Acoustic Detection, Ranging and Improved Situational Awareness System

SARA is working to enable unmanned airborne systems (UAS) operations by developing sensor systems that enable UAS to detect and avoid (DAA) manned aircraft. Lack of DAA systems is holding back an otherwise burgeoning economy of UAS food delivery, transportation and inspection services. SARA’s Passive Acoustic Noncooperative Collision Avoidance System, or PANCAS, is a novel DAA system with industry leading performance in a low size, weight and power (SWaP) package. SARA made significant technical progress during the SBIR Phase I and Phase II, so the remaining hurdles are regulatory in natures. SARA has secured investment from the United States Coast Guard to continue PANCAS development in a Phase II-e. SARA and USCG will focus on gaining approval from the FAA to fly UAS in the National Airspace System using PANCAS as the DAA solution. Gaining approval requires a series of flight tests where performance data is gathered and presented to the FAA. The final data package will be delivered to NASA and will likely inform related NASA efforts, such as the Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign.

PANCAS has already supported the NASA Resilient Autonomy JCTD and has the potential to support other NASA UAS operations. In particular, PANCAS has the potential to support the Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign by enabling UAS to safely integrate into the National Airspace System while safely deconflicting from manned aircraft traffic.

Many commercial applications for UAS operations have developed over the past 5 years, including site security, precision agriculture, linear inspection and package delivery. All of these UAS operations required a system like PANCAS to detect and avoid manned aircraft.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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