MRI: Development of a Local Air Traffic Information System (LATIS) for UAS Collision Avoidance Research

Brigham Young University, Provo UT

Investigators

Abstract

This project, developing a Local Air Traffic Information System (LATIS)--a lightweight, mobile, low-cost, short-range sensor, aims to contribute to avoiding UAS (Unmanned Air System) collisions. Automated sense and avoid (SAA) and other technologies for collision avoidance and coordination of UAS, or drones, are currently an area of major nationwide and worldwide importance and interest. The number of daily UAS flight operations is exploding and will likely outstrip manned aviation by orders of magnitude. To deal with this revolution in usage of U.S. and international airspaces, a major current research area is the development of technologies that enable a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system that allows safe, efficient low-altitude UAS operations. This project develops LATIS for UAS collision avoidance research. The team aims to develop an instrument that enables research on methods for tracking and controlling many drones in a drone-aware zone. LATIS includes a phased array radar for localized drone tracking, software for sensor processing and drone command and control, and an airborne module which includes an air to ground wireless link and autopilot interface. Current solutions for multi-million dollar air traffic control systems are misaligned to the needs of the smaller, low altitude, and range limited UAS. This project will provide a lightweight, mobile, low cost, short range sensor applicable to this problem set. The phased array radar and connecting ground based system will be capable of identifying and tracking drones that are lost in the ground clutter of current air traffic control systems. The airborne module interfaces each drone with the ground station and phased array radar and includes a custom reconfigurable computing platform suitable for small UAS platforms that will allow future concepts for UAS mesh networks and coordinated control to be tested with the instrument. Users will implement UAS tracking, guidance, communication, and coordination algorithms on the instrument and generate flight test telemetry data that will validate results and guide research in a range of technologies for UAS traffic management. The instrument will be managed by the NSF Industry-University Collaborative Research Center for Unmanned Air Systems (C-UAS), and will allow users within C-UAS and collaborating organizations to expand the capabilities of what may be safely implemented with UAS and delve deeper into research on the intersection where theory and simulation transition to real-world applications. Broader Impacts: With growing commercial interest and market opportunities, high visibility in the media and among the general public, and rapid advances in research in sensors, control algorithms, and novel applications, UAS research is currently in an opportune position. The instrument will be used to test algorithms and answer research questions needed to deploy a future air traffic management system for thousands of drones making package deliveries and a wide range of other commercial services. Significantly, the system will allow researchers to test concepts for the drone traffic system that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's UAS Traffic Management System consortium, which is closely tied to C-UAS member organizations, is beginning to explore. The instrument comprises lightweight, low power technologies suitable for UAS applications that have only been enabled by the latest digital processing platforms. The risk of key subsystems has been given careful attention. Recently society has witnessed rapid advances in UAS enabling technology. The inability to guarantee safety when flying UAS has greatly hindered the scope and applications for which these vehicles can be used. This technology has the potential to transform the way commercial, scientific, and military industries operate, but can only be realized if the UAS can be safely integrated into national and international airspaces. The LATIS system will allow for the testing and implementation of safe and efficient UAS operations in a local environment and demonstrate a methodology for integration of vehicles into the national airspace. When in operation, the instrument will provide information that will guide future research efforts and inform development of new regulatory frameworks by assisting the Federal Aviation Administration in monitoring and validating technological innovations in UAS tracking, guidance, and control, and will form part of a revolution in the way society interacts with the national airspace.