Verification & Validation of Complex Autonomy Concepts Using the Cloud

Crown Consulting, Inc. proposes a new method of concept verification and validation for autonomous operations and identifying emergent behaviors. This method integrates several Internet technologies to enable massively parallel execution of National Airspace System (NAS) simulations in a cloud environment, vastly increasing the number of Monte Carlo simulation runs that can be executed in a given time, thus enabling broad assessments of safety, performance, and workload across thousands of scenarios representing wide ranges of conditions. Potential uses include verification and validation of concepts for autonomous UAS operations, validation of advanced NAS concepts, identifying emergent behavior, data mining and discovery, and development of SMART NAS Phase I will establish feasibility by demonstrating greatly reduced run time by running thousands of simulation cases at a time; automated system performance and safety evaluation; and capabilities for rapid analysis of safety, performance, and workload related to NAS operations.. The proposed effort will establish baseline scenarios, identify a suitable configuration of the Airspace Concept Evaluation System (ACES), implement an interface for creating a large set of scenarios, set up ACES for a cloud environment, create an interface for executing Monte Carlo runs in the cloud, demonstrate use as an automated cloud-based analysis tool, and define a SMART NAS Testbed for Phase II. The Phase II effort will establish requirements to support near-term applications, define a system architecture and design, and conduct prototype testing and demonstration. Potential applications of this concept to meet NASA needs include analysis of UTM and other concepts for managing UAS operations, prognostic safety assessments, NAS performance assessments, amplifying the capabilities of existing simulation models, exploring applications of autonomy, and real-time evaluation of traffic flow management strategies.

Potential NASA Commercial applications include licensing the results of the research and leveraging them in Space Act Agreements for the following: - Developing UTM and other concepts for UAS operations: Monte Carlo and deterministic simulations to explore Rules of the Road under wide ranges of conditions and to support air traffic management (ATM) concept development. - Prognostic safety assessments and concepts: Monte Carlo and deterministic simulations to support validation and certification of new concepts for prognostic safety assessments and system-wide prognostic safety assurance system development. - NAS performance assessments: Monte Carlo and deterministic simulations to evaluate performance of ATM and other system concepts for use in the NAS, as well as to develop a screening model based on a response-surface representation of NAS performance under a range of conditions. - Amplifying the capabilities of existing simulation models: Use with existing simulation models to explore an order of magnitude greater range of variables and conditions. - Applications of autonomy: Monte Carlo and large-scale deterministic simulations to identify potential safety issues, assess performance, and evaluate algorithms for proposed applications of autonomy. - Real-time evaluation of traffic flow management (TFM) strategies: Use of extremely fast parallel simulations for real-time evaluation of TFM strategies, enabling adaptability to unforeseen conditions or events.

Potential non-NASA applications for this innovation include: - Evaluations by FAA and system developers of concepts for UAS operations - Validation and FAA certification of new concepts for prognostic safety assessment and system-wide prognostic safety assurance system development - Use by system developers to evaluate tradeoffs and alternative designs of complex automated or autonomic systems - Use by industry and other government agencies to amplify the capabilities of existing simulation models to explore an order of magnitude greater range of variables and input conditions - Exploring industry and government applications of autonomy, including identifying safety issues, assessing performance, and evaluating algorithms - Exploration by system developers of concepts for real-time evaluation of strategy options by autonomic system, enabling adaptability to unforeseen conditions or events Potential customers include researchers in government, industry, and academia exploring UAS uses, new system concepts, safety assurance methods, and autonomy; FAA offices, industry, and operators involved in certification of new systems or procedures; government agencies involved in operation of UAS or other new system concepts; entities concerned with development of complex systems and uses of autonomy (e.g., autonomous ground vehicles); and UAS civil operators such as precision agriculture, commercial package delivery, energy, survey, real estate, and similar applications.

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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