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Active TRL 4 (started at 3, targeting 6)
Current day air traffic management systems are segmented by domain, operator groups, and solution provider groups, which creates a challenge for those seeking a holistic (i.e., system wide) solution. The increasing complexity in the future airspace, resulting from higher density operations and new types of aircraft (on-demand air taxis, autonomous drone delivery, etc.), will require the aviation community to embrace a wider range of operations. Traditional air traffic management systems were built in an era when rapid technologies were not available or commonplace. Changing the large and complex system-of-systems in the National Airspace System (NAS) is an overwhelmingly complex integration challenge, which often requires significant domain knowledge about NAS operations and data.
The Digital Information Platform (DIP) subproject will develop and demonstrate a stakeholder-informed, digital information platform critical to catalyze an ecosystem of aviation services that improve airspace operations and deliver validated requirements to airlines, industry, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The DIP subproject is executed by the Air Traffic Management Exploration Project in NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program (AOSP). AOSP conceives, develops, and demonstrates technologies to safely improve aircraft systems that will operate in the NAS. The program develops advanced technologies for a service‑oriented and federated NAS architecture to enable seamless integration of emergent vehicles (e.g., unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility vehicles) with present-day aircraft. AOSP also works with other Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate programs to define safe NAS operational requirements for the next generation of vehicles, mature new transformative concepts, and demonstrate integrated systems.
DIP will provide improved access to information, accelerating the development of innovative air traffic management services. DIP will also develop gate-to-gate flight management services that demonstrate sustainability benefits that can be utilized in today’s National Airspace.
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This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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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