We’ve already implemented the pass-through and visual camera layers. Now we're thrilled to show you our very own Synthetic Vision System.

A 3D Model on Your Screen

The Synthetic Vision System replaces the standard artificial horizon with a dynamic, 3D model of the surrounding terrain. This system is designed to dramatically improve a pilot's awareness in challenging conditions, such as poor visibility or flight through extreme terrain.

How it works:

• 3D Terrain : The system processes vast amounts of topographical data to generate a real-time, 3D view of the landscape right on your Primary Flight Display (PFD).
• Intuitive Colour Coding: To make the display instantly readable, the terrain is colour-coded based on its altitude relative to your aircraft. Terrain above you is highlighted in amber or red (depending on the threat level), while terrain below you is shown in grey. We're still fine-tuning these color schemes to find the perfect balance of clarity and information.
• Situational Awareness Aid: Its primary goal is to keep you aware of your surroundings at all times. This is a powerful aid for visual flight rules (VFR) flying, not a certified replacement for instrument flight rules (IFR) navigation.

The Data Behind the Display

A system like this is only as good as the data that powers it. We're currently using high-quality public data sets, including the European Space Agency's Copernicus data set and the US Shuttle Radar Topography Mission.

However, our ultimate goal is to integrate a fully certified, global data set. We plan to migrate to a provider like Jeppesen, which will give us a continuous, verified data set without any gaps or voids. This ensures the system is reliable anywhere in the world.

Adding Obstacles and More

The terrain is just the beginning. The next major development phase for the SVS is layering in crucial obstacle data: towers, buildings, power lines & wires.

Unlike terrain, which is relatively static, obstacles vary wildly in shape and size. We are carefully designing a data pipeline to not only render these objects accurately but also to manage data obsolescence, ensuring that what you see in the cockpit reflects the real world.

Every detail, from a new radio tower to a decommissioned building, must be handled with precision.

Performance on Target Hardware

We’ve successfully ported the system to our target hardware, and the results are very positive. The SVS, combined with the primary flight display instruments, runs at a smooth 50 frames per second.

To achieve this, we're implementing smart optimisation techniques. The system uses a level of detail (LOD) approach, rendering nearby terrain at high resolution while gradually reducing the detail for features on the horizon.

Also, we plenty of processing headroom left, giving us ample capacity for future features and growth.