REDAC SAS Spring 2015 Review

By: 	Christopher Swider                 	

Date:	March 25, 2015

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) 

Research Planning

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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Presentation Goals
        - Update changes in research resources
        - Update REDAC SAS on the progress of FAA UAS integration planning
        - Address REDAC findings and observations from Spring 2014 meeting
        - Solicit SAS feedback on how FAA UAS integration planning can drive R&D strategy

FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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Presentation Outline
        - UAS Research Resource Changes
        - UAS Integration Plan Updates
        - UAS Research Prioritization
        - UAS Research Partnerships 
        - FY17 Portfolio Questions

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UAS Integration Plan Updates

FAA Roadmap

UAS Concept of Operations

Other integration planning

UAS Research Prioritization 

Test Site Research

Sensor Fusion 

Research Areas of Emphasis & Timing

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Research Resource Changes

People (FY15)

Research Sponsors 
        - UAS R&D Section (AFS-88) managed by AFS-80

9 Federal Employees ( + 3 from FY 14 )

Research Performers
        - UAS Matrix Team managed by ANG-C2

38 Federal Employees (13.2 FTEs)

26 Contractors

BLI funds 6 direct FTE reports

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UAS Research Resource Changes

Appropriated Funding (FY15)

Reallocation of FAA AVS RE&D from Other BLIs
        - + $2M to accelerate key research areas
        - + $4M for research conducted by UAS CoE

All research conducted with this plus-up funding will be approved through AVS RE&D process
        - “Pop-up” funding requests
        - Review and approval from AVS RE&D Team

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Research Resource Changes

Appropriated Funding (FY15)

$2M plus-up accelerating three areas

Flight testing of CNPC radio on a SWaP-limited UAS

Evaluation of UAS human factors

Allocation of pilot functions 

Control station standardization

Crew member training and certification

Reliable CNPC link provisions for ground infrastructure

Networking needs for BLOS CNPC ground radios

Governance structure for frequency allocation

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Research Resource Changes

Appropriated Funding (FY15)

$4M plus-up appropriated for CoE use
        - UAS CoE selection ongoing
        - Once selected, FAA will match CoE capabilities to research needs and allocate significant portion of available funding
        - Desirable for CoE to consider conducting any flight testing associated with the research to one or more Test Sites
        - Most likely immediate need for CoE work will be in the continuation of UAS System Safety work

FY15 UAS System Safety analyses are defining the work to be conducted by the UAS CoE in FY16

Review of UAS System Safety research in follow-on briefing

Work is likely to require most of the available funding

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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Presentation Outline
        - UAS Research Resource Changes
        - UAS Integration Plan Updates
        - UAS Research Prioritization
        - UAS Research Partnerships 
        - FY17 Portfolio Questions

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UAS Integration Plan Updates

FAA Roadmap

UAS Concept of Operations

Other integration planning

UAS Research Prioritization 

Test Site Research

Sensor Fusion 

Research Areas of Emphasis & Timing

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Integration Plan Updates
        - JPDO Comprehensive Plan 
        - Published November 2013, no updates planned
        - FAA Civil Integration Roadmap – (Finding)
        - Published in November 2013
        - Update to be published in 2015
        - UAS Concept of Operations – (Finding)
        - Concept Level Requirements – November 2013
        - Validation of these requirements underway
        - Other integration plans

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“Findings:  The FAA provided the HF and Aircraft Safety Subcommittees the opportunity to review the FAA’s (Roadmap) which they released in November 2013.  
          - While a major step in the right direction, the Subcommittees found that the Roadmap was at a high level and did not on its own contain sufficient detail with regard to specific milestones and dates for the Subcommittees to make informed recommendations to the FAA on research requirements, priorities, and gaps.  
          - The Subcommittee believes that access to the FAA’s UAS ConOps and the “integration plan” currently under development would be important.

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Integration Plan Updates
        - FAA-wide coordinated planning underway
        - Leveraging coordination from recent strategy efforts
        - Supported by MITRE PBWP task
        - AVS, ATO, ARM, ARP and ANG involvement
        - Combining separate plans from all these FAA orgs
        - Working level integration plan is the goal
        - Supports near and midterm needs
        - Ongoing changes at appropriate intervals
        - Support from FAA organizations will be essential
        - Will drive timing of ALL supporting activities 

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Multi-level engagement approach
          - a level of engagement with the senior executives (e.g., those that attend the UAS WG) both to keep them informed as well as to make sure we understand what priorities they have for better integrating across the agency efforts.

·  There’s also the level of engagement with the people who are closest to owning different efforts in the FAA, such as the UAS Steering Group and Lirio’s Rulemaking Strategy group.  

Potential use of the Adhoc Team that worked on nearer term strategy efforts
          - This group did develop some level of ownership and awareness that could help with the broader strategy, and helping us identify all of the pieces that need to be tied in.

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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Presentation Outline
        - UAS Research Resource Changes
        - UAS Integration Plan Updates
        - UAS Research Prioritization 
        - UAS Research Partnerships
        - FY17 Portfolio Questions

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UAS Integration Plan Updates

FAA Roadmap

UAS Concept of Operations

Other integration planning

UAS Research Prioritization 

Test Site Research

Sensor Fusion 

Research Areas of Emphasis & Timing

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Research Prioritization
        - Role of UAS Test Sites – (Observation)
        - Efforts to get useful research results are underway
        - UAS ConOps requirements shared in October 2014 as “Potential Research Areas for UAS Test Sites”
        - No commitment for FAA funding – voluntary efforts
        - Research could aid in maturing UAS ConOps
        - UAS Test Sites currently mapping potential research
        - FAA ready to coordinate on actual research 
        - FAA will provide updates to these requirements

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“Given that the FAA has no formal role in influencing the selection and/or execution of research conducted at the FAA UAS Test Sites there is a potential for missed opportunity and concern that the FAA may not get useful research results from the effort.”

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Research Prioritization
        - Sensor fusion research – (Observation)
        - Multi-sensor data fusion research is focused on standards development
        - Work supports RTCA SC-228 DAA developments
        - Multi-sensor data fusion research will inform certification approaches
        - Research results are not designed to select a single best approach, but to document trade-off decisions and considerations that will inform DAA certification
        - Review of this research in next presentation

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“Sensor fusion research seems focused on a solution that is associated with a design concept which may be the purview of a proponent.  It would seem more appropriate for FAA research to be focused on results which would be the basis for establishment of standards and/or inform certification approaches.”

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Research Prioritization
        - Established priorities
        - Roadmap goals, metrics and target dates
        - ConOps concept level requirements
        - Associated RTCA SC-228 validation needs
        - Emerging priorities
        - sUAS NPRM comment validation needs
        - Integration increments beyond the sUAS NPRM
        - Late-breaking RTCA SC-228 validation needs

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Observation:  “While there appears to be an urgent need for research to inform FAA decisions and planning efforts, much of the research will not produce results for several more years.  As a consequence, much of the research may be late to need.”

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Research Prioritization
        - Actions to address established priorities
        - AVS has mapped current research, including partner research to Roadmap and ConOps requirements
        - 34 FAA research efforts conducted under TCRG
        - 13 MITRE research efforts
        - 15 NASA research efforts
        - AVS is incorporating research from other partners
        - FAA offices and lines of business (ATO, ARP, ANG)
        - DoD and UAS test sites
        - Others to be determined (e.g. TRB)
        - AVS justifies research based on priorities

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Observation:  “While there appears to be an urgent need for research to inform FAA decisions and planning efforts, much of the research will not produce results for several more years.  As a consequence, much of the research may be late to need.”

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UAS Research Prioritization
        - Research to address established priorities
        - UAS SAA System Certification Obstacles
        - 24 SAA certification obstacles identified to address
        - UAS System Safety Criteria
        - Recommended safety thresholds for flight over people
        - Multi-sensor Data Fusion
        - Cost/benefit analysis for recommended sensor mix
        - Test Site Data Collection 
        - Analyze COA safety data and other potential research data

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Observation:  “While there appears to be an urgent need for research to inform FAA decisions and planning efforts, much of the research will not produce results for several more years.  As a consequence, much of the research may be late to need.”

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UAS Research Prioritization
        - Research to address established priorities (2)
        - Ground-to-ground Communications Architecture
        - Address effective architecture for UAS pilot communications
        - Comparisons for cost, quality of service, and interoperability
        - Integration of CAS into DAA for UAS
        - Bridge gap between RTCA SC-228 DAA standards for well clear and UAS use of collision avoidance functionality
        - Simulating UAS in the NAS Operations
        - Safety analysis supporting AOV safety oversight role of ATO
        - UAS Maintenance, Modification, Repair & Training
        - Identify and address unique UAS challenges in these areas

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Observation:  “While there appears to be an urgent need for research to inform FAA decisions and planning efforts, much of the research will not produce results for several more years.  As a consequence, much of the research may be late to need.”

Following areas either minimally addressed or apparently missing:

“...air traffic management procedures and capability enhancements; operational procedures development; ground station and communications requirements; the effectiveness of existing and planned procedural mitigations; and mechanisms for the safe response to failures and other contingencies.”

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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UAS Research Prioritization
        - Actions to address emerging priorities
        - AVS revised UAS System Safety research to address emerging sUAS NPRM needs
        - Focus on hazard to people on the ground in FY15
        - Parallel staff effort to address hazard criticality
        - AVS leads an intergovernmental group to define emerging research plans and needs
        - DoD, NASA, and FAA/ATO form partnership
        - Match research underway to likely research needs
        - AVS re-prioritizing research to address RTCA needs
        - Potential work in both CNPC and DAA

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Observation:  “While there appears to be an urgent need for research to inform FAA decisions and planning efforts, much of the research will not produce results for several more years.  As a consequence, much of the research may be late to need.”

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UAS Research Prioritization
        - (Observations) on other needed UAS research areas where we partner with ATO
        - Air traffic management procedures & capabilities
        - Operational procedures development
        - Ground station and communication requirements
        - Some work accomplished – more needs to be done
        - Effectiveness of procedural mitigations
        - Some work accomplished – more needs to be done
        - Safe response mechanisms to failures/contingencies 
        - Some work accomplished – more needs to be done

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UAS Research Prioritization
        - Actions to address the need for more UAS integration research in these areas 
        - FAA/ATO has developed a multi-year “UAS-L2” integration timeline to address activities to support”
        - Concept Engineering
        - Investment Analysis
        - Procedures/Policy/Training
        - Rulemaking & Standards
        - Communication/Outreach
        - FAA compiling these needs and associated timeline along with needs of AVS, ARP, and ANG

FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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Presentation Outline
        - UAS Research Resource Changes
        - UAS Integration Plan Updates
        - UAS Research Prioritization
        - UAS Research Partnerships 
        - FY17 Portfolio Questions

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UAS Integration Plan Updates

FAA Roadmap

UAS Concept of Operations

Other integration planning

UAS Research Prioritization 

Test Site Research

Sensor Fusion 

Research Areas of Emphasis & Timing

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UAS Research Partnerships
        - Partners relationships needed both internally and externally
        - FAA ATO, ANG, ARP, and AEE have research interests and potential funding to support them
        - e.g. ACRP 03-30, “UAS at Airports: A Primer”
        - Industry interests and resources are key
        - Support at Test Sites or through CRDA
        - Pathfinder interests in certification or new UAS roles
        - Bulk of research funding available from other government partners – NASA, DoD

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UAS Research Partnerships 
        - Government 
        - Federally-funded research and development centers
        - MITRE
        - MIT-Lincoln Laboratory
        - Department of Defense
        - NASA
        - UAS in the NAS
        - UAS Traffic Management
        - Department of Homeland Security
        - Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety
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MITRE Product Based Work Plan has Outcome # 6 for FAA UAS research and analysis support

FAA can also elect to execute AVS-sponsored research using MIT-LL or MITRE capabilities

Provides support to evaluate small UAS:

Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety (RAPS) Program

FAA providing review and help approving test protocols

Gaining knowledge and operational experience

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UAS Research Partnerships 
        - UAS Test Sites
        - Active partnerships with industry
        - Shared integration interests with FAA
        - Academia
        - Past/current research with several universities
        - Future research with UAS Center of Excellence
        - Industry 
        - Cooperative Research & Development Agreements
        - International 
        - Action Plan 24 and Coordination Plan 3.4
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Since the FAA selected the six UAS Test Sites, the use of UAS for environmental research has expanded – research at test sites

Aquatic and terrestrial animal migration patterns

Inspection of natural gas and oil pipelines in remote areas, and 

Supporting smart transportation systems. 

Firefighting capabilities – detection and water drops 

CoE Selection process nearly complete for award in 2015 
          - Evaluation package originally scheduled to be delivered to the FAA Administrator by January 15, 2015
          - Selection date TBD
          - FAA to provide initial research proposals and funding to CoE in FY15

SESAR – Single European Sky ATM Research

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Key Research Links

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FAA has established research linkages with other government agencies to leverage research areas of mutual interest.

FAA is mapping its research and will be mapping other research efforts to see how they address most important research needs.

JPDO has draft UAS Integration Report that FAA is using to help this mapping effort and to help chart the way forward.

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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Research Links with DoD
        - Memorandum of Agreement – FAA/DoD cooperation
        - Research supporting:
        - RTCA Special Committee 228
        - Prior research and development – as releasable
        - Emerging research needs
        - SAA Science and Research Panel (SARP) – “Well clear”
        - Standards development and validation efforts
        - ExCom
        - Support for DoD Airspace Integration Joint Test
        - Standard procedures to support DoD UAS contingency flight operations
        - Near-term advanced accommodation of the UAS into the National Airspace System.
        - Research applicability
        - Documenting in FAA UAS research inventory to map all relevant research to corresponding FAA integration requirements

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Research Links with NASA
        - NASA is in 4th year of 5-year, $150M “UAS in NAS” effort
        - Memorandum of Agreement – FAA/NASA research cooperation
        - Relevant research in the following areas:
        - SAA performance standards
        - C2 performance standards
        - Human Systems Integration
        - Certification and Safety
        - Air Transportation System Interoperability
        - Integrated Test and Evaluation
        - Research plans documented in Technical Work Packages
        - Research applicability
        - Documenting in FAA UAS research inventory to map all relevant research to corresponding FAA integration requirements

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Research Links – UAS CoE
        - FAA currently reviewing proposals to make a selection to establish a UAS CoE
        - ANG-C2 and AFS-80 will partner in the effort to stand up the CoE once it is selected
        - Congress has provided over $5M for the CoE
        - Future yearly commitment is $500K minimum
        - CoE will assist in research execution as applicable 
        - Goal is for CoE to begin research when ready and to assist in FY16 research execution

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Research Links with Test Sites & Industry
        - Other Transaction Authority agreement with FAA
        - Support industry and government flight tests:
        - Aquatic and terrestrial animal migration patterns
        - Inspection of natural gas and oil pipelines in remote areas 
        - Smart transportation systems 
        - Firefighting capabilities – detection and water drops 
        - Concept validation supporting sponsor needs
        - Much more...
        - Research applicability
        - Recognized by government and industry sponsors
        - May be documented in CRDAs FAA has with industry
        - To be documented in FAA reports to Congress per FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 

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Research Links with DHS
        - Provides support to evaluate small UAS:
        - Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety (RAPS) Program
        - FAA provided review and helped approve test protocols
        - Valuable knowledge and operational experience gained
        - RAPS initial report available soon
        - Research applicability
        - Documenting in FAA UAS research inventory to map all relevant research to corresponding FAA integration requirements
        - Potential near term benefits for sUAS NPRM and other near term strategy developments

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FAA UAS Integration Office,  AFS-80

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Presentation Outline
        - UAS Research Resource Changes
        - UAS Integration Plan Updates
        - UAS Research Prioritization
        - UAS Research Partnerships 
        - FY17 Portfolio Questions

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UAS Integration Plan Updates

FAA Roadmap

UAS Concept of Operations

Other integration planning

UAS Research Prioritization 

Test Site Research

Sensor Fusion 

Research Areas of Emphasis & Timing

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FY 17 Portfolio Questions
        - Tuesday review addressed FY17 research concerns from Quad Chart reviews
        - Are there any remaining questions that we were not able to address yesterday?

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Way Forward
        - Gather feedback from REDAC/SAS
        - Continue research mapping to support evolving UAS integration plans/strategies
        - Leverage research partnerships
        - Mapping ALL relevant research to requirements
        - Getting “ahead” of emerging research needs
        - Incorporate mapping and feedback from ALL to identify unmet research needs
        - Work existing processes nimbly to address them

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Comments& Questions

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