UAM, UTM, and NextGen

This week we learned about UAM, UTM, and NextGen. I'll give a quick summary as a refresher for the reader.
UAM = Urban Air Mobility. These are aerial vehicles for use in urban areas, acting as either cars, taxis, buses, or potentially even ambulances and police vehicles. There are many companies developing products to fill and expand this niche that is currently occupied by rotary wing aircraft, aka helicopters.
UTM = Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management = UAS Traffic Management. This is a collaboration amongst the FAA, NASA, and other federal and private actors to research how to manage operations, communicate, and track UAS operations in airspace where Air Traffic Service is not provided by the FAA.
NextGen = Next Generation Air Transportation System. The FAA is upgrading the NAS, or National Airspace System, to handle the increased demand, as well as new capabilities involving UAS and other non-traditional aviation uses. 

  • What do you think are the greatest challenges for integrating UAS into the NAS?
    • The FAA lays out 6 categories in which they are conducting further research in terms of integrating UAS into the NAS. The categories are Aircraft Safety/Safety Risk, Airworthiness, Command and Control, Detect and Avoid, Human Factors, and Operational Integration. I think either Detect and Avoid or Operational Integration will be the greatest challenges for integrating UAS into the NAS. 
  • How will UAS be incorporated into the FAA’s NextGen initiative?
    • By using Trajectory Based Operations as well as expanding the capabilities of data management, communication, and automation. One example is incorporating communication with VOIP to supplement analog communications allowing for more flexibility and robustness (Wang et al., 2017).
  • What is DSA and how will it affect UAS integration into the NAS?
    • DSA is Detect, Sense, and Avoid, and it will affect UAS integration into the NAS because traditionally, pilots are on-board the aircraft and can see traffic and avoid, UAS will sometimes have to detect and avoid and then maintain well clear of traffic autonomously, which requires a new/revised system to implement. 
  • What are the implications for a lost link scenario by a UAS in the NAS?
    • Are there human factors involved in this situation?
      • Lost link situations do have human factors involved, such as notifying the Pilot in Command, and the Ground Station, as well as other pilots in the NAS of the situation. Usually UAS have lost link protocols and the UAS will maneuver and attempt to reestablish a link, so other pilots must be aware of this situation.

References:

Federal Aviation Administration. (2023, May 12). Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) | Federal Aviation Administration. Faa.gov. https://www.faa.gov/nextgen

UAS Information Papers | Federal Aviation Administration. (2022). Faa.gov. https://www.faa.gov/uas/research_development/information_papers

Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) | Federal Aviation Administration. (2023). Faa.gov. https://www.faa.gov/uas/advanced_operations/traffic_management

Wang, J., Deutsch, P., McCabe, L., & Jain, R. (2017). Integration of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) voice communications into the FAA national airspace (NAS). IEEE, 1E1-11E1-12. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICNSURV.2017.8011894

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