Aware Aw areness ness::
the most critical step to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation In this Rockwell Collins second eBook, you will: • Learn about new new programs and and technology tests underway • Drill down into the the developing technologies technologies • Review our debut debut ‘Five steps...’ eBook • Read opinions from industry experts
Awarenes Awa renesss is half the challeng challengee © Copyright 2010, Rockwell Collins, Inc. All rights reserved. All logos, trademarks or service marks used herein are the property of their respective owners.
What to expect In Rockwell Collins’ second eBook, Awareness: the most critical step to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation, you will: • Learn about the many many new programs and technology technology tests underway that demonstrate the solutions available today to enhanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) reliability - Police use of UAS - Next Gen ADS-B rolling out at key airports - Increasing Increasing number of U.S. DoD tests of sense and avoid - Panic-button autoland being used on civil manned aircraft - Optionally Piloted Vehicles becoming commonplace during the transition to manned-unmanned integrated airspace - Europe ramping technology studies and tests with MIDC AS, satellitee command and control of UAS and more satellit • Drill down into the technologies that that are being developed to improve the safety and reliability reliability of UAS • Review the five steps that are required to facilitate facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation • Read opinions opinions from experts in the industry, including: including: Marion Blakey, Presiden Presidentt and CEO , Aeorospace Industries Association COL Gregory Gonzale Gonzalez, z, U.S. Army Project Manager - UAS Dr. John Langford, Chairman and CEO, Aurora Flight Sciences Steven Reid, VP of UAS, AAI/Textron Bobby Sturgell, Sr. VP Washington Operations, Rockwell Collins Michael Toscano, Executive Director, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
Feel free to pass this eBook along to your colleagues in the industry. 1
What to expect In Rockwell Collins’ second eBook, Awareness: the most critical step to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation, you will: • Learn about the many many new programs and technology technology tests underway that demonstrate the solutions available today to enhanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) reliability - Police use of UAS - Next Gen ADS-B rolling out at key airports - Increasing Increasing number of U.S. DoD tests of sense and avoid - Panic-button autoland being used on civil manned aircraft - Optionally Piloted Vehicles becoming commonplace during the transition to manned-unmanned integrated airspace - Europe ramping technology studies and tests with MIDC AS, satellitee command and control of UAS and more satellit • Drill down into the technologies that that are being developed to improve the safety and reliability reliability of UAS • Review the five steps that are required to facilitate facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation • Read opinions opinions from experts in the industry, including: including: Marion Blakey, Presiden Presidentt and CEO , Aeorospace Industries Association COL Gregory Gonzale Gonzalez, z, U.S. Army Project Manager - UAS Dr. John Langford, Chairman and CEO, Aurora Flight Sciences Steven Reid, VP of UAS, AAI/Textron Bobby Sturgell, Sr. VP Washington Operations, Rockwell Collins Michael Toscano, Executive Director, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
Feel free to pass this eBook along to your colleagues in the industry. 1
Awareness is half the challeng challenge e In June 2009, Rockwell Collins released released our first eBook: Five steps to facilitating the convergence convergence of manned and unmanned unman ned aviation. Since then, the industry has experienced a tremendous increase increase in new studies, tests and operations to facilitate airspace integration. As industry and government increase participation in this dynamic UAS sector, it is our responsibility to track progress in manned-unmanned convergence and to analyze and learn from the results in order to continue to progress technology to achieve total airspace airspace integration. As an industry leader leader,, we recognize the need to do our homework to ensure that the reliability and safety level of UAS operations in shared airspace airspace is comparable to, or bet ter than, manned aircraft. It is also our responsibility to make the world aware that UAS are in fact going to change aviation. Five steps to facilitating the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation. In our first eBook, found at, http://learnmore.rockwellcollins.com , and outlined in the following five steps, we describe the key safety and reliability reliability technologies and solutions needed for manned and unmanned aircraft to coexist in commercial airspace.
In addition, we outline the roles of Next Gen Air Traffic Management Management (NextGen) and Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research Program (SESAR) in integrating UAS into commercial airspace. We also look at some of the policies and procedures in place today for the military, industry, industry, homeland security and disaster relief organizations to gain UAS access to commercial airspace. The eBook discusses what is required from a cultural standpoint to take this movement forward, such as collaboration with regulatory agencies and learning from the younger generations and their general acceptance and willingness to adopt greater levels of automation and autonomy. Finally, in the eBook’s third step, “Awareness - stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government,” we outline what is happening today, such as day-to-day integrated manned-unmanned operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as what technology and procedural tests are being conducted by industry and government around the world. 2
Awareness: the most critical step to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation Based on feedback from readers of our first eBook: Five steps to facilitating the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation, we have focused this new eBook on Step 3 – awareness – and staying apprised of operations, tests and pilot programs that are happening today. The greater awareness we have of the demonstrations, operations and tests underway, the more information we can gather, apply and process to expedite manned and unmanned convergence. For some time, Rockwell Collins has been advocating the need for technology demonstrations to show that the capabilities exist today to enhance reliability and safety in UAS operations. This second eBook will provide you with the latest information about the evaluations underway since June 2009. What is clear is that the volume of activity since June 2009 has increased significantly, which is an indicator that industry is focused on achieving the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation. A growing number of programs testing emerging technologies and manned-unmanned operational scenarios is being funded and driven by organizations such as the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, European Defence Agency, and the FAA. While the United States has been leading this initiative in terms of activity, Europe is progressing quickly with new pilot programs, studies and demonstrations. There is a global need to be able to conduct unconstrained training operations with UAS in controlled airspace. In addition, there are strong business cases and safety reasons to use UAS for a multitude of civil applications such as police surveillance, disaster recovery, weather monitoring and cargo delivery. In addition, in this eBook, we have highlighted some of the opinions of leaders in the industry, veterans that have been working with UAS and manned aviation for years, to provide you with insight not only from Rockwell Collins, but from other industry leaders. Changing culture and inspiring an environment of collaboration will accelerate airspace integration and the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation.
David Vos, Ph.D. Senior Director UAS and Control Technologies Rockwell Collins
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Review of the five steps to airspace convergence
Step 1
Discover what is needed technically to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation
Step 2
Develop and engage automated air traffic management solutions: controls, navigation, communications, sensors, networking and more
Step 3 Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology, tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government
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Step 4
Understand the rules as determined by agencies such as the FAA and EUROCONTROL and collaborate to drive global air traffic management
Step 5
Change embedded culture and imagine the possibilities. Include industry leader views about the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation
Step 1
Discover what is needed technically to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation
Every day, new technologies are being developed, tested and proven to improve the safety and reliability of UAS. With major milestones being reached by the U.S. Army – 1 million UAS operational flight hours, the U.S. Army’s Shadow reaching 500,000 flight hours and the Predator family of UAS reaching 1 million flight hours (http://www.ga-asi.com/news_events/index.php?read=1&id=284) – there is a great deal of real-life experience to learn from. Manned-unmanned teaming is increasing, including indications that future funding for long-range strike aircraft will include dollars for both manned and unmanned strike aircraft. http://www.defensesystems.com/Articles/2009/12/14/Long-range-strike-capabilities.aspx Newer capabilities and technologies used on manned aircraft are being tested and deployed on UAS, such as collision avoidance, sense and avoid, trajectory-based navigation, auto takeoff and landing, failure tolerance and redundant avionics systems. As members of industry and government, we have a responsibility to determine the best solutions for making UAS as reliable as manned aviation – and even more so. Sense-and-Avoid Capabilities One of the biggest challenges in integrating UAS into commercial airspace is the ability to sense and avoid. Industry and government are on the leading edge of developing solutions. One scenario is the development of onboard traffic sensor systems that automatically locate, track and plan pathways to avoid cooperative and noncooperative aircraft. The successful demonstration and implementation of this technology would enable a UAS to sense and avoid other aircraft in its region of interest (ROI).
By empowering a UAS to actively sense the location of traffic, this modeling will become a foundation capability that is critical to the safe and effective integration of piloted, optionally piloted and unmanned vehicles into commercial airspace. The following video shows a simulation of a multi-UAS sense-and-avoid scenario. Click on image or follow link: http://learnmore.rockwellcollins.com/UAS-sense-and-avoid
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Step 2
Develop and engage automated air trafc management solutions: controls, navigation, communications, sensors, networking and more
Integrating and flying UAS in commercial airspace requires more than point systems. UAS must be developed and deployed with reliable systems, from nose to tail, in “clouds” or networks of interest. UAS should be fully integrated into air traffic management systems as these systems undergo major overhaul and redevelopment in the United States with NextGen and in Europe with SESAR. Rockwell Collins advocates the use of multiple technologies and systems to seamlessly connect and communicate and to detect and avoid collision by “plugging into” national and international air traffic management systems, whether an “aircraft” is a manned platform, an optionally piloted aircraft, a UAS or even a parachutist. The following outlines the key technologies and solutions, including critical elements needed for UAS to be integrated into NextGen air traffic management systems in order to facilitate airspace integration. These technologies exist today.
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Step 2
Develop and engage automated air trafc management solutions: controls, navigation, communications, sensors, networking and more continued....
Reliability High reliability and redundant avionics Key to minimizing the general public’s resistance to unmanned UAS in the NextGen air traffic system is the assurance that these air systems will be as mechanically and operationally reliable as their manned counterparts. Primary to that is the availability of low cost/high capability, redundant automatic flight control systems (AFCS) for all sizes of UAS. Many current UAS use single-string AFCS, which offer no backup capabilities. The built-in integrated functionality of multiplex AFCS means that should the primary system malfunction, the aircraft would automatically poll the remaining components to determine which system will take the lead to safely continue the flight. A variety of integrated, miniaturized and affordable AFCS packages exist today in dual triplex and quad-redundant systems for both UAS and manned aircraft.
Auto Takeoff and Landing UAS perform auto takeoff and landings every day in Iraq and Afghanistan. Increasing levels of automation and autonomy in UAS will improve safety and reliability. For manned aircraft as well, technologies such as panic-button auto landing improve safety significantly. http://www.rockwellcollins.com/athena/demos/alenia/
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Step 2
Develop and engage automated air trafc management solutions: controls, navigation, communications, sensors, networking and more continued....
Damage Tolerance/Adaptive Flight Controls The catastrophic effect of a bird strike was dramatically illustrated by the US Airways Flight 1549 “miracle” landing in the Hudson River. Manned, unmanned and pilot-optional aircraft in NextGen airspace will need to demonstrate the ability to survive significant structural damage that can be caused by bird strikes. Rockwell Collins advanced adaptive flight controls have demonstrated the ability to enable an aircraft to continue to fly even after sustaining significant structural damage. By reconfiguring the aircraft’s flight controls to provide baseline performance, the system enables an aircraft to recover and land safely at a nearby airport. Read the press release on Rockwell Collins efforts and view a demonstration video at: http://www.rockwellcollins.com/news/page11697.html
Propulsion Systems High Reliability Propulsion Systems In its 2005 study titled “U.S. Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Mishaps,” the U.S. Air Force found that 37 percent of mishaps in its RQ1-Predator, the Navy/Marine’s RQ-2 Pioneer and Army’s RQ-5 Hunter were power/propulsion related. To gain free access to the NextGen airspace system, UAS must have propulsion reliability and efficiency equal to or better than manned aircraft. Critical to their success is the need for optimum engine control and efficiency. Rockwell Collins Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) systems have proven to improve both the overall performance and reliability of UAS while increasing fuel efficiency by as much as 20 percent.
Health, Usage and Monitoring Systems By giving operators real-time information on the “health” of critical powerplant and airframe components, digital Health, Usage and Monitoring Systems (HUMS) have already proven their value in a variety of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. UAS can benefit from the same information by enabling operators to foresee mechanical or structural issues and perform condition-based maintenance. This ability can save operators a lot of money by eliminating unnecessary inspections and maintenance. Rotor & Wing magazine article: http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/issue/features/65929.html
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Step 2
Develop and engage automated air traffic management solutions: controls, navigation, communications, sensors, networking and more continued....
NAS Operations/Certification Design Assurance Initially Currently the operation of a UAS in U.S. airspace requires the FAA to issue a special “one time” certificate of authorization. These requirements not only place added administrative burdens on the UAS operators and the FAA offices, they also add significant costs and delays to each UAS flight. To take full advantage of all the benefits that UAS bring to local, state and national agencies, the next generation of these vehicles will need to be certified to the same standards as manned aircraft. The FAA, EASA and U.S. and European military leaders are already working on developing these new UAS certification standards. While we await these new requirements, it is important that the industry design all UAS systems and components to DO-178B software standards – the highest certification guidelines currently in use for civil and military aircraft programs. Also, to help lower development costs and shorten introduction times, it is also critical to use as many commercial, off-the-shelf components and systems as possible in the new generation of UAS.
Air Traffic Management Integrated Air Traffic Management Civil, government and military agencies, along with industry leaders that include Rockwell Collins, have recognized the need to better manage our increasingly crowded airspace. At the center of this is the need to implement and rely on advanced automation for air traffic management. This is not a problem with a single solution: effective and predictable ATM requires a number of parts, including ADS-B, multilateration, 4D-Nav/RNP, collision avoidance, radar sense and avoid, integrated communications, ground control stations and others. Not until all the pieces are in place will our goal to seemlessly integrate UAS with manned aircraft be realized.
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Step 2
Develop and engage automated air traffic management solutions: controls, navigation, communications, sensors, networking and more continued....
Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is the fist step in making the independent operation of UAS in the NAS a reality. In a typical application, the ADS-B capable aircraft uses an ordinary Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver to derive its precise position from the GNSS constellation. It then combines that position with the aircraft’s speed, heading, altitude and flight number. This information is simultaneously broadcast to other ADS-B capable aircraft and to ADS-B ground or satellite communications transceivers. ADS-B can be used in combination with other technologies including Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), multilateration solutions, distributed computing, automatic communications and collision-avoidance systems to give UAS the ability to monitor, track and proactively plan maneuvers to avoid conflicts within their ROI.
4D-Navigational Capabilities and Required Navigational Performance In order to meet the goals of seamless UAS integration in the National Airspace System (NAS), these air vehicles must have reliable and accurate navigation capabilities. Next-generation capabilities like Required Navigation Performance (RNP) and 4D-Nav ensure the high degree of predictability and accuracy of information required for maintaining safe aircraft separation through all phases of flight. 10
Step 2
Develop and engage automated air traffic management solutions: controls, navigation, communications, sensors, networking and more continued....
Radar Sense and Avoid Other aircraft are not the only hazards facing a UAS. They must be able to actively monitor and avoid both conflicting aircraft and severe weather along their routes and in the terminal areas. New-generation airborne Due regard and weather radar systems provide increased avoidance capabilities in all operational conditions.
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Step 2
Develop and engage automated air traffic management solutions: controls, navigation, communications, sensors, networking and more continued....
Independent Communications and Advanced Networking UAS will need to communicate their position and intention with the same regularity and clarity as manned aircraft. A variety of communications solutions exist today, from digital radios and common data links to high-bandwidth networking solutions to provide accurate, real-time links between UAS, manned aircraft and ATC. Whether used in aircraft or for mobile or fixed-ground communications stations, an array of proven solutions offers the smallest form factors, high reliability and highest transmission speeds for both voice and data.
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Step 3
Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government
Since publishing Five steps to facilitating the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation in June 2009, there has been a significant increase in new studies, demonstrations and day-to-day operations of UAS in integrated airspace. Staying aware of these operations and tests is critical for industry and government to gather the information needed to develop key technologies, certifications and processes required to increase safety, reliability and situational awareness of UAS. Companies and governemnts around the world are driving airspace integration. It is our responsibility to understand what works and what research and development still needs to occur. In this section dedicated to awareness, we outline all of the new studies and tests since June 2009. The sheer volume indicates the demand for airspace integration and the progress being made to move the initiative forward. To review tests, evaluations and operations documented prior to June 2009, see our first eBook at: http://learnmore.rockwellcollins.com
Recent Operations, Studies and Tests DoD operating UAS in integrated airspace in Iraq and Afghanistan In Balad, Iraq, and at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, seeing a UAS share airspace with both military and civilian rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft is a common occurrence. In fact, upwards of 30 UAS flights a day are seamlessly co-existing with manned aircraft. While manned-unmanned integrated operations are mainstream today in Iraq and Afghanistan, the DoD is currently planning expanded uses for UAS beyond reconnaissance and surveillance. In an article published in National Defense, the U.S. Air Force predicts that within the next 10 to 15 years, every mission conducted by the service will include unmanned aircraft in some capacity. The DoD is also expanding the use of UAS, particularly where rotary-wing aircraft are needed and pilots are in short supply. Key areas for UAS application would be for resupply and logistics applications, communications relay and even psychological operations such as dropping leaflets. Huntsville Times article: http://www.al.com/business/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/business/1268903745283030.xml&coll=1
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Step 3
Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government continued....
U.S. DoD requests “File and Fly” status for UAS by 2012 In the United States the DoD has indicated in its FY 2009-2034 Integrated UAS Roadmap a vision to have File and Fly status for UAS in the NAS. To achieve this, UAS must be equipped with the equivalent level of safety as manned aircraft. http://www.acq.osd.mil/uas/docs/UMSIntegratedRoadmap2009.pdf
U.S. White House declares need for airspace integration within 10 years The National Aeronautics Research and Development 10 Year Roadmap issued by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) identified an objective to have UAS integrated in commercial airspace in the next 10 years. http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/aero-rdplan-2010.pdf
GAO study concludes U.S. DoD does not have adequate airspace for UAS training According to a recent General Accounting Office Study, the U.S. DoD does not have enough access to airspace to conduct the necessar y training missions for the increasing number of UAS. Due to a lack of access to the NAS and with limited military airspace to train in, the DoD is not able to maintain their objective training hours for UAS. GAO study: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08511.pdf
U.S. Army successfully test ground-based sense and avoid The Army announced the successful flight test of ground-based sense and avoid in El Mirage, Calif. Using groundbased radar to detect intruder aircraft, the Army demonstrated the ability to land a Sky Warrior UAS quickly if an intruder aircraft entered the airspace. The implications of this test are that the Army can use the ground-based system to avoid having to use chase aircraft when flying UAS in controlled airspace. Flight global article: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/02/04/338043/us-army-reports-successful-ground-based-collision-avoidance.html
Regional airspace requested for UAS research and development In some locations in the U.S., industry, government and academia are collaborating to create UAS centers of research, development and training and are working to obtain access to airspace in specific regions. The Dayton Development Department is working with the U.S. Air Force Research Lab to utilize airspace around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to develop and test new technologies for UAS as well as to create jobs in the region. Dayton Daily News article at: http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/uav-advocates-want-test-flying-airspace-closer-497266.html
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Step 3
Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government continued....
Grand Forks, N.D., is another area where academia (University of North Dakota), industry and the government (the U.S. Air Force) are attempting to create a region for technology development and training. For this initiative, the interested parties are trying to carve out airspace to use for UAS operations. https://sites.stockpoint.com/dain/newspaper.asp?site=D&Mode=Aviation&Story=20100213/044e5079.xml
Hawker Beechcraft demonstrates UAS autoland technology on Bonanza Hawker Beechcraft, in collaboration with Rockwell Collins, demonstrated a new UAS auto-landing capability on a Bonanza general aviation aircraft. This cutting-edge technology for civilian aviation, which is routine on UAVs, offers the promise that general aviation aircraft can land automatically should the pilot become incapacitated. Hawker Beechcraft press release: http://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com/include/content_view.aspx?id=11693
Next Gen Air Traffic Management System Next Gen ADS-B making progress After an early milestone was reached with the rollout of NextGen’s ADS-B system at Miami International Airport in April 2009, the next set of implementation tests are beginning under the FAA’s NextGen contract. The FAA’s NextGen contract with ITT involves the implementation of approximately 800 ADS-B ground stations throughout the United States. Any aircraft equipped with ADS-B will be able to receive location information about other aircraft. ADS-B is a key enabler for increased situational awareness for both manned and unmanned aircraft. Flightglobal article: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/07/07/329207/itts-nextgen-backbone-prepares-for-lifting.html
U.S. Senate passes bill to speed up NextGen In March 2010, in a 93-0 vote, the U.S. Senate approved a $34.5 billion bill that will speed air traffic modernization. In the bill, the Senate requires the FAA to develop Required Navigation Performance (RNP) and area navigation (RNAV) procedures and technologies that are critical to the implementation of NextGen at the 35 busiest U.S. airports by 2014. The bill also mandates that all U.S. aircraft be equipped with ADS-B (Out) technology by 2015 and ADS-B (In) technology by 2018. Associated Press article: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10172164
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Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government continued....
Philadelphia Air Traffic Controllers using NextGen technology Announced in April 2010, the air traffic controllers at Philadelphia Airport are now using ADS-B to track aircraft in their area. The airport is one of the test sites where ADS-B is providing greater accuracy and more timely (one second) updates on aircraft position in the air and on the ground. FAA press release: http://news.thomasnet.com/companystory/576619
Global Hawk program demonstrating sense and avoid In collaboration with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), Northrop Grumman is demonstrating sense-and-avoid technology in the form of traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS), ADS-B and electro-optical (EO) sensor as part of the Global Hawk UAS program. The goal is to ease UAS flight restrictions in commercial airspace and move airspace integration forward. The program is called multiple intruder autonomous avoidance (MIAA). AFRL story: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123110706
U.S. Office of Naval Research to conduct sense-and-avoid test The U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR) has issued a request for information from industry for white papers, followed by full proposals, for autonomous anti-collision solutions to the sense-and-avoid challenge in UAS. As part of the solicitation, bidders are requested to outline proposed solutions to be implemented on a Shadow and FireScout UAS. http://www.ightglobal.com/articles/2009/11/24/335325/us-navy-starts-up-sense-and-avoid-project-for-uavs.html 16
Step 3
Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government continued....
DARPA damage tolerance phase III Enhancing UAV reliability through Damage Tolerant Control Rockwell Collins Damage Tolerant Control (DTC) technology is designed to mitigate common UAS failures such as primary control surface damage, airframe damage and engine failure. Under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) sponsored program, a series of flight tests was performed from April 2007 through August 2009 on a subscale model F/A-18 to showcase key aspects of the DTC technology.
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Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government continued....
GE, the FAA and AAI Corporation testing 4D trajectory-based Flight Management System on UAS General Electric, the FAA and AAI Corporation formed a cooperative research-and-development agreement and began flight tests to demonstrate a position and time, or 4D trajectory-based Flight Management System (FMS) on a Shadow UAS. The intent of the flight test is to ultimately equip 4D trajectory FMS systems on UAS to fly in integrated airspace. Flightglobal article: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/12/28/336641/unmanned-flight-tests-to-advance-airline-reduced-crew.html
European Tests European Defense Agency’s Mid-Air Collision Avoidance System – MIDCAS – program to study sense-and -avoid technology Announced at the Paris Airshow in June 2009, the European Defense Agency signed an agreement with multiple European countries and companies to study sense-and-avoid technologies for UAS for insertion of UAS into nonsegregated airspace. The contract value is 50 million Euros for this 48-month study. See press release and video of press conference from Paris Airshow. http://www.eda.europa.eu/newsitem.aspx?id=497
European Agencies to test satellite control of UAS in nonsegregated airspace The European Defense Agency and the European Space Agency signed agreements with EADS and INDRA Espacio of Spain to conduct studies about using satellite communications for facilitating the integration of UAS in nonsegregated airspace. Totaling 800,000 Euros, the studies will determine the feasibility of operating UAS using satellites, and specifically for using satellite communications and navigation for sense and avoid, command and control, air traffic control and payload linking. A demonstration is being planned for 2011. http://eda.europa.eu/newsitem.aspx?id=614
ATLANTIDA consortium research and development The ATLANTIDA consortium consists of 17 companies, led by Boeing, with the objective of conducting research for development of technologies to be used in Air Traffic Management systems, including SESAR and NextGen. Identifying technologies to enable UAS to fly in commercial airspace will be key areas of focus for the consortium. The budget for this group is 28.9 million Euros, with 44 percent funded by the Spanish Center for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI). Press release at: http://www.rti.com/company/news/air-traffic-management.html 18
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Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government continued....
UAS UAS police surveillance on the rise globally Police departments around the globe are experimenting with using UAS to conduct surveillance as a lower-cost, more comprehensive, tireless alternative to manned flight reconnaissance operations. After a recent UAS flight test conducted by the Houston, Texas, police department was publicized, the Federal Aviation Administration is being inundated with inquiries and requests for demonstrations by many other police departments. In response, the FAA will be publishing a ruling on the process and procedures to use UAS in commercial airspace. The FAA is responding to the multiple inquiries and requests by publishing official rules about the process and procedures for testing or operating UAS in the NAS. http://www.examiner.com/x-6928-Houston-Page-One-Examiner~y2010m1d11-Police-line-up-to-use-drones-on-patrol-af ter-Houston-secret-test
Tulsa, Okla., police to use UAS to cut costs Due to the high costs of operating police helicopters, the financially strapped Tulsa, Okla., police department is considering the use of lower-cost UAS to conduct police surveillance and reconnaissance. Tulsa Business Journal article: http://www.tulsabusiness.com/article.asp?aID=50441
Kent, United Kingdom, police to use UAS to monitor crowds The police department in Kent, United Kingdom, is exploring the use of UAS to conduct police surveillance and reconnaissance at large events such as protests and the Olympics. It is the police department’s intent to have the UAS in commercial airspace by 2012, though no approvals have been granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. The Register article: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-01/british-police-monitor-civilians-uavs-2012
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Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government continued....
Disaster and Weather Monitoring Industry, government and academia team to conduct UAS sur veillance of Red River flood plain The University of North Dakota’s UAS Center of Excellence teamed with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Insitu, Inc., to fly a ScanEagle UAS to monitor the rising water levels of the Red River. This is an example of a civil use for UAS to perform missions at a lower cost than manned aircraft. The ScanEagle received a Certificate of Authorization from the FAA to fly the mission. Insitu, Inc., press release: http://www.insitu.com/index.cfm?navid=298&cid=4783
Global Hawk used for disaster surveillance in Haiti A military Global Hawk UAS was diverted from operations in Afghanistan to support disaster surveillance in Haiti. Due to its extended range, the Global Hawk was selected for the disaster work and captured thousands of images of the disaster to enable the government to better target relief efforts. http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/usaf-global-hawk-drone-deployed-over-haiti/19318294
India to use UAS to monitor c yclones Due to the devastation caused by cyclones in India, the Indian Meteorological Department is planning to purchase UAS that will be flown into cyclones to gather data to enable the government to take action and save lives. The UAS are expected to be deployed in one year. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/24510/india-use-unmanned-aerial-vehicles.html
Optionally Piloted Vehicles Optionally Piloted Vehicles assist manned-unmanned teaming in integrated airspace Optionally Piloted Vehicles (OPVs) are being considered as part of the U.S. Army’s UAS roadmap to assist in gaining efficiency and cooperation in manned-unmanned operations. The Army and Marine Corps are planning flight tests of an optionally manned Blackhawk with unmanned rotary-wing aircraft to be conducted in Ft. Eustis, Va. The Army’s roadmap will include manned, optionally manned and unmanned aircraft for cargo applications including medical resupply. National Defense article: http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2010/March/Pages/FutureUnmannedHelicopters.aspx
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Awareness – the most important step – stay apprised of technology tests, evaluations and operations underway by industry and government continued....
Sikorsky developing optionally piloted Blackhawk In April 2010, Sikorsky Innovations announced its plans to work with the U.S. Army to develop an optionally piloted Blackhawk helicopter. The purpose is to allow the Army greater flexibility in matching aircraft to missions, particularly when there are crew limitations. Sikorsky plans to introduce this Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) in 2015. http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/114046/sikorsky-developing-unmanned-black-hawk.html
Aurora Flight Sciences’ Optionally Piloted Diamond DA-42M helping to facilitate manned-unmanned convergence Aurora’s DA-42M OPV, called Centaur, will operate in both manned and unmanned mode to fulfill a variety of applications including reconnaissance and surveillance similar to the Predator UAS. In addition, a pilot on board the aircraft will have an easier time flying in integrated airspace. While flying in manned mode, the aircraft will retain its FAA certification. When flying unmanned, it will operate with an experimental FAA certification. Aurora Flight Sciences press release: http://www.aurora.aero/Communications/Item.aspx?id=apr-247
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Understand the rules as determined by agencies such as the FAA and EUROCONTROL and collaborate to drive global air traffic management
In our 2009 eBook, we highlighted activities, working groups and Web sites for readers to find the latest policies and procedures for flying UAS in commercial airspace in the United States and Europe. This information can be found on page 20 of our previous eBook: http://learnmore.rockwellcollins.com
United States In the past year there have been a number of advancements in the United States, including: The Certificate of Authorization (COA) process still exists, and is somewhat streamlined in that a COA can now cover more than one flight of a UAS in the NAS. Experimental classification is still another alternative for a UAS manufacturer to gain access to the NAS. Information about the COA process can be found on the Federal Aviation Administration’s Web site: www.faa.gov . Relative to small UAS rulemaking, the rule has been named SFAR 107. The Aviation Rulemaking Committee has completed recommendations and the FAA is now conducting safety evaluations. There are still several steps in the approval process, including a public comment phase when the final language for the proposed rule is released. The completed rule is anticipated to be released in December 2012. Also since last year, there has been an increasing number of law enforcement organizations requesting permission to conduct tests of UAS for surveillance purposes. As a result, the FAA is in the process of publishing rules. Today, it has a fact sheet and guidelines that have been published following the recent police department tests in Houston. http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=6287
Europe EUROCONTROL’s SESAR is a technology program to modernize the European air traffic control infrastructure, similar to the United States’ NextGen. SESAR is being driven by the Single European Sky legislation, which covers the 27 member states of the European Union as well as adjoining states beyond the EU.
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SESAR is being developed to provide an infrastructure that can improve air traffic management as well as handle increasing volumes of civilian and military air traffic. At the same time, the objective is to maintain efficiency, safety and cost effectiveness for the future. The implementation of the SESAR infrastructure will be significantly enabling for UAS integration into nonsegregated airspace. Information about SESAR, including the European ATM Master Plan, can be found at: http://www.eurocontrol.int/sesar/public/standard_page/masterplan.html
Step 5
Change embedded culture and imagine the possibilities As the valuable public safety benets of Unmanned Aircraft Systems’ civil and commercial applications become apparent, there is mounting pressure for the FAA to integrate such operations as soon as possible. This presents FAA with a host of “box-stretching” issues in meshing the needs of military and commercial UAS operations in the civil airspace. The challenges are signicant. UAS demand is not going to slow down, however, and integration is not discretionary: we must meet those challenges. All facets of UAS development, manufacture and operations are represented in AIA’s membership of almost 300 manufacturing companies with more than 635,000 high-wage, highly skilled production employees. To better serve members’ interest in the tremendous UAS potential, AIA formed a UAS Subcommittee of its members in 2005 to promote a vibrant, competitive, global market for U.S. unmanned aircraft systems, products and services. And we start with the premise that all stakeholders agree to -- that UAS should perform under, and adhere to, the same safety standards as other aircraft.
Marion C. Blakey
AIA is therefore intent on facilitating FAA’s progress as it addresses the safety challenges as well as the challenges of accessing and leveraging data, making more test ranges available and developing a data-driven standards certication process. Industry is making the case to policy makers and legislators that more resources are needed to accomplish this goal in a timely manner.
President & CEO UAS also illustrate the need for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). In the decades ahead, diverse Aerospace Industries Association
new vehicles will be seeking operational access into civilian airspace. An effective process for certifying UAS operations will serve as a precedent for certication of other new vehicles, along with continual safety enhancements.
The critical technology to improve the reliability of UAS to enable convergence is the rapid implementation of NextGen and especially of Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast. I agree with Aurora Flight Sciences CEO John Langford that a crucial piece will be a light, inexpensive ADS-B device that can be put on everything that ies and thus will identify itself to the rest of the aviation world. Additionally, as Langford points out, we will need a hierarchical collision avoidance scheme based on ADS-B data. Universal and mandatory adoption of ADS-B is the key technology to successful integration. As a rapidly evolving technology, UAS clearly have signicant R&D needs, particularly as to National Airspace System integration modeling, sense and avoidance capabilities and secure communications links. AIA’s coordination with NASA to further that agency’s UAS work and resource acquisition is a major activity that has met with notable success. To similar effect, the subcommittee interacts closely with DOD, especially the U.S. Air Force, as well as with AIA’s National Security Division. Resolving the issues relating to both defense and civil access to airspace is critical for UAS integration. AIA’s engagement with the Air Force intensied with a discussion between Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt at the AIA Board of Governors Meeting in November 2009. Moderated by John Langford, the discussion revealed areas for further collaboration between the two agencies, as well as highlighted FAA’s current concerns about safeguarding airspace safety while integrating UAS.
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Continued from page 23
AIA industry experts coordinate effectively with international organizations and other deliberative bodies that affect the global UAS market and operations as well. Globally, through our International Coordinating Council, AIA is supporting the ICAO UAS Study Group effor ts to amend most of the ICAO Annexes through AIA’s International Coordinating Council. Additionally, the subcommittee meets periodically with EuroControl and SESAR concerning action on UAS. Working with FAA leadership of safety, certication and operations, our subcommittee has identied critical key areas for government-industry coordination, and for productive interagency leveraging of work and resources. Specically, AIA members are currently advocating for certain advances that are important for progress. These include FAA’s issuance of a UAS Integration Roadmap to identify issues and resources (including nancial) necessary to approve UAS standards and procedures; formal inclusion of UAS safety data collection within existing collection, reporting and analyses programs; integration of UAS in all government NextGen efforts to dene demonstration objectives and research beyond de tect, sense and avoid capabilities; assurance of dependable, dedicated and sufcient FAA budgetary resources to meet the current and projected UAS demand, and FAA utilization of all resources to facilitate the integration process. AIA has always supported a dened roadmap for addressing standards and certication, technology maturity, and other factors affecting the pace of UAS integration. While complicated by the diversity in size and complexity in UAS platforms, AIA advocates an introduction of UASs into civil airspace while ongoing development of standards, regulations and certication continu es. The lessons learned during this phased approach can provide invaluable information and be applied during ongoing programs. UAS is an exciting and growing sector of the aerospace industry. There are many challenges ahead to mesh the needs of military and commercial UAS with the requirements of operating in the civil airspace and AIA is committed to developing solutions for all UAS users. It’s important to step up smartly to these issues because the evolution of UASs is not going to slow down and their game-changing benets are clear.
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What is your organization doing today to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation? Several years ago it became obvious to the Department of Defense (DoD) that a path forward was needed to integrate UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS). The demand for UAS operations in theater continues to proliferate due to the effectiveness of these systems in supporting our missions. While there is no dened requirement today for operations of UAS in the NAS, and therefore no associated funding, the concern is that when the many UAS return to the United States from theater, there will be inadequate airspace allocated to train for the future. Over the years, there have been many discussions and ad hoc initiatives related to airspace integration. In June 2009, Congress directed researching and developing solutions to improve UAS reliability for airspace integration. A number of DoD organizations have been assigned leadership roles in the planning, evaluating, developing, testing and deploying of processes, procedures and technologies to enable UAS access to the NAS, including the Ofce of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) UAS Task Force; the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Forc es Command UAS Center of Excellence. The U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy are leading an initiative to develop and test solutions for Air Based Sense and Avoid (ABSAA) technologies and procedures.
COL Gregory B. Gonzalez U.S. Army Project Manager
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
In June 2008, I assumed the position of Project Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Ofce for the U.S. Army In October 2009, we established an Unmanned Systems Airspace Integration Concepts Product Directorate (USAICPD). Through this organization, the Army is leading an initiative to develop, test and deploy solutions for Ground Based Sense and Avoid (GBSAA). The goal of all of these initiatives is to consolidate results, combine solutions and ultimately obtain FAA approval to have unrestricted access to the NAS.
What are the critical technologies needed to improve the reliability of UAS to enable convergence? Today the FAA mandates the use of the Certicate of Authorization (COA) process to y a UAS in the NAS. In addition, the operation must include a chase plan, a ground observer and daylight-only ights. Knowing that we will not be granted immediate unrestricted access to the NAS, our strategy for implementing GBSAA is to start small, and to obtain FAA approval after demonstrating in stages the safety and competence of the proposed technologies and procedures. Stage 1, Zero Conict Airspace: For demonstrations of GBSAA, we are using three existing ground radar systems in strategic locations
in El Mirage, Calif., and an Extended Range Multi-Purp ose (ERMP) UAS. We are demonstrating the capability and procedures for sensing “objects” and properly characterizing the objects as approaching aircraft. During this stage, the radar detects that an aircraft has entered into the UAS airspace and relays the information to the UAS operators. The operators then take action to get the UAS to a safe state by landing the aircraft. Stage 2, Self-separation: In this stage, upon detection of an incoming aircraft, our operators will move the UAS and its designated
surrounding volume of airspace to a different location safe state instead of landing the aircraft. We submitted our safety case for Zero Conic t Airspace to the FAA in April 2010 for review of the plan. We view this rst stage as a foot in the door, during which our aim is to raise the condence of the FAA. We expect approval in the next few weeks, and after proving success with Zero Conict, we will pursue approval for Self-separation.
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What do you believe is needed to help inuence opinions positively toward ying UAS in commercial airspace? For several years now the Army and other Services have worked together in Iraq and Afghanistan operating UAS and manned aircraft in integrated airspace safely and successfully. These are some of the busiest airports in the world in terms of number of aircraft and the associated frenetic environment. This proven success may inuence the FAA positively toward airspace integration; however, the FAA has responsibility in the United States, so what we are doing here with GBSAA and ABSAA will be just as important as the operations in theater to inuence and facilitate airspace integration. Airspace integration is a DoD issue and national issue – all Services are vested in determining the right solutions. In general, anytime the Services need to develop new technology we also need to show an ofcial requirement in order to get funding. Therefore, a lack of a specic requirement for UAS access to the NAS is a challenge. Inherently, we know there is a need for NAS access for UAS such as the ERMP and Shadow. Eventually, all states will have a need for training and operating UAS as part of the National Guard. Today, we are all working with limited funding to derive the right solutions for sense and avoid and therefore need to demonstrate progress and success through each of our respective programs, and collectively. No one can predict the future, so my estimate is as good as others. If I had to estimate a timeframe for when we will have convergence of UAS and manned aviation in the NAS, I would say that in FY 2010 or early FY 2011, we should have approval from the FAA to operate in a Zero Conict Airspace mode. Assuming we demonstrate consistent success with this initial stage, I believe we could have approval of Self-separation GBSAA by 2013. We plan to expand the use of GBSAA from El Mirage to rst Dugway Proving Ground, another technology test and integration location. In the next ve years, I expect we will expand GBSAA use in additional regional areas, enabling the expansion of UAS ight in more places. All of these sensing technologies, such as radar and ADS-B, will have a role in the future. The solutions may change for different sized UAS. For example, it would be unrealistic to add radar on a Shadow and still be able to carry the required payloads, so we need to nd an alternate air-based sense-and-avoid solution for that class of UAS. In the case of our smallest UAS, like the Raven, ADS-B may be a better solution. For the ERMP, radar may be possible, but further analysis is needed. The eventual goal is to combine the Army’s GBSAA success with the success of ABSAA as led by the Air Force and the Navy, enabling the Services to combine both capabilities. This is no small task and I wouldn’t expect this to be a reality for at least 10 years, but I would love for someone to prove that it can be done sooner.
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What is your organization doing today to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation? At Aurora Flight Sciences, we are avid supporters of the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation in the National Airspace System (NAS). We believe in what Dave Vos at Rockwell Collins has been advocating for this initiative.
John Langford, Ph.D. Chairman and CEO,
Aurora Flight Sciences
Today, to facilitate airspace integration from an advocacy standpoint, we are involved with a number of industry groups, such as the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and others. From a solutions standpoint, we are developing and testing Optionally Piloted Vehicles (OPVs) to perform the functions of both manned and unmanned aircraft. In a manned ight, our aircraft have all of the appropriate FAA certications. In an unmanned mode, they are classied as experimental aircraft and y in restricted airspace. At an AIA meeting last fall, the Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Donley, and the FAA Administrator, Randy Babbitt, were both on the panel I moderated regarding this subject. Mr. Donley indicated that UAS should soon be able to y in the NAS due to the number of ight hours these systems have accumulated in theater. Mr. Babbitt indicated that this would not happen in the near future due to safety and reliability concerns. We believe they are both correct and that the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation will happen; however, it will take a paradigm change and it will take some time. Our strategy today is to develop, test and depl oy OPVs, as OPVs will play a critical role during this transition period. Aurora started working with OPVs several years ago. We acquired a Cessna that had been in service in Vietnam. We cleaned it up, painted it and named it Chiron. This became our rst OPV. We began to test all of the appropriate fault tolerant ight controls on the aircraft in the late 1990s. When the demand for UAS began to proliferate, we put our OPV work on hold as we focused the company on developing purely unmanned systems.
Over the years, as we have watched the FAA and the regulatory process for ying UAS in the NAS, as well as the work by the various industry committees, we have concluded that integrating UAS in civil airspace will evolve over time. The ongoing concerns about safety will not be resolved anytime soon. We see this as an opportunity to use OPVs as a test bed for capabilities such as auto takeoff and landing, as well as to perform the functions of UAS such as surveillance and reconnaissance. We recently acquired a Diamond DA-42M to be modied into an OPV and named the aircraf t Centaur, for the hybrid that it is – half manned and half unmanned. The Centaur has roughly the same payload and range performance as the MQ-1 Predator UAS and has some important advantages, including two engines for improved reliability, the ability to y with or without a pilot, and the ability to carry a variety of payloads.
What are the critical technologies needed to improve the reliability of UAS to enable convergence?
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In the long run, we have no doubt that UAS will be integrated into the NAS. We believe this will take an improvement in the NAS more than an improvement in UAS. Convergence of manned and unmanned aviation will come with the implementation of NextG en. The best and fastest way to allow UAS to have unrestricted access to the NAS is by accelerating NextGen. Today’s airspace relies on an architecture built in the 1930s instead of what we need today – a more modern infrastructure. Through greater automation and awareness, NextGen makes manned aircraft appear to operate more like UAS. The current air trafc management system utilizes ground-based radar and voice datalinks from the ground to pilots. NextGen is based on GPS, and a system where everyone will know everyone else’s position, as well as small digital datalinks for transferring a great deal of data such as the weather and operational instructions. With increased self-awareness and awareness of the location of other aircraft with ADS-B, all aircraft in a region of airspace will be able to deconict. Today, since UAS already have self-Identication with datalinks, NextGen again will make manned aircraft look and operate more like UAS instead of the reverse.
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What are the obstacles and how do we overcome them? The worst thing that could happen is a collision with a UAS and an airliner. If this were to happen, it would be a major failure on the part of industry and government. There is still the concern about a UAS’s inability to “see and avoid.” We believe the solution for see and avoid is low-cost, small form factor ADS-B systems instead of a high end, economically impractical technology solutions that mimic human functions. Everything ying in the NAS over 5 pounds and above 50 feet should be required to be equipped with ADS-B. Today’s transponders are expensive. The industry needs to develop very small, credit card size ADS-B devices to put on everything, including weather balloons, parachutists and even xed site stru ctures such as towers. Large UAS already operate similar to commercial aircraft. It is the small UAS, like Raven size UAS that are the bigger problem, including model airplanes. A long-term solution for these smaller UAS is miniaturized ADS-B devices. While the power and range of these devices may be limited, they wouldn’t need to cover the full sky, just an airspace region of interest. Electromechanical analog technology solutions for see and avoid that mimic the eye-to-brain function are not the answer. While these solutions could be technically feasible, they are not nancially practical . This type of solution to see and avoid is the Holy Grail – a magic device that many are waiting for – and part of the explanation of why airspace integration is taking so long. Instead, if we build small ADS-B devices and mandate that everyone who registers to y equips when they register, this would be a more practical solution than something that mimics the human eye and brain. Furthermore, human see-and-avoid prac tices have not been proven to be highly reliable for collision avoidance.
Any other comments/views? Equipping all aircraft, including UAS with ADS-B, and ensuring everything that ies in the NAS is plugged into the Nex tGen infrastructure, is not only safe for collision avoidance and the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation, it can also improve traceability and accountability. As the technology to y these unmanned systems becomes more affordable, accurate and prolic, the danger of using UAS as terrorist weapons increases. Radio-controlled model airplanes and small UAS are becoming more alike in terms of functionality and performance. Therefore, increased awareness of a UAS’s location can improve both safety and security.
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What is your organization doing today to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation? AAI is very focused on the eventual convergence of manned and unmanned aviation. For several years now AAI has been concentrating on making substantial reliability improvements to our UAS platforms in order to position them for use in the national airspace. We have made tremendous strides but recognize that there is still much work to do in this domain. We are also developing and testing both new airframe and system architectures, which will support the level of reliability required to y in the NAS. We are also working hard on the people aspec ts of the system. By that I mean the development of robust operator and maintenance personnel training and certication programs.
What are the critical technologies needed to improve the reliability of UAS to enable convergence?
Steven E. Reid Vice-President, Unmanned Aircraft Systems
AAI Corporation An operating unit of Textron Systems
The key to advancing the reliability of tactical-sized UAS platf orms lies with the propulsion system. UAS platforms in this size domain cannot now choose from aviation quality propulsion systems, but rather, must adopt existing propulsion technology to meet this requirement. So far, this approach has proven to be challenging. As a result, AAI has partnered with our ister Textron organization, Lycoming, to develop aviation-qualit y propulsion systems for our class of tactical UAS. We are extremely fortunate to have Lycoming as a world-class partner is this quest for reliable propulsion systems. In addition, we have developed and elded highly reliable fuel, fuel management and engine management support systems for our existing UAS propulsion systems.
What are the obstacles and how do we overcome them? The main obstacle to availability of aviation-quality propulsion systems in the lower horsepower ranges is the current size of the market. While the use of tactical-sized UAS has exploded within the last several years, the quantities of aircraft are still very modest in comparison to the current markets for larger general aviation propulsion systems. Currently, the investment required to develop a completely new aviation propulsion system far exceeds the available market and it is nearly impossible to develop a reasonable business case for such as investment. As a result, we are seeking development assistance from our customer base, including the military.
What do you believe is needed to help inuence opinions positively toward ying UAS in commercial airspace? Once we solve the propulsion system reliability challenge then we need to demonstrate the positive control and situational awareness that is maintained at all times while ying UAS. We recognize that pilots fully expect all other personnel who are entrusted with the conduct of safe ight to maintain professional situational awareness and other airmanship skills while sharing the national airspace. We are also investing in detect, sense and avoid technology that will be demonstrated later this year on our Shadow TUAS to further the integration of unmanned assets into the nation’s airspace. Finally, late last year we conducted an interesting demonstrati on of a cutting-edge airspace control architecture currently under development by GE Aviation. This innovative architecture utilizes all three dimensions plus time to accurately sequence aircraft, both manned and unmanned, within the NAS for maximum efciency and safety. This architecture, combined with the upcoming NextGen Air Trafc Management System, would provide for effec tive and efcient use of both manned and unmanned assets in the NAS.
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What is your organization doing today to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation? As an aerospace and defense industry leader, Rockwell Collins develops and implements technologies for UAS and manned aircraft that increase automation, autonomy, reliability and safety, such as ight control and navigation systems with redundant congurations, Damage Tolerance, engine controls and datalinks. In general, if you look at the evolution of aircraf t, the systems have become more and more automated. Today, we have autopilot, autoland and, in manned systems, everything has moved to a ight crew of two from three. In the future, aircraft systems will be even more automated than they are today, paving the way for commercial airspace integration of UAS and civilian uses of UAS. From a broader perspective, our company is also playing a leadership role in facilitating NextGen, which will absolutely be critical for universal integration of UAS into the NAS. We are teamed with industry and are pushing the country to a more automated system with the technologies that we know exist and that we have helped to develop as a leader in GPS and datalink technology.
What are the critical technologies needed to improve the reliability of UAS to enable convergence?
Bobby Sturgell Sr. Vice President Washington Operations
Rockwell Collins Former Acting Administrator of the FAA
The technologies needed to improve the reliability of UAS to enable convergence are similar to those needed in manned aircraft. Redundant ight controls, electrical systems and other technologies increase the reliability needed to achieve an equivalent level of safety to manned aircraft. Solving the “sense and avoid” question for UAS could be achieved with a combination of TCAS, ADS-B (out) and enhanced procedures or policies. Equally as important will be increasing the reliability of the communication links to a UAS and handling emergency or “nonstandard” situations.
What are the obstacles and how do we overcome them? With the assumption that NextGen will be a critical component for universal UAS integration into the NAS, one of the biggest challenges I see is with the long-term funding of Next Gen. And on the equipage side, the airlines don’t want to spend the money today for equipment such as ADS-B and then not see the modernized infrastructure and ROI for ve or 10 years. So, the funding issue is really an integrated problem, where manufactures like us, the airlines, the operators and the government, need to determine a timeline and a funding scheme that works for everyone.
What do you believe is needed to help inuence opinions positively toward ying UAS in commercial airspace? We have to start programs or pilot projects which entail operating a UAS in the NAS without having to restrict or block of f a large portion of the airspace. Doing so will help us gain condence in the technologies and procedure s and will allow us to move forward in a true building block approach. We can then incorporate additional UAS and/or manned aircraft on an increasingly complex timeline, using technologies like ADS-B and collision-avoidance or separation management capabilities. Greater levels of automation, autonomy and reliability will help facilitate this approach.
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What is your organization doing today to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation? With more than 6,000 members from 2,100 organizations in 55 allied countries, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) is the leading global organization representing the unmanned systems and robotics communities. AUVSI’s mission is to promote and support the unmanned systems community through communication, education and leadership. To stay true to our mission, AUVSI is actively involved in facilitating the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation by advocating for industry, providing knowledge resources to the UAS community and by conducting industry leading events. AUVSI rmly believes that unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) will transform the aerospace industry. As a result, the organization is a strong advocate for efforts to integrate UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS). AUVSI actively engages with Congress to educate members on the benets of UAS for public safety, research and commercial applications. Most recently, on March 23, 2010, AUVSI testied before the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs emphasizing several key issues including the importance of UAS access to the NAS. AUVSI also maintains an open dialogue with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on key issues such as UAS access to airspace. Knowledge is also a key aspect of AUVSI’s efforts to facilitate the convergence of manned and unmanned aviation. The AUVSI Knowledge Resources team is actively researching issues related to UAS integration. This research supports Executive Director the organization’s advocacy efforts and also serves to educate industry, government and academia about the benets Association for Unmanned of unmanned aircraft, opportunities in the global marketplace and challenges that the UAS community will have Vehicle Systems International to overcome. In May 2010, AUVSI published its rst research study on the impact of UAS integration into the NAS on job (AUVSI) creation in the aerospace sector. Additionally, AUVSI supports various UAS Table Top Exercises aimed at demonstrating the benets of UAS for public safety applications such as law enforcement and wildland reghting.
Michael Toscano
Finally, AUVSI brings the unmanned systems community together via industry events such as the Unmanned Systems North America Symposium and Exhibition and Unmanned Systems Program Review. AUVSI events provide an open forum for the UAS community to discuss ongoing issues such as access to airspace and many others. Unmanned Systems North America 2010 is expected to draw more than 5,000 delegates from around the world.
What are the critical technologies needed to improve the reliability of UAS to enable convergence? The FAA is focused on safe, unmanned aircraft operations in the NAS, but the UAS community has struggled to dene what safe UAS operations entail. The general consensus is that UAS must be equipped with sense-and-avoid (SAA) technologies that allow the unmanned aircraft to detect, assess and react to steer clear of other airborne objects. To reach this point, standards and requirements for these technologies must be put in place. To date, however, the FAA has not set the requirements, causing industry to hesitate on the anticipation of commercial opportunities and applications. There are technologies available that could enable safe UAS operations in the near future. Technologies such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), advanced autopilot systems, digital ight controls and improved radar systems could all be benecial in progressing UAS operations in the NAS. Due to strong demand for smaller unmanned aircraft for many civilian and commercial applications, technologies such as ADS-B will have to be affordable and practical for these aircraft. Public safety personnel, for instance, already struggle to nance their UAS operations on tight budgets. Customers are looking to UAS as affordable solutions; therefore purchase prices for the technology will have to be reasonable.
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What are the obstacles and how do we overcome them? A combination of factors is currently impeding manned and unmanned convergence. The factors span across a number of issues including safety, affordability, technology and ethics, to name a few. Currently, the most daunting obstacles standing in the way of UAS integration include regulatory hurdles and increasing the public’s acceptance of UAS technology. Overcoming these obstacles will be challenging, but once the UAS community is successful, UAS integration into the NAS will become a reality. UAS industry growth has been stied by regulatory hurdles for years, and unfortunately it could be several more before true progress is made. For instance, the inability to operate UAS in the NAS has been particularly troublesome for public safety personnel that could benet from the technology. Police ofcers, reghters and other emergency response personnel repeatedly request to operate unmanned aircraft because they see the advantages of operating small unmanned platforms. High-resolution video, close observation capability, low observability and affordable operating costs all make UAS attractive tools for public safety applications. Unfortunately, the Certicate of Authorization (COA) process has made many police departments wary of purchasing and ying UAS, and only a handful of public safety departments in the U.S. are conducting operations today. Law enforcement agencies are not the only UAS end users vying to use the technology: universities, petroleum companies and farmers are a few examples of the many other UAS end users eagerly waiting for the day when UAS have increased access to the NAS. To overcome the regulatory hurdles impeding manned and unmanned convergence, the UAS community has to maintain an open dialogue with congress and the FAA. The Department of Defense (DoD) has done an exceptional job showing the value of UAS in the battleeld. Now the UAS community must prove the benets of UAS for public safety, research and commercial applications in the NAS. Noting that UAS can benet public safety is not enough. Positive factors such as the impact of UAS integration on economic development must also be conveyed, as well as the consequences of the U.S. falling behind competitively in the global UAS marketplace. Public acceptance of UAS operations in civilian airspace will also be important for manned and unmanned convergence. Despite UAS operations being conducted 24 hours a day, seven days a week in Iraq and Afghanistan, in the U.S. the general public is skeptical of the technology. In cities where UAS have been operated for law enforcement purposes, the technology has not always been received in a positive light. Several factors spurring the skepticism include: The media frequently portraying UAS as weaponized drones acting autonomously in Iraq and Afghanistan; fear that UAS could be used against the U.S. by our enemies; and concern that UAS could be operated in a way that would violate citizens’ rights to privacy. Education will be important in UAS integration into the NAS progresses. Since the media tends to focus on large military UAS with precision strike capabilities, many people fail to realize that there are two-pound unmanned aircraft that can protect police ofcers when they conduct a raid. Inuencing public opinion and promoting UAS education will be a UAS community ef fort. Industry must do its part to educate the media and the broad UAS customer base on the benets of the technology. Additionally, federal, state and local agencies interested in operating UAS technologies should be openly discussing why the technology is important to their organizations.
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What do you believe is needed to help inuence opinions positively toward ying UAS in commercial airspace? The UAS community will have to work together to positively inuence public opinion about UAS. Education, communication and information will be crucial as we approach the day when UAS are routinely operated in the NAS. The public needs to be educated on all the different categories and capabilities of UAS, not just the ones that are covered frequently in the media. Communication will be critical as well. The social benets and business values of UAS integration must be communicated to Congress, to the FAA and to the public. The UAS community knows that UAS integration can make our borders safer, provide research on tornadic storms and monitor wildland res. Spreading this knowledge will continue to be vitally important in the effort to integrate UAS into commercial airspace. Finally, information plays an important role in the integration effort. Claims that UAS are as safe as manned aircraft, that they are more cost effective than traditional manned platforms, and that manned and unmanned aircraft can efciently coexist in the NAS have to be supported. By communicating a clear message supported by factual information, the UAS industry, supporting government agencies and end users will have the opportunity to ensure manned and unmanned aircraft convergence is viewed in a positive light by the aviation community and the general public.
Any other comments/views? Education, communication and information initiatives will provide the general public with context for understanding what UAS means to them. Current perceptions are driven through mass media outlets — Predator attacks in Afghanistan in the news weekly, the movie “Stealth” with the rogue weaponized UAS, or “drones” ying over New York City on “24.” Occasionally there is a reference to recreational model aircraft friends or experiences as a child. The industry needs to rally toget her to launch a marketing campaign to share with the public the full range of benets of UAS technologies/capabilities. Most high schools have a robotics club or competition team. Students associated with those groups are scoring higher on standardized tests; they are offered valuable college scholarships; they are entering the working force in well-paying jobs. Continued development of UAS applications and opportunities in the NAS provide opportunities for these students to create new companies offering innovative technologies and services based on UAS capabilities. Technology demands facing the UAS industry range from increased autonomy, propulsion systems that provide longer duration missions (e.g., very low altitude satellites to boost cell phone reception during a disaster or other high-congestion event) and sensors for mission applications and safer operations. Solving these challenges, allowing for NAS integration, and letting the public see the potential for UAS in daily lives will help everybody in the UAS industry. More promotion of local UAS activities (student competitions, business developments, operational evaluations) will allow people to see what the UAS buzz is all about. Seeing that a UAS over an outdoor concert reduces crime incidents, or that a UAS package courier in a congested downtown area can be tracked continuously through delivery until return, or that an insurance assessor can safely inspect a home roof for hail damage with video and high-resolution photography without ever leaving the ground – this is the context that will provide the public with the knowledge that these systems are good for the economy, provide a valuable service and are not replacing a friend with a job, but are creating jobs and allowing those friends to be more ef fective and safe.
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About the Author Dr. Vos joined Rockwell Collins with the acquisition of Athena Technologies – a leading ight control and navigation systems company – in April 2008. Vos was Founder, CTO and CEO of Athena Technologies. Having worked in the unmanned systems industry since its inception, he is a pioneer and a thought leader in the area of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). While still studying for his Ph.D. at the Massechusettes Institute of Technology (MIT), Vos developed a new mathematical approach for treating nonlinear, highly timed-variant systems as if they were both linear and time invariant. He proved this approach and the resulting technology with the invention of the world’s rst autonomous unicycle. With this success, Vos opened the door to an entirely new eld of dynamics and control. Born in South Africa and now a U.S. citizen, Vos is the inventor and developer of Rockwell Collins Control Technologies core technology. He holds patents in nonlinear control systems and other areas and has broad experience in guidance and control systems. In August 2007, Vos was appointed by Virginia’s Governor Kaine to Commissioner of the Vint Hill Economic Development Authority’s Board of Commissioners. In June 2007, Vos was named by Ernst & Young as an Entrepreneur of the Year in the greater Washington area. Vos holds a B.S. in Engineering with Honors in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, an M.S. in Dynamics and Control from MIT, and a Ph.D. in Estimation and Control from MIT, in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
David W. Vos, Ph.D. Senior Director Rockwell Collins, Control Technologies
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