Urban Air Mobility, Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Mngt, and Next Generation Air Transportation System

 

The below information is a summarized reflection of content learned this week:

What do you think are the greatest challenges for integrating Unmanned Aerial System into the Nation Airspace System?

            One of the greatest challenges for integrating unmanned aerial system (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) is not having a pilot that can comply with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements (Consiglio et al., 2012). For safety reasons, all crafts operating within the NAS will be expected to perform “see and avoid” functions. Another challenge will be creating a protected civil radio frequency for command and control links (Consiglio et al., 2012). The major challenge will be making aircraft fully automated enough to handle the frequency and density of missions within the NAS (Gipson, 2017).

How will UAS be incorporated into the FAA’s NextGen initiative?

            UAS will be incorporated into the NAS with the use of technologies deployed by the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). NAS Voice System, Data Communication (Data Comm), and Systems Wide Information Management (SWIM) will be used to provide greater communication between NAS users (Heurta, 2015). Further, NextGen proposed major changes to the United States’ NAS, within the next five years. One proposal is to transform the NAS radar-based, radio communication system to a satellite-based system that will increase system capacity by reducing communication link failures (Federal Aviation Administration, 2018). 

What is DSA and how will it affect UAS integration into the NAS?

            DSA stands for Detect, Sense, and Avoid. DSA is a system designed to help drones avoid relatively fast moving objects (McNabb, 2020). The system was also designed to allow UAS to comply with the ‘see and avoid’ requirements for which manned aircraft must comply. According to McNabb (2020) researchers at the University of Zurich, Switzerland developed a method of sense and avoid using event cameras that allow drones to avoid obstacles at very close range by reducing reaction time to within 3.5 milliseconds.

What are the implications for a lost link scenario by a UAS in the NAS? Are there human factors involved in this situation?

            The implication of a UAS lost link event can cause the operator to lose contact with the aircraft. It the lost link is brief, the pilot could regain control of the aircraft. If the lost link is not brief and the pilot cannot regain control, the aircraft can drift off target and possibly become damaged, damage something else, or cause injury to someone (Public Intelligence, 2012).

References

Consiglio, M., Chamberlain, J., Muñoz, C., & Hoffler, K. (2012). Concept of integration for UAS operations in the NAS. International Congress of the Aeronautical Sciences. https://shemesh.larc.nasa.gov/people/cam/publications/ICAS-2012-518.pdf#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20major%20challenges%20facing%20the%20integration,see%20and%20avoid%20other%20aircraft.%20UAS%20will%20be

 

Federal Aviation Administration. (2018). Integration of civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS) roadmap; A five-year roadmanp for the introduction of civil UAS into the NAS. https://www.faa.gov/uas/resources/policy_library/media/Second_Edition_Integration_of_Civil_UAS_NAS_Roadmap_July%202018.pdf

 

Gipson, L. (2017). NASA embraces urban air mobility, calls for market study. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. https://www.nasa.gov/aero/nasa-embraces-urban-air-mobility/

 

Heurta, M. (2015). Steps being taken to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace System. U.S. Department of Transportation. https://www.transportation.gov/testimony/steps-being-taken-integrate-unmanned-aircraft-systems-national-airspace-system

 

McNabb, H. (2020). Sense and avoid for drones; New algorithm allows drones to react in 3.5 milliseconds, avoiding fast moving obstacles. Drone Life. https://dronelife.com/2020/06/26/sense-and-avoid-for-drones/

 

Public Intelligence. (2012). Lost-links and mid-air collisions: The problems with domestic drones. https://publicintelligence.net/the-problems-with-domestic-drones/