Integer Programming-Based Airspace Sectorization for Terminal Maneuvering Areas with Convex Sectors

In this paper an airspace sectorization framework for terminal maneuvering areas based on mixed integer programming is presented. It incorporates an airspace complexity representation, as well as various constraints on the sectors’ geometry, for example, the requirement that points demanding increased attention from air traffic controllers should lie in the sector’s interior to allow for enough time to resolve possible conflicts. The method can enforce convex sectors. In contrast to earlier integer/constraint programming approaches, which used synthesis methods with variables per elementary airspace piece that were glued together to form sectors, the integer programming formulation uses a variable per potential edge on the sector boundary. It is also the first step toward an integrated design of routes, the resulting complexity, and a sectorization. This paper presents results for Stockholm Arlanda airport and compares the integer programming results to convex sectorizations obtained by enumerating all possible topologies for a given number of sectors. This yields a proof-of-concept for the application of this highly flexible approach to terminal maneuvering areas