Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration 


in the National Airspace System (NAS) Interagency Roadmap 


2011-02-01 (AC-Ol) 


Recommendation: 


The Council recommends that NASA, as a member agency ofthe Joint Planning and 


Development Office (JPDO), ensure that the research, development and demonstration (RD&D) 


interagency roadmap activity includes clear documentation on ongoing and future activities 


currently funded across the Government departments and agencies relating to UAS RD&D. In 


addition to supporting the deliverable to the Office ofManagement and Budget (OMB), the 


Council also recommends that NASA include data about international research programs on 


UASs in its own planning to augment its own research considerations, even ifnot submitted in 


the report to OMB. 


Major Reasons for the Recommendation: 


Awareness ofUAS integration and research efforts being pursued across the Federal 


Government and internationally will allow NASA, in conjunction with other Federal agencies, to 


make better informed investment decisions about UAS research and technology development 


efforts. Such an interagency effort will also provide stakeholders and users an understanding of 


duplications and gaps across Government investment. NASA should also take into consideration 


global technology development efforts to inform its planning and to eventually support full 


global UAS interoperability. 


Consequences of No Action on the Recommendation: 


Failure to do so could lead to inefficient use of U.S. Government resources as NASA invests in 


technologies and operational solutions that are redundant in light ofother Federal Government 


efforts or that are incompatible with global harmonization ofUAS airspace access. 


NASA Response: 


NASA concurs with this recommendation. NASA has been and continues to be involved in the 


JPDO interagency roadmap activity at all levels ofleadership and execution. NASA's Associate 


Administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Dr. Jaiwon Shin, is a member 


ofthe Executive Decision Making Group providing strategic leadership and guidance. As 


members ofthe Executive Planning Committee, at the more tactical leadership level, the 


Program Director for NASA's Airspace Systems Program, Dr. John Cavolowsky, and the 


Program Director for NASA's Integrated Systems Research Program, Dr. Ed Waggoner, are 


providing leadership to define the overall roadmap effort and guide the detailed planning and 


execution ofthe effort. In addition, NASA researchers are taking an active role in the effort. 


NASA subject matter experts are involved in each ofthe four technical track teams that will 


provide the detailed information that will go into the roadmap. NASA is also providing co-leads 


for the Human Factors and Communications Technical Tracks. 


Enclosure 
2 

This involvement allows NASA to stay abreast of ongoing efforts across the Federal 

Government, as well as providing an excellent forum to communicate NASA's ongoing 

activities and future plans. In addition, the output from the roadmap activity will be utilized to 

identifY leveraging opportunities and/or gaps that will aid in planning future NASA research. 

NASA is also actively engaging in dialogue with various international organizations to identifY 

appropriate UAS collaboration opportunities. Technical interchanges have been held via WebEx 

with the French Aerospace Lab, the National Aerospace Laboratory in the Netherlands, and the 

German Aerospace Center. Additionally, meetings with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute 

and the Electronic Navigation Research Institute in Japan have been held to define topics for 

potential collaboration that could possibly include UAS- related topics. NASA agrees that these 

international dialogues are necessary to ensure full global UAS interoperability.