ATC-Trainer

Inspiration

Aviation-related careers often have a high financial barrier to entry. Our tool allows students and hobbyists to practice radio talk and build an understanding of airport operations at no cost.

What it does

Our game allows you to simulate a real time air-traffic control simulation where the user is able to act in a high paced environment leading multiple aircraft to take off and land in an airport. The user is able to use official voice commands to direct aircraft as well as get feedback from an AI Generated pilot. The simulation allows the user to experience guiding an aircraft from an hanger to the taxiway to the runway and to takeoff, and then instruct pilots on a landing sequence taking an aircraft back to a hanger.

How we built it

The primary application is built with Godot (4.5). There is an auxiliary Python webserver which serves as a go-between for the Godot application and the ElevenLabs and Gemini APIs. These APIs are provided voice lines and airport context respectively to provide a fully reactive and engaging experience for the user.

Challenges we ran into

• Parsing voice commands using Gemini and getting into a proper format for the game logic
• Creating a randomized schedule that creates a real challenge for the user while also remaining realistic
• Implementing fluid, natural-looking aircraft flight paths
• Efficiently integrating ElevenLabs for an immersive experience

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Realistic and responsive radio responses from multiple pilots
• Active airport operations based on real airport patterns
• Flight schedules to build an understanding of aircraft interactions
• Broad accessibility due to completely voice-controlled interactions
• Realistic aircraft identifiers, radio conventions, and industry norms

What we learned

One of the elements all of us enjoyed learning was the technical challenge of combining various development styles together and combining so many technologies together. We also learned about ATC protocols and how to design an engaging and educational tool.

What's next for

We want to expand on our simulation by adding more situations and training modules to truly capture the ‘in-air’ experience. An expansion of complexity via a greater number of flight paths and more involved communication would enable an even more productive and engaging experience.

Built With

• elevenlabs
• gdscript
• gemini
• godot
• python
• websockets