Aerial Navigation

Aerial navigation is a generic concept used to identify the set of operations carried out by ground control or on-board facilities aimed at planning, recording, and controlling the exact position of an aircraft (airplane, helicopter, missile, UAS, etc.) in flight, from a starting to a destination point on the Earth’s surface. Aerial navigation consists in determining the route that best meets the safety and efficiency requirements for an aircraft in flight. During the flight path, the exact position of the aircraft should be constantly and continuously tracked, using reference information obtained from ground services. The related calculations shall be made in a short time, considering the high speed at which the aircraft travels on routes that often have a high density of air traffic; to avoid further costs and delays, excessive fuel release, or other risks to the safety of the aircraft, the pilot must be constantly aware of the aircraft’s position.