“FAA,
collaborating with other federal agencies and the aviation industry, is
implementing NextGen, an advanced technology air-traffic management system that
FAA anticipates will replace the current ground-radar-based system,” (United
States. Federal Aviation Administration, & United States. Government
Accountability Office, 2013). FAA’s Next
Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) consists of multiple programs
including, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), Collaborative
Air Traffic Management Technologies (CATMT), Data Communications (Data Comm),
National Airspace System Voice System (NVS), NextGen Weather, and System Wide Information
Management (SWIM), (NextGen Programs, 2016).
Through 2018, the NextGen program is expected to cost $18 billion,
(United States. Federal Aviation Administration, & United States.
Government Accountability Office, 2013).
Through the implementation of multiple programs the NextGen program
will, “enhance safety, increase capacity, and reduce congestion in the national
airspace system,” (United States. Federal Aviation Administration, & United
States. Government Accountability Office, 2013). While the NextGen program is made to make the
National Airspace (NAS) more efficient, it could benefit remotely piloted
vehicles (RPV) which are better known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). “By determining how UAS flight operations and
protocols may be different than those of traditional manned aircraft, informed
decisions can be made concerning the data and interfaces required to
accommodate routine UAS operations by NextGen automation systems, ultimately
leading to safer and more efficient integration of UAS into non-segregated
civil airspace,” (Paczan, 2012).
“ADS-B makes use of GPS technology to
determine and share precise aircraft location information, and streams
additional flight information to the cockpits of properly equipped aircraft,”
(NextGen Programs, 2016). Unmanned
aircraft equipped with ADS-B will be able to share its location with aircraft
and flight following services. This will
be helpful in the event of a lost link where the unmanned aircraft operator is
unable to communicate commands to the unmanned vehicle. When there is a lost link the operator is
unable to continue to see and avoid, the unmanned systems typically have a
failsafe in the event of a lost link, but with ADS-B the precise location of
the unmanned system will be reported, enabling air traffic control to route
aircraft around the lost link aircraft.
Data Comm, “will enable controllers to
send digital instructions and clearances to pilots. Precise visual messages
that appear on a cockpit display can interact with an aircraft's flight
computer. Offering reduced opportunities for error, Data Comm will supplant
voice communications as the primary means of communication between controllers
and flight crews,” (NextGen Programs, 2016).
Data Comm could raise issues with unmanned systems, especially with
plans to have it replace voice communications.
The Data Comm would have to be sent to the unmanned vehicle and then the
instructions would be relayed to the ground control station (GCS). In the event of a lost link where the unmanned
vehicle and GCS are no longer able to communicate, this would mean that the
Data Comm would no longer be able to be received by the operator. This is no different than how voice
communications with current unmanned systems currently work. Currently Data Link plans to use digital
radio frequencies, however, in theory, it could be connected to the internet,
and could allow the operator to inform flight following services of a lost
link.
“Once all planned programs are in place,
FAA expects NextGen to deliver $134 billion in direct airline, industry, and
passenger benefits (passenger value of time and carbon dioxide emissions)
through 2030,” (NextGen Programs, 2016).
While, there is no deliberately stated goal of helping to integrate RPVs
or UAVs through the implementation of the NextGen program, the unmanned
industry can benefit from the integration of the NextGen systems and programs.
References
NextGen
Programs. (2016 Apr 6). NextGen, Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved
from https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/programs/
Paczan,
N. M., Cooper, J., & Zakrzewski, E. (2012). Integrating unmanned aircraft
into NextGen automation systems. Paper presented at the 8C3-1-8C3-9.
doi:10.1109/DASC.2012.6382440
United
States. Federal Aviation Administration, & United States. Government
Accountability Office. (2013). NextGen air transportation system: FAA has made
some progress in midterm implementation, but ongoing challenges limit expected
benefits : Report to congressional requesters. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Govt.
Accountability Office. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/653628.txt
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