AFRL Completes Latest Sense and Avoid Flight Testing Published Aug. 13, 2008 By Holly Jordan, AFRL/RBOO Air Vehicles Directorate WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Engineers from AFRL, Northrop Grumman, and Calspan Flight Research collaborated to complete the latest in a series of flights geared towards testing autonomous airspace deconfliction capabilities for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The multiple-intruder autonomous avoidance (MIAA) testing took place at Calspan facilities at Niagara International Airport, New York. The goal of this particular flight series was to record data from the multiple, dissimilar sensors embedded in the test aircraft's overall Sense and Avoid (SAA) system. In addition to incorporating these sensors, the UAS SAA system includes three electro-optical (EO) cameras, a low-power radar coupled with decision logic and autonomous maneuvering capabilities, and Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) technology. The SAA system also has the built-in capacity for automatic dependent surveillance broadcasting, which enables its detection and avoidance of similarly equipped aircraft. Currently, UAS lack autonomous airspace deconfliction capabilities, a shortcoming that prevents these aircraft from operating freely in national and international airspace. The goal of the SAA system team is to equip UAS with the technology needed for performing autonomous airspace deconfliction--one of several necessary steps towards achieving airspace integration. Among the aircraft that could benefit from SAA technology are the Global Hawk and Predator UAS. The recent flight tests included head-on, crossing, ascending, overtaking, and descending encounters. Also flown during the series were trail formation flights wherein various levels of background clutter (e.g., clouds, ground, and water) and obscuration (e.g., rain and haze) were present. The EO, radar, and TCAS data recorded during these tests will assist further refinement of system sensors, as well as evaluation of the SAA target-correlation algorithms. The information gathered from this testing will also aid efforts to develop and refine applicable simulations for future use. The team plans to conduct two more rounds of MIAA flight activity, with the ultimate goals of demonstrating the system's capacity (1) to detect and track multiple aircraft on potentially conflicting paths with the test platform; and (2) to maneuver the craft safely, passing well clear of the conflicting aircraft and thus avoiding collision. The SAA team comprises engineers, pilots, technicians, and mechanics from AFRL; Northrop Grumman (prime contractor); Calspan Flight Research (flight test facilities); ICx™ Technologies (surrogate AI-130 airborne detection radar); Defense Research Associates (EO detection/tracking); Bihrle Applied Research (algorithm development and simulation); the Federal Aviation Administration's William J. Hughes Technical Center (flight test aircraft, precision positioning information, and technical advisors); and C2Projex (real-time situation awareness monitoring).