Unmanned Aircraft Systems - UAS

Enabling America’s Next Generation of Aviation

Vehicles

30th Annual FAA Aviation Forecast Conference

Washington, DC

March 18, 2005

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
“The trouble with the future is that it usually arrives
before we’re ready for it.”

Arnold H. Glasow

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
2
Creating the Future
When asked, “To what point do you
think airplanes will be developed?”

“There is no way of telling.

Things are moving too fast.
No one can predict where it
will end.”

Orville Wright, January 1938 – Celebration in his

honor on the 34th anniversary of the first flight.

UAS’s are Experiencing Similar

Growth as Early Aviation
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 Two UAS Perspectives
Viewed as a Disruptive Technology
-or-
A Positive Step in the Evolution of Aeronautics

Radar
Jet propulsion
GPS
?Unmanned flight?

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 A Glimpse of the Future
A Part of the Aviation Revolution
Unlimited Applications
• Military/Security
– Defense
• Civil
– Defense
– Natural Disasters
– Humanitarian Relief
• Science
– Environment
– Weather & Storm
Tracking
• Commercial
– Wireless
Communications Dull, Dirty, Dangerous Missions
– Precision Agriculture
– Cargo Transport
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
Unmanned Aircraft System
A System – Not limited to an Aircraft

Pilot

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 A Global Challenge:
UAS Access to Civil Airspace

• Managing Expectations
– Domestic
– International
• Creating an Environment of
Trust
• Making Positive Progress
• Making Communications and
Collaborations Effective
• Outreach to Stakeholders

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
Potential Joint Civil/DoD/DHS UAS
Operating Environment

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
Special Use Airspace & Flight Tracks

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 Global Hawk UAS Size Comparison

U-2 B-737 Global Hawk

Performance
•
– •
– •
– •
• •
•
•
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 UAS Assumptions
 UAVs will need access to the NAS comparable to manned
aircraft.

 DoD and DHS) will be first major UAS operators in the NAS.

 FAA must be alert to new challenges posed by small UAVs

operating in increasing numbers at very low altitudes.

 FAA should lead discussions with foreign airspace authorities

to ensure global airspace harmonization and interoperability.
Source UNTF Report 10-22-04
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 UAV Altitude/Classification

70K U-2
HAE
60
Global Hawk
K

50K Heron 2
Altit
ude

Predator B
40K

30K
Medium
20K Heron 1
Predator A
10K Eagle Eye, Fire scout,
Hunter, Pioneer

10

20
Endurance 30 Tactical
((hours
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 Significant Increases in UAV Operations in
the National Airspace System are Inevitable

•Routine access into US civil managed airspace is necessary

to fulfill operational and economic potential

•Significant increase in domestic UAS flight operations are

feasible and expected

•UASs support societal needs, including security, defense and

civil applications

•Technological advances will produce less expensive UASs

•Increasing public awareness and acceptance of UASs

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
Source UNTF Report 10-22-04
 UAS Operations in the NAS
 High Altitude UAS’s will have Minimal Impact on Manned
Aircraft Operations.

 Medium Altitude UAS’s Will Share the Same Airspace as

Most Manned Civil Transports and Military Aircraft.

 Low Altitude UAS’s Will Share Airspace with Smaller

Manned Aircraft, Including Helicopters.

 Large Numbers of Very Low Altitude UAS’s

Source UNTF Report 10-22-04
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
United States UAS Manufactures in 2002

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 Federal Aviation Act of 1958

• Directs FAA as the “single manager” of the National

Airspace System (NAS) to develop and operate a
common system of air traffic control and navigation
for both civil and military aircraft.

• Control the use of navigable airspace of the US and

regulate both civil and military operations in such
airspace in the interest of the safety and efficiency of both.

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 Access 5 Partnership

AeroVironment General Atomics

Aurora Flight Sciences Northrop Grumman
Boeing Lockheed Martin

www.access5.org
www.unitealliance.com
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 Fundamental Issues
• Programmatic
– Aircraft Airworthiness
– Civil Certification
• Aircraft
• Operators
• Air Traffic Management (ATM)
– Standards
• Regulatory
• Preservation of the Safety and Sanctity of the NAS
– FAA Acceptance
– ICAO Acceptance
• Political – How to Manage the Transition
– U.S.
– International

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 Funded Plan
Focus on Steps 1 and 2
Standard

t i o n Certificate

ica Special
of

e rt if Airworthiness
C Airworthiness
Certification
Current Funded Effort STEP
Establish Type 4
Certification Basis
STEP
Experimental 3
Certification Routine Operations
STEP
Above FL 180
2 Routine Through C, D, E
STEP Operations Above Airspace
1 FL 180 Through C, Emergency to ROA
Routine Operations D, E Airspace Airport
Above FL 180
i o n s
rat
Routine Through Restricted

Ope
Operations Above Airspace
FL 400 Through
Restricted
Airspace
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S

Achieve Routine Access in the NAS for HALE ROA

 Overview of Activities in FY04

• Secured major funding commitment for Steps 1

and 2
- $101 million by NASA; $36 million by industry
• Fostered critical relationships for Project
engagement
- Established vital relationships with government and
current NAS users (e.g., FAA, DoD, DHS, JPDO, ALPA,
AOPA, ATCA,NATCA)
- UNITE Companies & NASA Sign Joint Sponsored
Research Agreement - JSRA
- Participate on RTCA Special Committee 203/
- UAS Standards
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 RTCA Special Committee 203

"RTCA has established Special Committee 203 (SC-203)

at the request of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association and the Federal Aviation Administration. The
committee will initially focus on developing
recommendations that will assure the safe operation of
UAVs within the National Airspace System.”

•Requested by AOPA
•Supported by the FAA
•Industry/Government Participation
Manufacturers, operators, agencies
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 RTCA SC 203 Terms of Reference

 The initial Terms of Reference (TOR) for SC-203 call for

three initial products to be generated, as follows:

» Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards (MASPS) for

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
• Due date -- December 2005.

» MASPS for Command, Control and Communication (C3) Systems

for Unmanned Aircraft Systems
• Due date -- June 2006.

» MASPS for Sense and Avoid (SA) Systems for Unmanned Aircraft
Systems
• Due date -- December 2007.
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 RTCA Special Committee 203
Goals and Objectives

 Support Industry’s and Government’s desire to

operate Unmanned Aircraft (UA) in the National
Airspace System (NAS)

 Ensure Standards are developed that are useable

in certifying UA systems, while maintaining safety
and efficiency of the NAS.

 Ensure International continuity.

H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S
 SUMMARY
We have embarked on a historical project that will define
the safe integration of UAS’s into the NAS
We represent the rounded mix of necessary experts from
industry, government and all segments of aviation that
has been assembled to plan for this challenging task.
This is a Global challenge

We are the pioneers,

it is up to us
H A L E R O A i n t h e N A S