Air-traffic conflict resolution via B-splines and semi-infinite programming

Abstract : The most critical point of air-traffic control is to ensure safety separation between airplanes. To achieve this goal, a safety standard separation distance has been defined : 5 Nm (Nautical miles) horizontally and 1000 feet vertically. Air traffic controllers are responsible for ensuring the respect of these separation rules. Air traffic being constantly increasing, controllers in charge of an aviation sector must handle more and more flights. Nowadays, air-traffic management (ATM) has already used every available ressource to increase airspace capacity. From now to 2030, air-traffic is expected to be further multiplied by a factor two or three [1]. Consequently, ATM will have to deal with this overload while ensuring at least equivalent standards of safety [1].