Oklahoma State Researchers Develop AI System to Predict Dangerous Ship Airflows
Researchers at Oklahoma State University are building an AI system designed to help pilots land aircraft on moving ships by predicting turbulent airflow patterns in real time. The project, called AIRWISE, addresses a gap in current training methods that either oversimplify conditions or require too much computing power for practical use.
Airwakes form when wind interacts with a ship's structure, creating unpredictable air currents that can alter flight paths and increase pilot workload during takeoff and landing. Naval aviators train on simplified models that miss critical details, while more accurate simulations demand so much processing power they cannot run during actual operations.
Dr. Kursat Kara and Dr. Ryan Paul are combining computational fluid dynamics with machine learning to generate high-fidelity three-dimensional wind models in under 100 milliseconds. The system trains on detailed simulation data, allowing AI models to replicate complex wind patterns far faster than traditional methods.
"Ship airwakes are highly complex and directly affect the safety of flight operations," Kara said. "This project gives us a path toward efficiently modeling those environments to enhance the fidelity of simulations and increase the quality of decisions made when studying this environment."
Once deployed, the framework could support pilot training, aircraft performance testing, and development of autonomous flight systems. Graphics processing units will handle the computational load, making the tool practical for operational settings.
"Shipboard landing is one of the most challenging operations in aviation," Paul said. "Better predictive tools can make a meaningful difference in safety."
The work also creates research opportunities for students in AI, high-performance computing, and aerospace engineering, with potential applications across defense and aviation sectors.
For operations professionals, this development represents a concrete example of how machine learning can solve specific safety and efficiency problems in complex environments. Learn more about AI for Operations and AI Research Courses.
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