Navigating the Unified Airspace Frontier: Forecast is for Clear Skies, but Cloudy Issues
Photography by Jay Shears
Insights on the Top 10 Advanced Aerial Mobility (AAM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) challenges for the new Unified Airspace Frontier.
“Birds of a feather flock together”, but in the age of UAS and AAM, those birds come with propellers, wings, and payloads carrying lots of challenges. ”
In the Top 10 list of challenges, is the new frontier of our future airspace system. We need to figure out how manned and unmanned aircraft and systems, can share the sky, communicate effectively, and safely fly above and through urban and rural areas.
But, like ordering a fancy coffee only to find out that it costs as much as a meal, realizing this reality has many early adopters questioning whether the vendor creating the price tag had a bit too much caffeine. Time will tell!
With all that said, there is a flight plan to stronger global standards and improved infrastructure; which will put us on a track to less cloudy skies, and trailblazing new 'use-cases' for these automated workhorses.
Photography by Jay Shears
Let's descend to a lower altitude with just a bit more oxygen, so that you can take in some insights on the Top 10 ( from my seat anyway! ) AAM / UAS challenges for our flight plan into the uncharted unified airspace frontier.
Insights on Challenge #1 - The Future Airspace Landscape
Embracing AI and machine learning can lead to advancements in traffic management. These technologies will analyze flight patterns, predict potential traffic jams, and suggest optimal routes, ensuring the seamless co-existence of manned and unmanned vehicles. Moreover, a fortified infrastructure will provide the necessary backbone to support this integration, minimizing privacy and cybersecurity threats.
Insights on Challenge #2 - The Baby Steps for the Current Infrastructure
The 'Remote ID' system is akin to a digital license plate for Unmanned Aerial Systems. On September 16th, 2023 the FAA will begin to ensure every drone can be identified, tracked, and managed within a unified system. Also, forthcoming is Detect-and-Avoid technology, that will act as the eyes and ears of unmanned aerial vehicles, enabling them to sense and avoid potential mid-air collisions, which will make the skies safer for everyone .
Insights on Challenge #3 - Amplifying Communication Highways
To accommodate the data demands of modern unmanned aerial vehicles, we need to transition to enhanced bandwidths. The introduction of 5G will provide the swift, low-latency connections essential for real-time communication. Additionally, satellite communication could be game changing to ensure connectivity in rural areas, so that no unmanned aerial vehicle system is left untouched.
Photography by Jay Shears
Insights on Challenge #4 - Harmonizing Human and Machine Talk
Establishing universally accepted communication protocols will ensure that manned and unmanned aircraft speak the same language. Every aerial vehicle, manned or unmanned, will be easily identifiable, bridging the communication gap and ensuring harmony in the skies.
Insights on Challenge #5 - Adapting to the Urban Jungle
'Vertiports' are specialized takeoff and landing ports that can be incorporated into urban landscapes. These, along with enhanced geofencing, will ensure that every unmanned aerial vehicle will have designated takeoff, flight, and landing zones. Additionally, urban-centric air traffic control systems could manage the increased aerial traffic without causing disruption on the ground.
Photography by Jay Shears
Insights on Challenge #6 - Safety in Crowded Spaces
Geofencing technology could define virtual boundaries for unmanned and advanced aerial vehicles, ensuring they stay clear of restricted areas. Advanced risk modeling will assess potential flight hazards. Currency requirements and continuous operator training will keep operators updated on the latest safety protocols, ensuring urban skies are safe and incident-free.
Insights on Challenge #7 - Fortified Communication Frameworks
Building communication networks that prioritize security will be crucial. Integrating secure encryption techniques will protect data from potential breaches. Additionally, redundant systems could act as backups, ensuring continuous communication even if one channel faces disruptions.
Insights on Challenge #8 - Unleashing AI's Potential
AI and machine learning will revolutionize air traffic management by processing vast amounts of real-time data. These systems could predict maintenance needs, identify potential traffic bottlenecks, and ensure smooth operations, reducing the load on human operators. This'll make the skies smarter so that they can become safer.
Insights on Challenge #9 - A Global Safety Blueprint
Collaborative efforts between international organizations could lead to a unified set of safety protocols. By combining the expertise of bodies like ICAO, EASA and the FAA, these guidelines will be adaptable for regional variations, ensuring global air safety standards are met without compromising local needs.
Insights on Challenge #10 - The Tech and Safety "Two-Step" Dance
A continuous dialogue between tech pioneers, manufacturers, operators and safety regulators is essential. As technology advances, safety protocols, procedures and systems must evolve as well, so that the rush of innovation doesn't outpace the burden (and cost) of safety.
In the drive to dominate the skies with this new age of 'technology creating technology', the fusion of innovation and safety is vital.
Photography By Jay Shears
When this fusion of technology and safety takes flight, it will most certainly face three major safety considerations; each currently undergoing transformative ideation, due to its inherent advancement in technology. Here are some insights on the three safety concerns:
Safety Concern One - Counter UAS (C-UAS):
The democratization of drone technology, while progressive, brings with it a darker side. Malicious actors can employ drones for espionage, disruptions, or acts of terror. Protecting airspace from these rogue drones is a pressing concern. Counter UAS ("C-UAS") technologies serve as the protective umbrella against such threats. Utilizing radar, radio frequency detection, and AI-enabled image recognition, these systems detect potential rogue drones. Upon detection, a spectrum of defense measures, ranging from electronic jamming to physical interceptions, are activated, neutralizing the threat. These state-of-the-art systems integrated into air traffic management ensure that our skies will be safeguarded against any harmful intent.
Safety Concern Two - The General Public
As unmanned aerial systems (UAS) assimilate new use cases, they potentially pose a safety risk to the public if any malfunctions or accidents should occur. Continuous monitoring, predictive maintenance using AI, and advanced geofencing will ensure that unmanned aircraft systems stay on course and maintain safe distances from public areas. Enhanced operator training and real-time data feedback loops further ensure that unmanned aircraft operate within predefined safety parameters, thus minimizing risks.
Safety Concern Three - Public Privacy
The proliferation of unmanned aircraft systems can lead to privacy invasions, and noise intrusions. Advanced algorithms and AI-driven flight controls ensure that these aircraft maintain their flight paths, altitude, and adhere to any noise abatement regulations. Onboard obstacle detection systems paired with robust geofencing technology ensure that these aircraft also avoid restricted or populated areas. Additionally, public awareness campaigns and clear guidelines for operators serve to ensure that the skies will remain friendly for everyone.
With these innovations in safety and technology, the industry is forging ahead into a future where the sky is the limit. The balance between pioneering advances and foundational safety is what could create the aerial narrative for these innovations, and hopefully ensure that the technological leaps don't eclipse their safety shadow.
"Navigating the Unified Airspace Frontier" may have clear skies with a few cloudy Issues. But I believe that in this very dynamic realm of AAM and UAS, the following rings true and will stay with us, way into the future.
“Navigating the Unified Airspace Frontier may have clear skies with a few cloudy Issues. But I believe that in this very dynamic realm of AAM and UAS, the following rings true and will stay with us, way into the future. It is - As innovation gains altitude, safety is its atmosphere”.
Truth be told, that with all the vast possibilities of unmanned systems and advanced aerial mobility, it becomes very clear that while the sky may be the limit, the commitment to safety must be unlimited. ”
