FAA WJHTC Rotorcraft & UAS Research Overview

1. 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

2. 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.

3. The Future???

4. FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center

5. 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

6. A History of Aviation Reseach Atlantic City Air Carnival July 2 to July 12, 1910

7. 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)

8. 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

9. Naval Air Station Atlantic City/FAA WJHTC Then Now

10. 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

11. FAA WJHTC Simulation Laboratories • Configured for Grand Forks RAPCON, ZMP ARTCC, & UAS GCS’s

12. FAA WJHTC Flying Laboratories Manned Aircraft Unmanned Aircraft

13. 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…

14. “It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a…drone?”

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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!!!

19. UAS Come in Many Shapes and Sizes

20. …and they keep coming! Future Technologies

21. And Fly in various locales

22. Types of UAS Operations

23. Part 107 Small UAS Rule Overview *These rules are subject to waiver.

24. Heliport UAS Operational Considerations Note: Slide courtesy of Rex Alexander, HeliExperts International, LLC

25. Where are UAS Operating? • UAS are operated in most classes of airspace • Flight over populated areas must be approved on a case-by-case

28. UAS Registration • Registration Site: https://faadronezone.faa.gov/ • Registration Cost: $5 per individual registrant (not per drone)*, valid for 3 years

29. UAS Registration – Weight Limits

30. UAS Registration – Labels and Markings

31. 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)

32. Drones & Wildfires

33. Low Altitude Airspace Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) *Note: Slide courtesy of Rex Alexander (5-Alpha/VFS/USHST Infrastructure Summit Lead)

34. 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.

35. B4UFly App Screenshots

36. B4UFly App Screenshots (Cont.)

37. Tips for Drone Flight Safety

38. 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

39. 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

40. 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

41. Drone Research

42. 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

43. Test Flight: UAS Control & Non-Payload Communication (CNPC)

44. 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

45. 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

46. 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

47. 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.

48. General Aviation • Various types of aircraft • Multiple mission segments (training, agriculture, search and rescue, etc.)

49. Rotorcraft • Diverse mission segments • Operational variants/capabilities (autopilots, FMS’s, etc.) • Unique airspace requirements (TK-routes, Point In Space/Offshore approaches, etc.)

50. Helicopter Safety Research