Universal HUD + Remote 3D Viewing capabilities

[Droolguy]

Hello everyone,

So in about six months I will be getting out of the military for good.

I then have about five months until I head off to the COS flight school for eleven months to finish my commercial helicopter license.

While in the military I have been exposed to, and worked with, several very high-end tech systems.

Something I noticed though, especially with aeronautics both in the military and civilian world, is that pilots are still plagued by huge numbers of eye movements per a given time frame checking gauges, and horrible fields of view in both fixed wing and rotary aircraft.

So, during the five months of down-time I have I am going to be working on something to try and alleviate those problems.

My question is this, before I invest hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars into R&D would anyone even be interested.

I can't spell it out exactly for everyone because quite frankly I am afraid of having the idea stolen from me.

The basics however would be this...

The ability to view the aircraft from outside of the cockpit as if you are standing there, in 3D to retain depth perception, with up to about a 145 degree view angle, realtime, with a HUD that could contain any information you want (that can be digitally retrieved from somewhere in the aircraft) that is always in your field of view no matter where you look, and the ability to freely zoom in/out on anything you look at.

Assuming this is possible, which it is and I already know what basic hardware components it will/can utilize (just not how to make them talk to each-other)...

1.Would anyone even be interested?

2. How much would someone be willing to pay for such functionality?

3. What kind of additional functionality would you want in the system?

I know how much the hardware costs and I am trying to gauge whether or not I could even provide the system for a price that people would think was acceptable.

Thank you for you time everyone and I eagerly await your responses.

P.S. The system shouldn't add more than around 10lbs of electronics to the aircraft in theory. With about 1/2 a lb added for every different viewing angle you would add. Minus wiring weight.

Example: A helicopter with birds eye from the tail rotor on the top of the aircraft, direct down view for long line operations, belly view from tail rotor. System would weigh around 11 1/2 pounds.

Example: A 747 with a "from the nose, looking straight forward" view, Birds eye from the tail allowing you to see the entire aircraft at once, belly view with all landing gear in plain sight, left wingtip view for judging clearance, right wingtip view for judging clearance, backwards facing birds eye view for judging clearance. System 13 pounds.

Feel free to ask questions, provide suggestions, or constructive criticism.

I am looking forward to the aviation communities feedback on this.

Thank you everyone for your time.

[Droolguy]

No one even has an opinion on the subject?

I find that hard to believe.

I have this posted up in a couple aviation forums and no one is responding at all to any of the posts.

[underfire]

Nothing Aviation relates takes "before I invest hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars into R&D"

There is synthetic vision, not quite what you are talking about, but you may want to look into those systems.

There are several aircraft with cameras mounted on the outside, like the A380 tailcam.

Not exactly sure how the pilot would benefit, do you have an idea of the benefits?

There are the secret cameras mounted in the flightdeck for the airline to watch the pilots, but that isnt what you are talking about. :}

[dusk2dawn]

Something like Aerocross's Wearable HUD -- Aviation's Google Glass - Videos Article (http://www.avweb.com/videos/Aerocross-Wearable-HUD-Aviations-Google-Glass220395-1.html)?

[JFZ90]

i worked on something similar in the mid 90s.

plus if you read about what happened post the uk kegworth crash, there was quite a bit of research into whether tail cams should become regulatory. they didn't.

e.g.
http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1990/1990%20-%203298.PDF

tech has moved on since then, and costs & weights have shrunk. low cost forward vision systems are a reality already, no?

[Droolguy]

Cameras, HUDs, exct have all been done before like you all have said. What I am talking about is an "augmented reality" system. Allowing complete oversight over every part of your aircraft that you want, from one place. The best way I could explain it is think about flying in a videogame, with the display possibilities it gives you and the viewing capabilities.

Modern tech can make flying just like that, but hasn't because I don't think anyone has the drive or the vision to do it, or is quite simply happy with just maintaining the status quo and pulling in their multi-billon dollar profits.

The system would be for the most part universal, able to be used on everything from a Honda Accord, Cessna, or Mosquito... to a 777 or Skycrane.

The hundred of hours and thosands of dollars comment was in regards to just building a working prototype/proof-of-concept.

[Droolguy]

Dusk2dawn, yes and no.

If those glasses were a computer they would be a TI-82 calculator. This would be like a supercluster computer network.