An automated General Aviation Protection System for manned and unmanned aircraft

Achieving safe separation distances between aircraft, including UAVs, in controlled and uncontrolled airspace poses difficult challenges. Such challenges must be resolved if the full potential for safe UAV use in shared airspace is ever to be realized. The nature of the interaction of the traffic flow within a particular airspace determines the task- loading on pilots, UAV operators, air traffic service provider operators and on the communication systems required to manage aircraft proximity. In this paper we explore some of the theoretical behavioral characteristics arising in these systems and the implications for the design of safe operations using current data link systems. Traditionally, under voice communication traffic alerts were selective and in some cases sporadic in their delivery. Under proposed air traffic management systems utilizing GPS and data-link technology significant enhancements can be made to value add to the resultant situational awareness for pilots by automating the traffic alert protocol and by providing appropriate symbology on cockpit displays. A prototype architecture for testing automated proximity control of manned and unmanned aircraft, utilizing GPS and data-link technology, was recently developed and tested in Australian uncontrolled airspace as part of the Smart Skies Flight Test program. This architecture used both commercial cellular and satellite data links to connect aircraft flying in Australia, via the Internet, with an Automated Dynamic Airspace Control Centre (ADAC) located in the U.S. The architecture also allowed simulated aircraft, located anywhere in the world with Internet connectivity, to be flown with the real aircraft. Both simulated and real aircraft provided the ADAC with derived aircraft state data over the data links at rates of 0.5 2 Hz depending on the link and the test requirements. The ADAC provided automated Situational Awareness and, if needed, Separation Management instructions to the aircraft. The round trip latency of data on the network was on the order of three seconds. This paper combines the theoretical predictions using traffic flows with the Smart Skies test results to suggest the development of a General Aviation Protection System (GAPS). The challenges associated with implementing GAPS with commercial data link services on General Aviation aircraft and UAVs are discussed. Implementing a prototype GAPS within Australia is investigated.