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Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System (UAS-NAS)

Completed TRL 2 (started at 1, targeting 7)

Description

The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System (UAS-NAS) Project supports the need of the UAS community to have routine access to the national airspace in order to conduct missions that are vital to a variety of national interests including enabling commercial applications. The goal of the Project is to provide research findings, utilizing simulation and flight tests, to support the development and validation of Minimum Operational Performance Standards necessary to integrate UAS into the National Airspace System.

Benefits

NASA has determined that adequate Detect and Avoid (DAA) and Command and Control (C2) technologies are the most significant barriers to UAS integration. Verification and Validation data from DAA and C2 simulations and flight demonstrations will be provided to RTCA Special Committee – 228 to inform the development of DAA and C2 Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) that will be used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in future UAS rulemaking. DAA and C2 MOPS development will also serve to inform industry of the required DAA and C2 system performance needed for UAS certification.

Details

Technology areaAir Traffic Management and Range Tracking Systems > Architectures and Infrastructure
ProgramIntegrated Aviation Systems Program (IASP)
Lead organizationArmstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA
Start date2017-10-01
End date2021-09-30

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

How to get involved

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.

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