← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Active TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 6)
The objective of the SurfNav4UAS project is to solve the technical navigation challenges associated with automatic surface operations of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Safety-assured automatic taxiing, together with automatic takeoff and landing, are the three significant navigation gaps identified by the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) that are currently preventing autonomous operations of large UAS in civil airspace. These technical challenges must be solved to enable widespread Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations such as regional passenger and cargo operations.
This proposed research focuses on automatic taxiing, which has different requirements than automatic take-off and landing and presents unique and demanding challenges.
In the 20 plus years since NASA first began working on automatic taxiing, no system has been developed that can meet the stringent accuracy, integrity, and continuity requirements of automatic surface operations.
The proposed research will leverage recent developments in navigation technology and integrity monitoring to quantify and prove the safety of integrated multi-sensor navigation solutions for automatic surface operations.
The proposed solution will include the integration, robust modeling, and autonomous self-monitoring of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), and Computer Vision (CV).
This ULI addresses four technical challenges. First, we will define the minimum required navigation performance to enable automatic in-airport surface operations. Second, we will develop algorithms to integrate GNSS, INS and CV data, derive integrity methods for the integrated navigation system, and verify and validate the system in simulated and real environments at Ohio University's Flight Testing Center (at the Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Airport). The third technical challenge involves the development of ground-based GNSS augmentation for UAS surface operations. The fourth and last technical challenge includes transitioning the analysis, algorithms, and prototype hardware to industry partners for development towards a product with a low deployment cost.
The team will leverage prior research in automatic takeoff and taxi of traditionally piloted aircraft and will have the derived requirements reviewed by stakeholders at NASA, RTCA, and the FAA.
The assembled team is composed of leading experts in the fields of navigation, GNSS, INS, CV, and UAS. Each organization brings a different set of required skills resulting in a diverse team uniquely positioned to solve the previously discussed problem. The testing facilities available within the team will be used, including a fight testing facility operated by Ohio University at its airport, with six dedicated research aircraft, and Virginia Smart Roads (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute).
All five university partners will involve graduate and undergraduate students in all stages of the initiative research. Students involved with the project will gain industry experience working closely with the industry partner.
The scope of the SurfNav4UAS project is to enable safe, scalable, and seamless surface navigation of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Filling this technology gap will expand UAS operations in the National Airspace System (NAS).
While the primary focus of this work is to support automatic UAS surface operations, the technology derived from this research can be directly applied to traditionally piloted aircraft, especially for single pilot operations where it is beneficial to distribute the workload of taxiing between the onboard pilot and automation. Additionally, the methods developed to provide integrity to safety-critical computer vision and GNSS-based navigation systems for surface operations can be exploited for future applications to other phases of flight, to other emerging technologies including machine learning, and even to other modes of motion.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 2) — 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.
None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.