Editorial: Sharing Airspace with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s)
By Ed Downs
First, the title of this editorial is technically wrong. While many (if not all) readers will recognize the acronym UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), with the immediate image of the lethal “Predator” coming to mind, such an image and use of the term “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” simply demonstrates the same level of misunderstanding that was held by this writer – more on the acronym later. Fortunately, receipt of a NASA news release and a conversation with the pros at NASA came to my rescue.
But let’s go back to the beginning of this subject and take a look at why it attracted this writer’s attention. As a part time instructor for the well-known aviation school, Aviation Seminars (an immersion training organization that conducts weekend programs around the country), I am privileged to teach Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics (FIRCs). A Certified Flight Instructor must attend a FIRC every 24 months, often not a terribly fun experience, as the same material is often covered time and time again. The last FIRC I taught was different, having been updated to include a good deal of new material and visual aids. One of the key topics covered has to do with “pilot deviations,” or what most pilots refer to as mid-air collision and runway incursion avoidance. A new subject in this presentation deals with the increased use of “UAVs” in the National Airspace System. Basically, this two-slide subject suggests “heads up and watch out!” The presentation includes an actual video taken from a UAV operating in Afghanistan as it whizzes past an A-300 Airbus with less than 50 feet to spare. But that is the end of the presentation. No further discussion is included about what is really going on with UAV’s here in the States.
Coincidentally, our editor at In Flight USA received a couple of news releases from NASA highlighting the use of their UAVs. In particular was coverage of a Space Act Agreement signed in September 2012, which will upgrade the command and control system of NASA’s MQ-9 Predator B, named “Ikhana,” enabling aircraft operations in more remote geographical regions. The MQ-9 is a second generation Predator, powered by a Honeywell TPE 331-10T turbine engine that offers up to 24 hours endurance at altitudes of more than 40,000 feet. With a 400-pound internal payload and an additional capability to carry 2,000 pounds in external pods under the wing, the Predator B is an extraordinarily capable and cost effective research aircraft.
According to NASA Dryden Center Director David McBride, “The upgraded aircraft will be used to conduct systems testing and evaluation flights. These system improvements will enable expanded utility of the “Ikhana” MQ-9 for NASA science and the development of technology required for unmanned air systems to fly in the National Airspace System (NAS).” Mr. McBride continues, “Both are key national priorities that benefit from this government/industry cooperative effort.” Obviously, these statements caused me to conclude that NASA was already involved in research relevant to operating UAVs in the National Airspace System and a phone call was in order to expand my obvious lack of knowledge.
A call to Alan Brown, news chief, Public Affairs / Media Relations NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, brought immediate response to my questions and an invitation to talk with Charles “Chuck” Johnson, manager of NASA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (UAS) in the National Airspace (NAS) project.
As a personal note, this writer’s first encounter with NASA professionals began in in the late 1970s as a member of an airline team working on Crew Resource Management (CRM) projects with the Human Factors folks at the Ames Research Center. I have been in continuous contact with various NASA professionals, most recently JPL, ever since that first encounter and have always been treated with courtesy, skill and a knowledgeable response that should serve as a model for other government agencies. My conversations with Alan Brown and Chuck Johnson continued the experiences I have enjoyed in the past.
An almost two-hour phone call with Chuck Johnson immediately revealed three important facts.
First, we should be talking about UASs, not UAVs. After considerable discussion between the users of pilotless aircraft, it was concluded that what many generically refer to as a “drone” is actually a complete system that includes not only the vehicle itself, but a team of technicians, a fully trained and certified pilot and, in the case of NASA, a team of scientists. The term Unmanned Aerial System implies the use of a sophisticated network of skills and control, and always includes a pilot actively flying, or managing, the aircraft. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle could truly be a “drone,” operating autonomously by following a programmed set of instructions with no pilot overseeing its operations. That sort of device is not likely to be seen in the NAS, any time soon.
Second, NASA conducts more than just the atmospheric and geological missions flown by the Predator B and Global Hawk operated from the Dryden Center (Edwards AFB). Different Centers within NASA operate up to 40 UASs for a wide variety of missions involving mapping, science, hurricane tracking, agricultural surveys and development of “sense and see” technology. Some of these missions directly save lives by producing early warnings about severe weather that is so bad that the UAS could be lost.
Finally, this writer came to the conclusion that no one editorial could even begin to cover the entirety of UAS activity now taking place in the NAS.
Chuck Johnson detailed both NASA’s mission and activities: “Currently, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are ‘segregated’ in the NAS. There is an increasing need to ‘integrate’ UAS into the NAS to perform missions of vital importance to national security and defense, emergency management, and science. There is also an emerging need to enable commercial applications.”
Chuck continued, “NASA is both an operator (primarily science missions), and a developer of technology (mostly as an aeronautics mission). NASA has established a project to develop some of the technologies required to ensure that UASs are safely integrated into the National Airspace System. NASA has unique capabilities for development of safety of flight technology that we can leverage, including integrated system level testing in a relevant environment to eliminate or reduce critical technical barriers involving integration. NASA is working with other government agencies (primarily FAA and DOD), and industry (including manufacturers, RTCA, ASTM, AOPA, and ALPA) to ensure that there is a community solution to UAS access. Only then can we ensure that UAS will be introduced safely, and without infringement.”
The FAA has also published a good deal of information on this fascinating subject, and rightly so. In the U.S. alone, approximately 50 companies, universities, and government organizations are developing and producing more than 155 unmanned aircraft designs. An FAA fact sheet clearly states that, “The FAA’s main concern about UAS operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) is safety. The NAS encompasses an average of more than 100,000 aviation operations per day, including air carrier, air taxi, general aviation, and military aircraft. There are approximately 18,000 air carrier airraft and 230,000 active general aviation aircraft in the U.S. It is critical that UAS do not endanger current users of the NAS, including manned and other unmanned aircraft, or compromise the safety of persons or property on the ground.”
Currently, the most commonly used method of operating a UAS in the NAS is through the issuance of a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA). A COA creates a specific set of circumstances that allows the use of a UAS in national airspace. In many cases, the UAS departs from an airport or location in restricted airspace, such as the Dryden Center, and enters protected, positive control airspace (above 18,000 feet MSL) while still in the restricted airspace. Strict operational and communication requirements are established in addition to monthly activity reporting requirements and incident reports. A COA can be established for VFR departures and arrivals into class G and E airspace, but a NOTAM is issued to alert VFR pilots of the event, asking that the area involved be avoided. Such UAS flights will have a chase aircraft accompany the UAS to serve as “eyes” in the “see and be seen world.” Given TFRs and COAs, it becomes even more important for local VFR flights, including those for recreation and training purposes, to give FSS a call and check for NOTAMs. While final statistics are not available, it is quite possible that more than 300 UAS COAs will have been activated in 2012 and the number is growing. Each COA can allow multiple operations.
The FAA created the Unmanned Aircraft Program Office (UAPO), within Aviation Safety (AVS), and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Group, within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO), to integrate UAS safely and efficiently into the NAS. These specific AVS and ATO offices are co-located to enhance communication and efficiency. The FAA is also working closely with stakeholders in the UAS community to define operational and certification requirements, all coordinated with an UAS Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to bring inputs and recommendations to the FAA on UAS matters. Much is being done and more is to come, especially when small “hand launch” UASs enter service as devices carried in the trunk of first responder vehicles.
To say the least, I was shocked at how little I knew about what was going on in the field of UAS operation in airspace shared by general aviation pilots. Be sure to visit www.faa.gov and simply conduct a search for “UAS.” For more information about NASA’s UAS programs, visit www.NASA.gov and click on the links for the Dryden and Ames Centers. Learn more about “Ikhana,” NASA’s Predator B, by visiting http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-097-DFRC.html. There is far too much information to be covered in this one editorial view, so hit the web, browse and most important “heads up.” This is a fascinating new aspect of aviation that offers opportunity and challenges. Stay tuned for more information while this writer fishes for a chance to fly a “pilot report” on a Predator!
