Integrating UAS in the NAS


Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
UAS Integration in the NAS
Wilson Gilliam
ASCI 638
  
Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) incorporation into the National Airspace System (NAS) is commencing through the introduction of additional regulations and equipment designed to prioritize safety and efficiency.  It is important that UAS and manned aircraft operators maintain situational awareness of other air traffic. Modern equipment can assist with this goal, but operators must understand human factors limitations related to NextGen and ADS-B equipment operations. 

                                                             UAS Integration in the NAS

The national airspace system (NAS) is becoming a more efficient mode of transportation via the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) NextGen program.  NextGen is a group of aviation industry enhancements that will reduce aircraft waiting and taxiing times, permit the assigning of more direct flight routes and will reduce overall travelling delays by up to forty-one percent (FAA, 2018). Increased efficiencies are possible by utilizing GPS direct routing, sharing of flight information between aircraft and increasing pre-arrival taxi and gate instructions between air traffic control personnel and arriving aircraft (FAA, 2018).

The implementation of NextGen includes integrating unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into the NAS.  The development of sense and avoid technology for UAS is key to the integration process. The GPS broadcasting of aircraft information during Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) operations is permitting researchers and engineers to develop autonomous detect, sense and avoid systems for UAS (Haessig et al, 2016). 

The improved situational awareness (SA) provided by NextGen and ADS-B will permit increasing numbers of manned aircraft and UAS to share airspace.  All aircraft in controlled airspace will participate, broadcasting their positions, horizontal speed, vertical velocity, and other parameters.  The trajectory information displayed on ADS-B equipment will make UAS more observable to pilots of manned aircraft (Haessig, et al, 2016).

ADS-B information and resulting UAS pilot responses can assist in safe separation of aircraft.  Other technologies in development to facilitate UAS sense and avoid protocols are LiDAR sensor systems and smaller radar systems like equipment operated on military UAS (Haessig, et al).

ADS-B and sense and avoid technologies will assist all aircraft types to avoid collisions in controlled airspace.  Despite the advantages, there are still potential problems between UAS and manned aircraft at low altitudes.  Many small UAS operate at 400 feet above the ground or below, eliminating mandatory ADS-B capabilities in NAS Class G airspace (FAA, 2018). This could present air traffic conflicts between low-flying aircraft and non-ADB-S UAS.

Pairing UAS and ADS-B at low altitudes could also result in signal interference on ADS-B frequencies due to the high number of UAS in the NAS (Guterres et al, 2017).  The resultant interference and positional latencies could endanger pilots at low altitudes when UAS are also present. 

Funk et al (2008) utilized pilot reporting after operating ADS-B equipment to identify human factors issues associated with the modern technology.  Many of these human factors were related to pilot overconfidence in the system, presentation of traffic data from more than one source and confusion due to lack of training on ADS-B equipment.  Although the Funk study involved manned aircraft, many of the same considerations would arguably apply to UAS operations.

The mode of UAS operation will be an important determinant regarding ADS-B use and situational awareness.  A UAS operation patrolling a power line tower is less likely to require ADS-B and resulting situational awareness as compared to an autonomous UAS flight controlled by a command and control center-based pilot.

                                                       References

             Funk, K., Mauro, R. & Birdseye, H. (2008). Identifying and Addressing Human Factors Issues
                  of ADS-B and Cockpit Displays of Traffic Information. Retrieved from                                                            http://web.engr.oregonstate.edu/~funkk/Publications/ADS-B%20&%
                   20CDTI%20issues%20-%20proposal%20v1.1.pdf
                               
             Guterres, R., Jones, S., Orrell, G. & Strain, R. (2017). ADS-B Surveillance System Performance
                  With Small UAS at Low Altitudes.  Retrieved from https://www.mitre.org/sites/
                  default/files/publications/16-4497-AIAA-2017-ADS-B.pdf                          
                
            Haessig, D., Ogan, K., & Olive, M. (2016). Sense and Avoid: What Is Required for Aircraft Safety?                       Retrieved from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7506724/

                      
FAA. (2018). What is NextGen? Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/
      what_is_nextgen/




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