offers an intuitive way for presenting crucial information to the pilots in order to increase Situational Awareness, lower the pilots' workload and thus enhancing safety of flight dramatically. The pilots can fly "heads out" while the necessary flight and mission information is presented in intuitive manner, conformal with the real world and in real-time. . Several Evaluation trials had been conducted in the UK, US and Israel using systems that were developed by Elbit Systems to prove the embodied potential of the system to provide a solution for DVE flight conditions: technology, concept and the specific systems.