Abstract

This project has been developed with the principal aim of simulating CPDLC(Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications) between ATC (Air Traffic Controller) and RPAS (Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems). Communication between ATC and conventional aircraft is possible too. The uprising number of users in airspace compels the aerial communications to reinvent themselves for not collapsing the assigned frequency band. As a solution it is proposed CPDLC communications, an application that allows the direct exchange of text-based messages between a controller and a pilot. The most direct benefits in utilization of CPDLC are: 1) Air traffic management is more efficient. 2) Increase of airspace capacity. 3) Communication, surveillance and route conformance monitoring improvement. 4) Voice channel congestion reduction. The CPDLC code developed is integrated with ATM(Air Traffic Management) simulation program "eDEP", provided by Eurocontrol and it is also integrated with Icarus group research simulations. The project is divided in two main parts: a) Encoding library messages. It has been done the effort of collecting all the possible messages that can be exchanged between ATC and pilot. Messages have been encoded to byte level and it has been prepared to be sent through the net. b) Program graphic development. It has been developed a friendly and understandable graphical environment to be able to interact with a computer for sending the messages in a correct way. As a long term objective, it is expected that CPDLC program can be evaluated by real air traffic controllers in ATM simulations where RPAS and conventional aviation is mixed in non-segregated airspace. TFG will be useful for extracting conclusions about benefits provided by CPDLC and to know the real workload that CPDLC system provides to the air traffic controller.

Abstract

Current and future air traffic is requiring new procedures and systems to achieve a greater automation and efficiency of the air traffic operations. On controlled air space and airports, centralized ATC support the real time complexity of air traffic management. But on non-controlled aerodromes, used mainly by general aviation, the absence of ATC support may limit the increase of this type of air traffic. General aviation aircraft fly under VFR and only when weather and visibility conditions are good. Their flight is the closest approach to free flight new concept but without the technological support of avionics to make decisions. An aeronautical radio and a GPS are in most cases their available technologies on board. This paper proposes an air-air negotiation protocol for general aviation approaching an aerodrome without ATC. The technological requirement of the protocol is the aeronautical radio enhanced with an ACARS avionics. A fast decision making algorithm is proposed to solve landing time requests based on changes in speed and on the use of a same landing procedure. The protocol has been tested for several scenarios involving up to ten aircraft with satisfactory results. Document type: Conference object

Abstract

This paper presents the work done during the first year in the WP-E project ERAINT (Evaluation of the RPAS-ATM Interaction in Non-Segregated Airspace) that intends to evaluate by means of human-in-the-loop real-time simulations the interaction between a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) and the Air Traffic Management (ATM) when a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) is being operated in shared airspace. This interaction will be evaluated from three different perspectives. First, the separation management, its results are presented in this paper. Secondly, during the next year, the contingency management, also including loss of link situations and, lastly, the capacity impact of such operations in the overall ATM system. The used simulation infrastructure allows to simulate realistic exercises from both the RPAS Pilot-in-Command (PiC) and the Air Traffic Controller (ATCo) perspectives. Moreover, it permits to analyze the actual workload of the ATC and to evaluate several support tools and different RPAS levels of automation from the PiC and ATC sides. The simulation results and the usefulness of the support tools are presented for each selected concept of operations. Peer Reviewed

Abstract

Despite the evolution of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), the technological development on airframes, autopilots, communications and payload, is still limited by the absence of software standardization. Engineers face the development of UAS systems with the implementation of ad - hoc solutions to satisfy the mission requirements. This is a major limitation with regard to the software maintenance and re-usability that may result in an increment of both project cost and risk. Wellstructured UAS avionics supporting increased levels of automation (and eventually autonomy), together with reconfiguration capabilities and costeffectiveness, are key requirements for UAS to be successful in a global scenario. Additionally the major civil applications require UAS with access to non-segregated airspace. Following Eurocontrol, FAA and ICAO philosophy, the introduction of unmanned traffic should not affect ATM operations, thus UAS should comply with the performance levels required by SESAR and NextGen. Hence, operations with unmanned aircraft should guarantee safe and efficient interaction with the ATM system. In that aspect gaps and issues into unmanned aircraft software architectures are discussed in this paper. Required mechanism for ATM communication, collision avoidance, maneuver automation and SESAR/NextGen integration are discussed to identify possible short-term and long-term software requirements. Moreover, existing standardized software frameworks and proposed software proposed are reviewed to identify the gaps it should deal with to achieve an efficient UAS integration. Peer Reviewed