UAS Integration into the National Airspace System

 Author: Dr. Michael Zimmer

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Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) hold the use case of aiding defense, emergency, exploratory, and commercial application. Unfortunately, monitoring UAS with National Airspace System (NAS) is difficult. Furthermore, clarification and guidance of routine monitoring of UAS within all airspace classes is needed. As agencies recognize UAS detect, sense, and avoid shortfalls, regulation to manage the command and control infrastructure of UAS is gaining attention through FAA and NASA NextGen project. To overcome UAS challenge, FAA and NASA is partnering with the UAS community on methodological, functional, and public awareness barriers. Within this paper, the researcher will discuss FAA and NASA future NAS within the context of NextGen and UAS Traffic Management (UTM) obstacles. 

UAS Detect, Sense, and Avoid in Uncontrolled Airspace

NextGen and UTM is hoping to provide a more balanced ATMS which all type of aircrafts can operate the skies safely. Aircrafts operate the skies at different levels and airspaces. To control UAS airspace management, UAS integration into NAS need to be explored on a low (Class G), medium (Class E), and high (Class A) airspace (Wilson, 2018). Low level is the operating level that most sUAS are found. Early approaches to avoid UAS has been with easy, since most conventional planes do not operate between 0-1,200 feet. As sUAS technology evolves, a mass amount of sUAS will begin to operate in a medium level (1,200’-18,000’). Thus, greatly affecting conventional aircrafts. Currently, aircrafts utilize both IFR and VFR to detect, sense, and avoid other aircrafts. Yet, sUAS do not cooperate on a monitoring system. Electro-optical and radar detect some dangers but a true collision avoidance system remains sought.

UAS Lost Link Scenarios

Undetectable and broken communication UAS links are common. Many UAS operators, hold the belief if an incident or accident occurs then another UAS can be purchased on amazon.com. Unmanned Aircraft Systems is dependent on an operator from afar. Furthermore, the communication links that bonds an UAS with its operator is transmitted by either a satellite link or radio frequency. Communication software updates is necessarily as failed updates are the most common factor for a lost link. If updates are missed or performed incorrectly then a UAS becoming rogue is possible. To prevent lost link scenarios and the protection of property, software updates need to be monitor regularly by the operator, mission planner, and technician.

Human Factors Challenges with NextGen and UTM

The majority of human factors surround lack of training as amazon.com UAS hobbyist, generally will not review compliance regulation before flight. FAA regulation permits sUAS to operate in altitudes of 400 feet or below AGL. This is design to prevent human factor near misses or damage to property. Unfortunately, an operator has the ability to perform flights above 400 feet with little oversight, restrictions, and fear of penalty. Thus, sUAS operators have been taken advantage of a UTM concept since its establishment (Kerczewski et al, 2018). 

Conclusion

For a suitable UTM to be effective regulation must be enforceable. In addition, UTM C2 will need to be reliable, assessable, affordable, and easy to implement/execute. In terms of UAS design, manufactures and consumers must support the embedded UTM and DSA system technical features on desired UAS. If UTM and DSA technology adds excessive weight, power usage, and cost, little support will be given. Thus, this will add to the challenges ahead for the NextGen and UTM projects. Last, if regulation is established and manufacture and consumer support is provided, performing a three-point software update monitoring system will be needed to reduce lost links and operation disruptions.

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References

Kerczewski, R., Apaza, R., Downey, A., Wang, J., & Matheou, K. (2018). Assessing C2 communications for UAS traffic management. Integrated Communications, Navigation, Surveillance Conference (ICNS), Herndon, VA. p. 2D3-1-2D3-10, doi: 10.1109/ICNSURV.2018.8384844.

Wilson, A. (2018). Integration of UAS in existing air traffic management systems connotations and consequences. Integrated Communications, Navigation, Surveillance Conference (ICNS), Herndon, VA. p. 2G3-1-2G3-7, doi: 10.1109/ICNSURV.2018.8384851.


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