Department of Defense (DoD) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration into the National Airspace System (NAS)

Department of Defense (DoD) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration

into the National Airspace System (NAS)

Domestic Use and Integration of Department of Defense Unmanned Aircraft Systems

The Department of Defense (DoD) currently operates over 11,000 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), domestically and overseas; differing in size, technologies and capabilities, and supporting a wide range of missions.  The Deputy Secretary of Defense Policy Memorandum 15-002, Guidance for the Domestic Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, provides specific and stringent guidance for the domestic use of DoD UAS (Department of Defense (DoD), n.d.).  The primary purposes of DoD domestic UAS operations are to provide realistic training and exercises for DoD forces, to test equipment and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) in preparation for DoD operations, and “…to support Homeland Defense (HD) and Defense Support of Civilian Authorities (DSCA) operations…” (DoD, n.d., para. 1).

Current Department of Defense Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airspace Integration Method

Unlike manned aircraft, DoD UAS are not permitted unencumbered entrance into, or use of, the National Airspace System (NAS).  Instead, for DoD UAS operations conducted outside of DoD special use airspace (e.g., Restricted Areas, Warning Areas, Prohibited Areas, Military Operations Areas (MOA), etc.), a temporary Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA), issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is required which “…allows DoD UAS to fly via pre-coordinated flight routes to DoD special use airspace” (DoD, n.d., para. 4).  Although the DoD has been able to coordinate flights through this process, the level of airspace access required to support current and projected operational tempos has not been obtained (DoD, n.d.; DoD, 2011).

Department of Defense Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airspace Integration Plan

The DoD Unmanned Aircraft System Airspace Integration Plan, Version 2.0, prepared by the UAS Task Force, Airspace Integration Integrated Product Team, leverages policy, procedures, technologies and resources in order to safely increase UAS access to, and integration in, the NAS.  Incremental efforts are focused on near-, mid- and far-term objectives that will allow for immediate (near-term) improvements in NAS access, while developing appropriate technologies (i.e., sense-and-avoid) and working towards viable far-term solutions which will safely allow routine access for DoD UAS within the NAS (DoD, 2011; Statement on Tactical Air and Land Forces, 2013).

Discussion

Sense and Avoid

The DoD Unmanned Aircraft System Airspace Integration Plan (2011) defines sense and avoid (SAA) as “the capability of a UAS to remain well clear from, and avoid collisions with, other airborne traffic.  Sense and avoid provides the functions of self-separation and collision avoidance to fulfill the regulatory requirement of see and avoid” (p. A-2).  The development and implementation of the SAA capability is divided into both mid- and far-term objectives.  Mid-term objectives include the development and fielding of ground based SAA (GBSAA) radar systems that will provide the UAS/operator with traffic information within the operating airspace; thus enabling the UAS to maintain a safe separation from other aircraft (MITRE, 2013).  Far-term objectives include the development, certification and fielding of airborne SAA (ABSAA) radar system, which will act “…as a replacement for the see and avoid capability of the pilot onboard a manned aircraft” (Lester, Cook & Noth, 2014, p. 6); and the collaboration, or integration, of GBSAA and ABSAA systems (DoD, 2011).

Next Generation Air Transportation System

The FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is a comprehensive overhaul of the NAS from a “…ground-based, largely analog air traffic control system into a satellite-based digital system” (Dillow, 2013, para. 20) that will provide the capability to guide and track air traffic more precisely and efficiently by “...using tools like enhanced data links to share more and better information between controllers, pilots, and aircraft themselves” (Dillow, 2013, para. 20).  NextGen improvements and upgrades which have direct application to UAS integration include the NAS Voice System (NVS), which “…will enable direct communication between air traffic controllers and pilots, including UAS pilots” (Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 2015, p. 19), automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, which “…is the more precise, satellite-based successor to radar” (FAA, 2015, p. 4), and separation management, which includes UAS flight planning and ATC direct communications (FAA, 2015).  In addition, technologies currently being developed, tested and demonstrated for the DoD, such as secure, low-latency data networks, precision global positioning system (GPS) and relative positioning, can potentially be integrated into NextGen in order to address concerns about both civilian and DoD UAS operation with, and avoidance of, manned aircraft in the NAS (Dillow, 2013).

The “Human Factor”

A main concern with the integration of any UAS into the NAS remains the absence of a pilot in the aircraft.  In a manned aircraft, the pilot has the advantage of “...visual, auditory, proprioceptive, tactile, and olfactory sensory cues...” (Jones, Harron, Hoffa, Lyall & Wilson, 2012, p. 98), which may not be available to the controller/operator of a UAS, to better respond to unplanned situations and/or events.   One method of addressing this concern is to incorporate additional sensors, cameras, displays, etc., for the UAS pilot/operator to compensate for both the loss of sensory cues and situational awareness.  In doing so, however, additional issues, such as timeliness of information, increased attention requirements and sensory overload, could be introduced (Jones et al., 2012, p. 98).        

Conclusion

Integration of DoD UAS into the NAS will enhance the ability for DoD UAS pilots and operators to train at home; allowing them to conduct exercises, test equipment, execute and hone TTP, and maintain a high level of combat readiness in order to support ongoing operations world-wide.  Additionally, the ability to provide timely support to HD and DCSA, provide disaster relief, etc. will require improved NAS access for DoD UAS.  Finally, the integration of new and advanced DoD UAS technologies could help mitigate the “human factor” concern, and improve the effectiveness of the FAA NextGen effort.

References

Department of Defense. (n.d.). Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS): DoD purpose and operational use. Retrieved January 23, 2016, from http://www.defense.gov/UAS

Department of Defense. (2011, March). Unmanned Aircraft System Airspace Integration Plan, Version 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.acq.osd.mil/sts/docs/DoD_UAS_Airspace_Integ_Plan_v2_(signed).pdf

Dillow, C. (2013, July 5). What the X-47B reveals about the future of autonomous flight. Popular Science. Retrieved from http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-05/five-things-you-need-know-about-x-47b-and-coming-era-autonomous-flight

Federal Aviation Administration. (2015, May). NextGen implementation plan 2015.  Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/media/NextGen_Implementation_Plan-2015.pdf

Jones, E., Harron, G., Hoffa, B., Lyall, B. & Wilson, J. (2012, December 31). Research project: Human factors guidelines for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) ground control station (GCS) design. Retrieved from http://www.researchintegrations.com/publications/Jones_etal_2012_Human-Factors-Guidelines-for-UAS-GCS-Design_Year-1.pdf

Lester, T., Cook, S. & Noth, K. (2014, January 31). USAF airborne sense and avoid (ABSAA) airworthiness and operational approval approach. Retrieved from http://www.mitre.org/sites/default/files/publications/usaf-airborne-sense-avoid-13-3116.pdf

MITRE. (2013, August). Enabling unmanned aircraft systems to detect and avoid other aircraft. Retrieved from http://www.mitre.org/publications/project-stories/enabling-unmanned-aircraft-systems-to-detect-and-avoid-other-aircraft
Statement of Mr. Dyke D. Weatherington, Deputy Director, Unmanned Warfare Strategic and Tactical Systems, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) before the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, 113th Cong. (2013, April 23)