Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Traffic Management

About this technology

Overview

To enable significant commercial use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) within lower altitude airspace and airspace that does not interfere with regular National Airspace System (NAS) operations, an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) system is required. Such UTM system needs to support flight route adjustments of UASs that are encountering conflicts. NASA Ames Research Center has developed a traffic management system for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) to maintain safe and efficient UAS operations. This novel technology can help provide solutions to these and other problems by implementing an Autonomous Situation Awareness Platform (ASAP) into UASs to allow them to autonomously resolve conflicts by UAS-to-UAS communications and onboard flight management systems, while maintaining integration with the National Airspace System. The technology enables the growth in civilian applications of UAS operations at lower altitudes by developing a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system. There are a number of applications of UAS which includes goods and services delivery in urban, difficult terrain and rural areas, imaging and surveillance for agricultural, and utility management.