What are the goals of
NextGen, and how does it seek to improve future aviation operations in the NAS
(National Airspace System)?
The overall goals of
the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is to improve air
transportation by increasing its “capacity and efficiency while improving
safety, reducing environmental impacts” and increase user access to the National
Airspace System (NAS); (Jones, 2014). In
order to achieve this goal, the (Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will
implement new navigation rounds and procedures using state of the art
technology and aircraft navigation capacities (Jones, 2014).
So what is NextGen exactly; the 2013 Integration of Civil Unmanned
Aircraft Systems in the National Airspace System Roadmap defines NextGen as
“a series of inter-linked programs, systems and policies that implement
advanced technologies and capabilities to dramatically change the way the
current aviation system is operated.
NextGen is a satellite-based and relies on a network to share information
and digital communications so all users of the system are aware of the users’
precise locations.”
How do UAS fit into this
vision for the future keeping in mind the research you have done on Detect,
Sense and Avoid requirements, and Lost Link scenarios?
In 2013, the FAA had published a
roadmap in which it outlined what was needed in order to facilitate the
increasing demand of UAS into the NAS.
This plan goes into details outlining “the tasks, assumptions,
dependencies and considerations needed to enable UAS integration in the NAS
within the wider UAS community.” (Foxx, 2013).
In regards to the Detect, Sense and
Avoid requirements, the roadmap stated that “Unmanned
flight will require new or revised operational rules to regulate the use of
Sense and Avoid (SAA) systems as an alternate method to comply with “see and
avoid” operational rules currently required of manned aircraft” (Huerta, 2013).
Two methods for meeting the SAA
requirements include both a Ground Based Sense and Avoid (GBSAA) and Airborne
Sense and Avoid (ABSAA); (Huerta, 2013).
In regards to Lost Link the main goal for “Control
and Communications (C2) is the development of a link between the unmanned
aircraft and the control station to support the required performance of the
unmanned aircraft in the NAS and to ensure that the pilot always maintains a
threshold level of control of the aircraft” (Huerta, 2013). However the UAS roadmap had identified that
further research is still needed in order to find an adequate backup system or
method in the event the command link is lost via equipment malfunction or of
intentional means.
Other areas of focus for the integration of UAS in
the NAS include Certification Requirements (Airworthiness), Certification
Requirements (Pilot/Crew), Small UAS and other Rules, Test Ranges and Air
Traffic Interoperability (Foxx, 2013).
Unfortunately, just over a year ago
in 2014, a Hearing lead by subcommittee Chairman Frank LoBiondo (Republican of
New Jersey) was conducted on the progress the FAA was on concerning
NextGen. During this hearing, many
problems were identified to include those associated in the integrating of
unmanned aircraft in the NAS in which the FAA has mentioned that they “will not
be able to meet Congress’ September 2015 deadline for safety integrating
unmanned aircraft into the airspace system and has not committed to an alternative
implementation timeline.” (Tennyson, 2014).
What human factors issues
or challenges do you foresee with the implementation of NextGen and the
integration of UAS?
The UAS in the NAS roadmap outlines
potential human factor issues and challenges.
The most obvious issue is that the existing standards for safe operations
are designed for pilots who actually fly on board the aircraft (Huerta, 2013). However other potential impacts for safe
operations in the NAS include the following:
- “The UAS pilot is not onboard the aircraft and does not have the same sensory and environmental cue as a manned aircraft pilot” (Huerta, 2013).
- “The UAS pilot does not have the ability to directly comply with see-and-avoid responsibilities and UAS SAA systems do not meet current operational rules” (Huerta, 2013).
- “The UAS pilot must depend on a data link for control of the aircraft. The affects the aircraft’s response to revised ATC clearances, other ATC instructions, or unplanned contingencies” (Huerta, 2013).
- “UAS cannot comply with certain air traffic control clearances, and alternate means may need to be considered” (Huerta, 2013).
- “UAS present air traffic controllers with a different range of platform sizes and operational capabilities (such as size, speed altitude, wake turbulence criteria, and combinations thereof)” (Huerta, 2013).
- “Some UAS launch and recovery methods differ from manned aircraft and require manual placement and removal from runways, a lead vehicle for taxi operations, or dedicated launch and recovery systems” (Huerta, 2013).
- UAS expected range of performance may vary significantly from the performance characteristics of manned aircraft due to the varying in size, speed and other flight capabilities (Huerta, 2013).
Reference
Foxx, A. U.S. Department of Transportation,
Federal Aviation Administration. (2013). Unmanned
aircraft systems comprehensive plan. Retrieved from website: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/agi/reports/media/UAS_Comprehensive_Plan.pdf
Huerta, M. US Department of transportation,
Federal Aviation Administration. (2013). Integration
of civil unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace system roadmap.
Retrieved from website: http://www.faa.gov/uas/media/uas_roadmap_2013.pdf
Jones, T. (2014, October 13). Fact sheet: Nextgen and performance
based navigation. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=10856
Tennyson, E. (2014, February 06). Hearing reveals
faa behind on nextgen, uas, consolidation. AOPA:
All News, Retrieved from http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2014/February/06/FAA-behind-on-NextGen-UAS-and-consolidation-hearing-reveals.aspx
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