Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Civil Aviation

1. ato A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Civil Aviation Presented to: OSM Speaker Series Brown Bag Lunch: "Unmanned Systems & 21st Century Spectrum Policy" 31 October 2006 Don Nellis ATC Spectrum Planning and International Federal Aviation Administration F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

2. From Drones to Unmanned Aircraft Systems • Traditional “target” and tactical drones have given way to a wide variety of unmanned aircraft • New homeland defense and military applications include: • Long term reconnaissance • Communications relay platform • Jamming platform • Tactical weapons delivery system • New potential civil applications include: • Cargo delivery aircraft • Resource management • Communications relay platform F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

3. Expanding Need for Unmanned Aircraft Operating Locations • No longer limited to remote ranges • Orbits over major cities • Cross country flights • From/to commercial airports • Side-by-side with passenger aircraft F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

4. Definition of an Unmanned Aircraft • An Unmanned Aircraft (UA) is an aircraft operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft. Simply stated, the aircraft is operated without being occupied by a human. • A UA may be operated autonomously, meaning other than with the possibility of real or near real-time manipulation or intervention by a “human-in-the loop”. Autonomous operation can mean that the UA functions without ongoing input from a human operator and can range from complete isolation of UA from a human operator, meaning no exchange of data and instructions, while executing an operation. Any and all aircraft functions required for safe operation of the aircraft are initiated, monitored, maintained, and terminated by the system without human instruction or intervention. • A UA may be remotely controlled in part or in total by human input or intervention. Some or all of the functions of manned aircraft may be accomplished through preloading of instructions, real-time input of instructions, or by inherent system logic. F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

5. Definition of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) • An unmanned aircraft System (UAS) is an UA and its associated elements required to operate in the National Airspace System • The associated elements for a UAS are: • The Aircraft Segment • The Control Station Segment • This segment is usually ground based at a fixed location • This segment could control more than one UA • Includes the UA “Pilot” • The Communications Segment • Telecommand uplink(s) • Telemetry downlink(s) • Communications relay • Could be line-of-sight or beyond line-of-sight • Does not include the payload communications F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

6. Communications SegmentDefinitions • Telemetry: The use of telecommunications for automatically indicating or recording measurements at a distance from the measuring instrument. (source: ITU Radio Regulations) • Telecommand: The use of telecommunications for the transmission of signals to initiate, modify or terminate functions of equipment at a distance. (source: ITU Radio regulations) • Communications Relay: A communications link used for relaying ATC voice and/or data communications between the UA and the Control Station. F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

7. Traditional Aeronautical Telemetry • Used to provide air vehicle status…largely for flight test applications • Air speed and attitude data to correlate with test data • Performance data for drone control • Aircraft data to enhance test pilot safety • Used for test data downlink • Primarily used on ranges or other controlled airspace • Use coordinated in the flight test community • Does not require US&P wide interference free channels…nor global radio spectrum F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

8. Traditional Telecommand • Used for Drone Control • Primarily in ranges or other controlled airspace • Usually for test targets • Occasional loss of control of drone is “acceptable” • Used for flight termination • Used to control aircraft test equipment from the ground F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

9. FAA View…for Some Applications, UAS's Need Protected Spectrum • FAA, in most cases, is not interested in the “payload” applications. • To ensure safe operations in the National Airspace System, telecommand, telemetry, and ATC communications relay functions for UAS’s need reliable spectrum that can be used anywhere in the US&P. • Current UAS telecommand, telemetry, and ATC communications relay systems utilize a patchwork of frequencies that are often limited to specific areas and frequency bands some of which are allocated on a secondary basis. F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

10. Satellite TT&C…a Potential Model for UAS’s? • Satellites separate Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) functions from “payload” functions. • Satellite TT&C operations are required to be in spectrum where satellite TT&C is authorized as a primary (protected) user. • Satellite TT&C must be able to control all other emissions from the satellite. F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

11. RTCA Special Committee-203 • Chartered to develop policy for UAS based on maintaining an “Equivalent Level of Safety” to that of a manned aircraft. • Chartered to produce standards for UAS Command, Control, and Communications Systems • “Develop recommended standards for command, control and communication systems used in conjunction with UAS operations.” • Chartered to provide standards for UAS Sense and Avoid systems • “Develop recommended standards and procedures for UAS sense and avoid systems that provide a safety level equivalent to that for manned aircraft operations.” (Current see and avoid regulations are found in 14 CFR, Part 91.113(b)). F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

12. Equivalent Level of Safety • Based on Regulated Operations • Based on Certified Aircraft and Aircraft Systems • Based on Certified Operators and Maintainers • Based on “Expected Behavior” • UA operations follow precoordinated flight plan • UA performance characteristics known • UA reaction time predictable • In other words – replace the “Human-in-the-loop” F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

13. Future WRC Communications Spectrum Issues • WRC-2007 • Continue supporting the existing WRC Agenda Item 1.6 to identify additional AM(R)S allocations that could be used to support near term UAS telecommand, telemetry, and ATC communications relay functions • WRC-2010 • Introduce a new Agenda Item to identify “protected” spectrum for long term UAS telecommand, telemetry, and ATC communications relay functions • This effort must be supported by analyses to justify the spectrum requirements F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

14. Future WRC Sense and Avoid Spectrum Issues • WRC-2007 • No agenda item or opportunity to work this issue • WRC-2010 • Introduce a new Agenda Item to identify “protected” spectrum for long term UAS Sense and Avoid functions • Waiting for a WRC beyond 2010 to begin this effort could delay widespread UAS development F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

15. The Way Forward • Continue cooperative efforts on development of U.S. position on WRC-2007 Agenda Item 1.6….use international groups, such as ICAO, CITEL, etc., to provide information to ITU Administrations. • Introduce new Agenda Items for WRC-2010 for the UAS telecommand, telemetry, and ATC communications relay functions as well as the UAS Sense and Avoid functions. • Continue to work through RTCA to study the use of UAS’s in the National Airspace System and use this forum to support the analyses necessary to support the proposed UAS WRC-2010 Agenda Items. F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N

16. www.ato.faa.gov F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N • A I R T R A F F I C O R G A N I Z A T I O N