UAS Integration in the NAS Research Activities

Editor’s note: The UAS in the NAS project was concluded in September 2020. This material is being kept online for historical purposes, but it will no longer be updated.

UAS in the NAS Research Activities banner with a white vector graphic of a drone.

The desire and ability to fly Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS) is of increasing urgency. The application of unmanned aircraft to perform environmental and wildlife monitoring, atmospheric sampling, data collection for weather prediction, agricultural surveying, national security, defense, scientific, and emergency management are driving the critical need for less restrictive access by UAS to the NAS.
For Phase 2, the Project organized its research under two Technical Challenges and a large scale demonstration activity.

Phase 2 (FY17 – FY20)

Technical Challenge-DAA: UAS Detect and Avoid Operational Concepts and Technologies

Develop Detect and Avoid (DAA) operational concepts and technologies in support of standards to enable a broad range of UAS that have Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) capabilities consistent with IFR operations and are required to detect and avoid manned and unmanned air traffic

UAS Detect and Avoid Operational Concepts and Technologies icon.

Technical Challenge-C2: UAS Command and Control

Develop Terrestrial based Command and Control (C2) operational concepts and technologies in support of standards to enable the broad range of UAS that have Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) capabilities consistent with IFR operations and are required to leverage allocated protected spectrum

Demonstration Activity: Systems Integration and Operationalization (SIO)

Demonstrate robust UAS operations in the NAS by leveraging integrated DAA, C2, and state of the art vehicle technologies with a pathway towards certification to inform FAA UAS integration policies and operational procedures.