Integrity Framework of Camera-Based Navigation for Take-Off and Landing at Vertiports

Urban air mobility (UAM) aims at transporting passengers or cargo in urban and suburban areas using electric vertical take-off and landing aircrafts (eVTOLs) in low altitude airspace. A reliable and resilient navigation system is essential to the safe operation of UAM applications. The take-off and landing at vertiports is arguably the most challenging phase of operation for the navigation system due to the stringent performance requirements and the complex environment in urban areas. Cameras can be applied as an alternative navigation sensor to GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and other radiobased navigation systems at vertiports due to its resilience against radio interference and high accuracy at low altitudes. However, the integrity quantification and monitoring of camera-based navigation remains a challenging topic, blocking visual navigation methods from being certified for safety critical applications. In this work, an integrity framework is proposed for applying camera-based positioning during take-off and landing operations at vertiports.