A Review of Flight Abnormal Behavior Analysis and Trajectory Anomaly Detection Methods

Air traffic is increasingly complicated, and with the expansion of the aviation industry, a growing emphasis on the safety of flight is being driven. According to flight experience and safety regulation standards, flight abnormal behavior is typically manifested through trajectories as well as other behavioral characteristics. Trajectory anomaly detection is a critical component for ensuring flight safety. This paper presents a comprehensive review that covers flight abnormal behavior analysis and trajectory anomaly detection. The definition of flight abnormal behavior and trajectory is clarified at first. Then, this paper proposes a framework of anomaly detection in flight trajectory. On this basis, the review expounds upon the methodologies that have been employed in three primary types of trajectory anomaly detection: speed anomalies, altitude anomalies, and heading deviations. The main applications in this field consist of anomaly warning, online real-time anomaly detection, and the quantitative evaluation of flight abnormal behavior. Future research should encompass studies on the classification of flight traffic behavior classification, the integration of flight trajectory, and other data sources to identify flight abnormal behaviors. This study contributes to furnish more actionable insights for the advancement of trajectory anomaly detection technologies, offering significant implications for an in-depth comprehension of flight abnormal behavior.

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Publication Details

Journal
Aerospace
Published
2026-02-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13030209
Primary Topic
Air Traffic Management and Optimization
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

A Review of Flight Abnormal Behavior Analysis and Trajectory Anomaly Detection Methods

Hongyong Wang, Yexin Wu, Yifei Zhao
Aerospace
Air Traffic Management and Optimization
article

A Review of Flight Abnormal Behavior Analysis and Trajectory Anomaly Detection Methods

Hongyong Wang, Yexin Wu, Yifei Zhao
article en

Abstract

Air traffic is increasingly complicated, and with the expansion of the aviation industry, a growing emphasis on the safety of flight is being driven. According to flight experience and safety regulation standards, flight abnormal behavior is typically manifested through trajectories as well as other behavioral characteristics. Trajectory anomaly detection is a critical component for ensuring flight safety. This paper presents a comprehensive review that covers flight abnormal behavior analysis and trajectory anomaly detection. The definition of flight abnormal behavior and trajectory is clarified at first. Then, this paper proposes a framework of anomaly detection in flight trajectory. On this basis, the review expounds upon the methodologies that have been employed in three primary types of trajectory anomaly detection: speed anomalies, altitude anomalies, and heading deviations. The main applications in this field consist of anomaly warning, online real-time anomaly detection, and the quantitative evaluation of flight abnormal behavior. Future research should encompass studies on the classification of flight traffic behavior classification, the integration of flight trajectory, and other data sources to identify flight abnormal behaviors. This study contributes to furnish more actionable insights for the advancement of trajectory anomaly detection technologies, offering significant implications for an in-depth comprehension of flight abnormal behavior.

AerospaceVol. 13(3)
Civil Aviation University of China (CN)
National Key Research and Development Program of China
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Openalex Percentile: Top 44%
Air Traffic Management and Optimization
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