Regulatory Ontology and Compliance Assessment Suite (ROCAS) (ROCAS)

Developed by Mosaic ATM in collaboration with George Mason University, the Regulatory Ontology and Compliance Assessment Suite (ROCAS) is an AI-driven Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) framework designed to streamline regulatory gap and compliance analysis for use cases in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and beyond. ROCAS enhances regulatory compliance analysis by leveraging advancements in natural language processing (NLP), including large language models (LLMs) and graph-based retrieval augmented generation (GraphRAG). Through an ontology-based knowledge representation, it assesses compliance between standards and source documentation, improving accuracy and efficiency. To ensure document traceability, ROCAS generates an exportable report that identifies well-defined, poorly defined, ambiguous, or conflicting aspects between regulatory standards, high-level policies, and source documents. Its unique graph representation of regulatory documents can be visualized and exported for closely related applications and use cases. Designed by aviation experts for aviation experts, ROCAS is not a fully automated replacement but a hybrid model that integrates subject matter expert (SME) knowledge through structured ontologies and decision-making. This approach eliminates repetitive manual parsing and tracing of standards to documentation, providing SME-in-the-loop decision support. Phase I will develop a use case in AAM to demonstrate a real-world mock scenario. For scalable implementation and integration, Phase I will expand the initial proof-of-concept into a mock AAM use case and develop the infrastructure for broader integration into other NASA Model-Based Anything (MBx) scenarios in Phase II. This effort will include enhancements such as graph export capabilities, simplified user interfaces, and local hosting models to maximize data governance.

The Regulatory Ontology and Compliance Assessment Suite (ROCAS) offers significant benefits for NASA’s regulatory compliance and Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) initiatives. By leveraging graph-based ontology representation and AI-assisted analysis, ROCAS enables automated regulatory gap assessments to streamline compliance verification for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and broader airspace integration efforts. NASA's Transformational Tools & Technologies (TTT) Project focuses on digitally integrated decision-making frameworks to support emerging aviation technologies. ROCAS aligns with these objectives by providing a structured compliance framework that integrates with NASA’s Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools, ensuring regulatory traceability within digital twin environments. By encoding policy data into a searchable knowledge graph, NASA can use ROCAS to evaluate evolving regulations against operational requirements, reducing the burden on subject matter experts (SMEs). ROCAS has potential applications across NASA’s Air Mobility Pathfinders (AMP), System-Wide Safety (SWS), and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) research programs. It can support NASA’s efforts to define certification pathways for new vehicle designs, ensuring seamless integration into the National Airspace System (NAS). Additionally, ROCAS can assist in safety assurance modeling, operational risk assessments, and compliance validation for electrified aviation and autonomous systems. By incorporating ROCAS into NASA’s MBx ecosystem, regulatory decision-making can become more transparent, scalable, and adaptable to evolving AAM requirements. The system also supports NASA-industry collaboration by providing a standardized compliance validation framework applicable to future mission-critical airspace operations. ROCAS provides significant benefits across multiple industries by enhancing regulatory compliance and certification processes. For aviation regulatory compliance and certification, our solution will assist not only NASA but also other government agencies such as the FAA and commercial aviation sectors. By streamlining compliance between evolving aviation standards and policy information, ROCAS can facilitate faster adoption of new aviation technologies while increasing transparency in regulatory assessments. In defense and national security, similar challenges exist within Department of Defense (DoD) applications, particularly in areas where regulatory compliance dictates workflows for International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). ROCAS can support complex use cases in material and component procurement, ensuring seamless traceability between technology assets and export regulations at every stage of the process. Beyond aviation and defense, enterprise legal compliance represents another key application. Private corporations in highly regulated industries such as finance, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications face complex legal frameworks that require rigorous compliance tracking. ROCAS offers an SME-first workflow, making it adaptable to these industries by providing structured compliance validation and real-time regulatory monitoring.

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.