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An Overview of the FAA WJHTC and Associated Rotorcraft & Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research Activities. By: Cliff Johnson, FAA FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center, Atlantic City, NJ Aug. 29, 2019. About Myself. Education: B.S. Mechanical Engineering (Rowan University)
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An Overview of the FAA WJHTC and Associated Rotorcraft & Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research Activities By: Cliff Johnson, FAA FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center, Atlantic City, NJ Aug. 29, 2019
About Myself • Education: B.S. Mechanical Engineering (Rowan University) • Work Experience: Engineer with the FAA for past 10+ years • Qualifications: UAS Pilot (ScanEagle, Solo, Parrot, Phantom, etc.) • Hobbies: Racing fan (NASCAR/INDYCAR), Guitarist, Outdoorsman, etc.
55+ Years of Aviation History in New Jersey • New Jersey: Long History of High Technology Involvement • Birthplace of the Industrial Research Laboratory (Menlo Park, Bell Laboratories, Sarnoff Laboratory) • Rich History of Aviation in South Jersey • First Air “Carnival” in 1910 • National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center (NAFEC) • Established 1 July 1958 • Formerly NASAC (Naval Air Station, AC) • Unique National Asset • Federal/State Agencies Co-Located • Key Participant in National Air Traffic Control System Development/Testing
A History of Aviation Reseach Atlantic City Air Carnival July 2 to July 12, 1910
A History of Aviation Research World Record for Altitude: Walter Brookins (Wright Team) First pilot to fly over 1 mile high 6,175 feet above boardwalk Won a $5,000 prize ($125k today)
A History of Aviation Research World Record for Endurance: Glenn Curtiss Flew back and forth on shoreline for 50 miles Total time of 1 hour 14 minutes
Technical Center Research & Development UAS Aircraft Structures Propulsions Fire Safety Digital Systems Airport and Terminal Weather Icing Pavement System Safety Management Human Factors Cyber Security
FAA WJHTC Simulation Laboratories • Configured for Grand Forks RAPCON, ZMP ARTCC, & UAS GCS’s
FAA WJHTC Flying Laboratories Manned Aircraft Unmanned Aircraft
FAA R&D Test Flight Platform (N38) • Test Platform • FAA’s Sikorsky S-76A Helicopter, Equipped with ADS-B Out (1090ES) • HFDM / HFDR Devices • Appareo Vision 1000, L3 Light Data Recorder, Honeywell Skyconnect Tracker 3, Skytrac ISAT-200A, Ballard, Stratus, MEMSIC AHRS, iLevil AHRS, GoPro Cameras (6), General Aviation Airborne Recording Device (GAARD), North FDS/Outerlink IRIS, Latitude iONode, others… • Recording Cameras • 12 POE cameras • Attitude & Heading Reference System/Inertial Navigation Unit • AHRS/IRU: LCR-100N • Advanced Vision System Devices • Displays: Thales Topmax, ElbitSkyLens/SkyVis • EVS Sensors: MaxVis1500/2300, ElbitHeliEVS, RTA-4212 MMWIR, HensoldtSferiSense 500 LIDAR, others…
What are UAS? • Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) historically were called by various terms: • Drone/RPA/ROA/RPV/UAVModel/R-C • FAA defines UAS as a system • Unmanned Aircraft (UA) • Aircraft Control Station • Command & Control Link/s • Pilot Communication
History of UAS • Past = Drones, Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPV), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), models, radio control (R/C) aircraft • Little attention from FAA due to infrequency of operations, operations in remote locations/SUA, deemed no significant impact to safety • Today = Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) • New term used to emphasize that separate system components are required to support operations without a pilot on board • In last 2 decades there has been a dramatic increase in operations and potential uses • Need for structured approach for safety and efficient integration
What does the FAA Define as a UAS? • Unmanned Aircraft (UA): is a device used or intended to be used for flight in the air that has no onboard pilot. • Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS): is an unmanned aircraft and its associated elements related to safe operations. It consists of three elements:unmanned aircraft, control station, and data link • UAS Crewmember: includes pilots, sensor/payload operators, visual observers, and possibly others to ensure safe operation
FAA’s UAS Goals • Integrate UAS into the NAS without… • Reducing existing capacity • Negatively impacting current operations/NAS users • Increasing the risk to airspace users or persons and property on the ground any more than the integration of comparable new and novel technologies • Decreasing safety!!!
…and they keep coming! Future Technologies
Part 107 Small UAS Rule Overview *These rules are subject to waiver.
Heliport UAS Operational Considerations Note: Slide courtesy of Rex Alexander, HeliExperts International, LLC
Where are UAS Operating? • UAS are operated in most classes of airspace • Flight over populated areas must be approved on a case-by-case
UAS Registration • Registration Site: https://faadronezone.faa.gov/ • Registration Cost: $5 per individual registrant (not per drone)*, valid for 3 years
Prohibited UAS Operations • U.S. National Parks • National Monuments • Special Flight Rules Airspace (Washington, DC & New York, NY) • Sporting Events & Stadiums (Concerts, NFL, MLB, NASCAR, INDYCAR, etc.) • Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR’s) • Restricted or Special Use Airspace (SUA)
Low Altitude Airspace Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) *Note: Slide courtesy of Rex Alexander (5-Alpha/VFS/USHST Infrastructure Summit Lead)
B4UFly Smartphone Application • http://www.faa.gov/uas/b4ufly/ • Incorporates FAA Rules for Safe Operations of UAS • iOS (Available from App Store) • Key Features include: • A clear "status" indicator that immediately informs the operator about their current or planned location. For example, it shows flying in the Special Flight Rules Area around Washington, DC is prohibited • Information on the parameters that drive the status indicator • A "Planner Mode" for future flights in different locations • Informative, interactive maps with filtering options • Contact information for nearby airports • Links to other FAA UAS resources and regulatory information.
Recent UAS Updates • Operations in controlled airspace temporarily suspended until Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) is online for recreational users • Operations Over People and Property Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) • All drone operators (107 and recreational) will need to pass an online aeronautical knowledge and safety test and carry proof of test passage • Part 107 requires biennial (24 month) recertification
UAS Additional Information/Resources • For more information, please contact: • FAA UAS Integration Office – AFS-80 • http://www.faa.gov/uas/ • Phone: 1-866-835-5322 • Email: 9-AFS-UAS-Inquiries@faa.gov • Know Before You Fly Safety Campaign • http://www.knowbeforeyoufly.org
Know Before You Fly Safety Campaign • http://www.knowbeforeyoufly.org • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF5Q9JvBhxM • Follow Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Guidelines – http://www.modelaircraft.org
UAS Control & Non-Payload Communication (CNPC) Research 2.4 GHz Video Mode C 1090/1030 Rockwell Collins 965 MHz GPS Antenna 900 Mhz C2 2.4 GHz Video ADS-B Out 978/1030 MHz
Test Flight: NJ UAS Test Site • UAS Platforms: Arcturus UAV (RS16/RS-20) – American Aerospace Advisors Inc. & Tiger Shark – NAVMAR Applied Sciences Corporation • Date: Feb. 2015, May 2015, Sep. 2015, Jun. 2016, Jun. 2017 • Location: US Coast Guard Air Station, Cape May Airport, Woodbine Airport • Purpose: Payload Testing, Visual Observers, and Airspace Integration Concepts, Transponder/Radar Technologies • Chase Aircraft: Robinson R44, Mooney Bravo, Cessna 152
UAS Contingency Operations: Human Factors Investigation of UAS in the NAS • Ongoing: Started mid-2017 • Objectives: To validate results from previous contingency related efforts conducted in 2016-2017 and to assess the impact of UAS Lost Link in the terminal and en route environments • Terminal Human-in-the-Loop Simulation planned for May-June 2018 • Examine procedural solutions to UAS Lost Link events • En Route Human-in-the-Loop Simulation planned for August-September 2018
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Testing and Simulations Outcomes • UAS telemetry data • DAA, C2, and SRM concept evaluations • UAS standardized operating procedures • Experimental hypothesis validation • Successful flight demonstrations Best Practices • Operate with a chase plane or visual observers where required • Provide adequate power and network connectivity for remote site UAS operations • Collect as much data as possible during trials
Overall Best Practices for Testing/Simulations • Pre-Flight • Thorough experimental designs & test plans • Effective crew briefings • Concise pre-experiment subject questionnaires • Efficient run matrices • Flight • Proper test execution • Effective communication • Concise post-run subject questionnaires • Accurate data acquisition/measurements • Post-Flight • Speedy data transfer • Concise post-experiment subject questionnaires • Pitfalls to Avoid • Equipment failures, Extensive questionnaires, Inadequate power, Prolonged runs, etc.
General Aviation • Various types of aircraft • Multiple mission segments (training, agriculture, search and rescue, etc.)
Rotorcraft • Diverse mission segments • Operational variants/capabilities (autopilots, FMS’s, etc.) • Unique airspace requirements (TK-routes, Point In Space/Offshore approaches, etc.)