Autonomous collision avoidance: the technical requirements

Autonomous collision avoidance is necessary if Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are to "blacken the sky" in massed attacks, accompany manned fighters on combat missions, and transition civil airspace. These vehicles will, in some manner, have to "see and avoid" other aircraft. An automated air collision avoidance system will fulfill a part of this need. It will automatically maneuver an aircraft, at the last instant, to avoid an air-to-air collision. It will function in a manner similar to a pilot avoiding a collision. It is a system that must be reliable, verifiable, and partially redundant, forming the last line of defense against collisions. It must provide nuisance free operation and allow safe interoperability. The requirements for such a system will be discussed in detail. Of particular interest are criteria to enable a safe, nuisance free system that will have embedded rules of the road for all encounters. Autonomous control of unmanned aerial vehicles is a goal for the US Air Force in the future. However, flying multiple unmanned vehicles in the same tactical airspace with manned fighters presents very challenging problems. Autonomous collision avoidance is a necessary step in moving toward this goal.