[ad_1]
Improving flight safety and efficiency have been two major areas of focus for NASA in recent years. It has been working on projects involving research in air traffic surveillance and operations, and new flight technologies and missions. These efforts to move aviation forward make it clear that NASA is concentrating on more than just going to space.
Air Traffic Management system to provide data to pilots and controllers
NASA’s Air Traffic Management eXploration (ATM-X) project is one of these areas of focus. With ATM-X, NASA is studying how to make digital information- data- more available and useful for pilots and air traffic controllers. It includes subprojects on unmanned aircraft traffic management, a digital information platform (DIP), Pathfinding for Airspace with Autonomous Vehicles (PAAV), and NAS Exploratory Concepts & Technologies (NExCT).
NASA is seeking ways for its ATM-X research to modernize the overall national airspace system. This is the network of the network of U.S. aviation infrastructure including airports, air navigation facilities, and communications. These subprojects add up to making flight operations safer through computing, communications, and automated technologies.
Cloud-based system similar to navigation apps on smartphones
One of these subprojects, DIP, is a cloud-based program similar to an app for a smartphone. It is a “living database” that will provide users with data on weather, delays, traffic, and more. DIP will gather current data from sources like airlines and drones.
NASA describes DIP as operating in a way similar to how smartphone navigation apps get information from various sources to suggest the best route to take. This can help improve air traffic flows, and lead to significant fuel savings. The goal is to help air traffic controllers make flying safer and more efficient.
NASA stressed that DIP will not compete with other information sources and tools, but that it will be a useful reference to assist with air traffic for the entire aviation industry. NASA has been testing DIP in several Texas airports.
During 2022, a NASA machine learning tool under DIP named the Collaborative Digital Departure Rerouting tool improved the flow of air traffic in the Dallas area and saved more than 24,000 pounds of fuel. NASA is optimistic about the future of DIP.
“Ultimately, the aviation industry – the Federal Aviation Administration, commercial airlines, flight operators, and even the flying public – will benefit from what we develop,” said Swati Saxena, DIP project manager at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California.
NASA conducts tests to improve signal coverage and reduce interference
NASA has also been focusing on improving air traffic with the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system. With ADS-B, the FAA requires aircraft to announce their locations to other aircraft and air traffic control in real time. NASA has been testing ADS-Bs ability to prevent mid-air collisions.
Using a Pilatus PC-12 plane flying over a grid of four ADS-B stations, they can tell exactly where signals drop due to the plane’s altitude, distance from the stations, and interference. From this, they can determine where to place additional stations to increase signal coverage. One of NASA’s goals for this project is to make signal coverage consistent for future air taxis and other new aircraft flying through congested areas.
Autonomous flights prove collision avoidance ability of software
In October 2023, NASA conducted more than a dozen test flights of two Sikorsky research helicopters. One was a modified S-76B, and the other was a Black Hawk. This was unique because both helicopters were flying autonomously. They had test pilots on board, but they did not touch the controls. Flying over Long Island Sound near Connecticut, they relied on software designed by NASA to avoid each other and other aircraft in the area. NASA, working with Sikorsky and DARPA, designed the tests to evaluate their automated flight systems and software.
Autonomous helicopters fly in mixed-reality airspace
Another part of that test was to fly the helicopters in a mixed-reality setting to make it more challenging. They added virtual aircraft to the airspace where the helicopters were flying.
“For this test, we are using a model of future Advanced Air Mobility airspace with more than 150 virtual aircraft and their flight plans integrated with the flight path management software and the Sikorsky mission manager technology to fly the two helicopters in a mixed-reality mode,” said Mark Ballin, principal investigator for flight path management system development.
Development of autonomous aircraft increases need for software controls
The software made the helicopters work together, changing altitude, speed, and directions to avoid virtual collisions while maintaining patterns prior to landing. NASA hopes the results of these tests will result in safe, efficient autonomous flights as the technology develops.
These are just a few of the efforts NASA is making to improve aviation traffic safety and efficiency. As vehicles like air taxis and drones become more widespread, the airspace above our cities will become even more crowded. With the recent tragic incidents involving collisions and crashes, these efforts by NASA and aircraft manufacturers are becoming especially important.
[ad_2]
Source link
