UAM, UTM, and NextGen in a Nutshell

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is an active industry concept that is being pursued by several global companies. The general scope is to design an aircraft, both manned and unmanned, that will have the capabilities, efficiency qualities, as well as meeting safety standards that can transport a small number of passengers within urban areas to cut back on gridlock vehicle traffic and commute times. The air taxi market is expected to be launched in the near future, some companies project 2023 launch, that allows for these air transportation systems to reduce travel time as well as pollution by using electric power train designs. 

 

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM) is an air traffic management network that is expected to provide management capabilities for uncontrolled operations, in particular UAS. The FAA, NASA, and industry leaders have been researching plans to implement such an ecosystem that will allow UAS traffic to operate safely in the airspace with other UAS without having to be in direct communication with air traffic control (ATC). With UTM there will be a distributing network that allows for the FAA to provide current restrictions based on available airspace to the UAS operators. It will be up to the operators to operate safely within those provided restrictions without ATC involvement (Unmanned Aircraft System, 2020). 

 

            Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is driven by the FAA to modernize the air transport system using innovative technologies, research, and development. NextGen is a collaborative effort in order evolve the air transportation system into a more efficient and safer system by using satellite integration and digital technologies. UAS will be incorporated into the NextGen initiative by allowing voice communications with UAS operators within the National Airspace System (NAS) Voice System (NVS). In addition, NextGen’s En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) will support UAS operations with a focus on identification (FAA TV, 2016). 

 

UAS integration into the NAS comes with many challenges. A few of those challenges include communication within a traffic management operation such as a UTM, risk and safety of operators, as well as detect, sense and avoid (DSA) issues with not just other unmanned aircraft but manned aircraft as well. Lost link scenarios also contribute to challenges within the NAS. If the communication link is lost between the UAS operator and the aircraft, safety of other aircraft within the NAS is threatened. There are human factors that contribute to the lost link potential. Those include pilot training, pilot error, and lack of standard procedures when lost link occurs. 

 

In summation, integrating any new concept into the NAS whether it is UAM or UAS, complexities arise that take research and collaborative efforts by all industries to provide a solution that benefits all parties. UAS need to be designed with human factors in mind and standardized to avoid lost link issues while the UAM needs to be provided airspace that does not hinder manned aircraft routes or limit manned aircraft maneuvers. The aviation industry in general is changing, so research and innovation must keep up. 

 

References

 

FAA TV: NextGen Today. (2016). Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved from https://www. faa. gov/tv/?mediaId=1291

 

Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM). (2020). Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/uas/research_ development/traffic_management/

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