Turbulence-Impact Collaborative Response System

Atmospheric turbulence is a major hazard to all classes of aircraft. As such, airlines work to avoid turbulence encounters and seek to detect, identify hazardous regions, and route (or climb/descend) aircraft around turbulence constraints. This effort investigates an en route tactical collaborative response to turbulence – including US airlines and the Air Traffic Management (ATM) system – leveraging data from various sources, geofencing hazardous turbulence boundaries, as well as positively identifying areas and flight levels free of turbulence. Using this model, ATM planning can be accomplished collaboratively to minimize turbulence encounters via tactical Trajectory Options Sets (TOSs) that allow for a collaborative, coordinated solution. This effort demonstrates that turbulence impact assessments based on Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) surveillance data, Graphical Turbulence Guidance – Nowcast (GTGN) data, convex and concave hull geofencing techniques, and a tactical 15-minute turbulence prediction model can form the basis of such a collaborative solution to turbulence risk management.

For over a decade, NASA has researched how to incorporate aviation weather hazards into Air Traffic Management (ATM) Decision Support Tools (DSTs), and how to create a shared situational awareness of weather hazards with ATM air traffic controllers, the Flight Deck (FD), and airline operational control (AOC) personnel (dispatchers). This effort has possible mission infusion into NASA ATM, FD display, and tactical flight planning systems research. Potential Commercial Customers include: o Airlines for use in AOC workstations as well as for FD displays o General Aviation (GA) and corporate jet operators o IATA (turbulence information provider/distribution) o Industry Partners – Corporations providing services to pilots, airlines, and Air Traffic Control o Commercial Aviation Weather Forecast Providers Potential non-NASA Government Customers include: o FAA to be used operationally in Air Traffic Services (ATS) o NOAA to be used in future R&D in aviation weather forecasting systems o NWS providing improved aviation turbulence forecasts and nowcasts via the AWC o DoD Military Applications

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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.