The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation

Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Introduction

• Unmanned Aircraft Systems - A typical UAS consists of the Unmanned Aircraft (UA), the Control System, the Datalink, and other related support equipment.

• Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - An aircraft which is designed to operate with no human pilot on board. (EUROCONTROL Definition)

Objectives

• The aim of this session is to make you aware of the rapid developments in UAS and the probable impact on the European ATM system.

UAS Activity In Segregated Airspace (SA)

• R&D, training, test flights etc

• Introduction of UCAVs

• Communications relay

• Short term increase in demand for segregated airspace

• No need for ‘sense and avoid’ in SA

UAS Categories

• Nano

• Micro

• Mini

• Close Range

• Short range

• Medium Range

• Medium Range Endurance

• Low Altitude Deep Penetration

• Low Altitude Long Endurance

• Medium Altitude Long Endurance

• High Altitude Long Endurance

• Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles

• Stratospheric

• Exo-Stratospheric

• Space

NanoNano

Range Range 30 30 -- 70 km70 km

Altitude Altitude up to 100mup to 100m

Endurance Endurance <1 hour<1 hour

MTOW MTOW <0.025 kg<0.025 kg

Flying? Flying? YesYes

Short RangeShort Range

Range Range 30 30 -- 70 km70 km

Altitude Altitude up to 3000mup to 3000m

Endurance Endurance 3 3 -- 6 hours6 hours

MTOW MTOW 200 kg200 kg

Flying? Flying? YesYes

Medium Altitude Long Medium Altitude Long EnduranceEndurance

Range Range >500 km>500 km

Altitude Altitude 14,000m14,000m

Endurance Endurance 2424--48 hours48 hours

MTOW MTOW 1,500 kg1,500 kg

Flying? Flying? YesYes

High Altitude Long High Altitude Long EnduranceEndurance

Range Range >2,000 km>2,000 km

Altitude Altitude 20,000m20,000m

Endurance Endurance 2424--48 hours48 hours

MTOW MTOW 12,000 kg12,000 kg

Flying? Flying? YesYes

StratosphericStratospheric

Range Range >2,000 km>2,000 km

Altitude Altitude 2020--30,000m30,000m

Endurance Endurance >48 hours>48 hours

MTOW MTOW TBDTBD

Flying? Flying? AlmostAlmost

Globalhawk/Eurohawk

Globalhawk/Eurohawk Operations

• 2010 - Sigonella, Sicily (USAF then NATO 2013)

• 2010 - Schleswig, Germany (Luftwaffe late 2010)

• Various military roles. Core of Alliance surveillance capability.

• Support to humanitarian aid provision eg Haiti

• Climb-out generally in SA before transiting OAT in non-SA but non-used airspace >FL510

• EUROCONTROL guidelines for minimum ATM requirements for GH/EH in European airspace

Civil LOS UAS Operations

• Mini UAS increasingly used for surveillance activities eg London 2012

• In North America Mini UAS used for accident investigation, surveillance of crime scenes, reconnaissance of hostage/sniper situations

– LOS

– multi-crew – pilot and observer/camera operator

– generally not above 400’

Future Civil Use

• Police

• Customs

• Border patrol

• Fire fighting

• Natural disasters

• Search and Rescue

• Pipeline inspection

• Ash cloud analysis

• Fisheries patrol

• Weather research

• Aerial photography

• Traffic monitoring

• Post-fire investigation

• Sports video

• Runway inspection

• Crowd control

• Oil spill tracking

• Communications

• Cargo

• Passengers?

Scope of Types

• Small, hand launched, LOS

Scope of Types

Scope of Types

• Small, hand launched, LOS

• Long endurance (5 years), high altitude, autonomous

Scope of Types

Scope of Types

• Small, hand launched, LOS

• Long endurance (5 years), high altitude, autonomous

• Unmanned cargo aircraft

Integration into Non-SA 1

Classes A – C airspace

– Known, controlled traffic environment

– Flight plan

– Pilot follows ATC instructions

– Autonomous in case of LODL with pre-planned scenarios/diversions at various flight stages

– LOC not a problem

– ASAS

– Sense and avoid capability

Integration into Non-SA 2

Classes D – G airpace

– VFR traffic

– Uncontrolled traffic environment

– Pilot controlled (or autonomous?)

– ASAS

– Sense and avoid

Huge effort on solving problems

– UAS legitimate airspace users

– Potential market is huge

SES Master Plan includes UAS

4D Trajectory Environment

• Future 4D trajectory environment is exactly what UAS are designed to do

– Precise flight paths

– Pre-programmed but adjustable by pilot

The Challenges of UAS Integration

• UAS integration in non-SA is a manned aviation issue

– Acceptability by manned aviation is a priority

• Aviation stakeholders need to be part of the process

• Pilots, ANSPs, CAAs, ATC controllers

– Standardisation is the most efficient way for acceptability

• Providing a common UAS view and understanding to all airspace users and actors

• Addressing interoperability, performance, safety

• Management of UAS collision avoidance and separation is one of the most challenging issues

The Challenges of UAS Non-SA Operations

• Full UAS integration assessed as a very complex problem

– Step by step approach is agreed and promoted as being the most efficient approach by stakeholders (EUROCONTROL, EASA, EUROCAE WG-73, AIR4ALL)

• Limited and affordable scope of work for each step

• Benefiting from the results and experience of initial steps to progress to next steps

• Progressively increasing the UAS operational capabilities and UAS market growth

– Preparing for future SES integration

• Including new SESAR concepts

Description of Steps

• First step

– En-route phase of flight

– UAS flying under IFR

– Excluding non-segregated Aerodrome ops

– UAS as a controlled flight with ATC separation (Class A,B,C airspace)

• Second step

– Extending to UAS self separation (Class D,E,F airspace)• Third step (indicative)

– Extending to VFR enroute flight• Fourth step (indicative)

– Extending to non-segregated Aerodrome operations

Sense and Avoid - IFR/VFR

MIDCAS

Avoid function Module

Imminent risk

Separation provision

Flight Control System

Collision avoidance

Air vehicle performances

model(if needed)

GroundAir v

ehicle

Cooperativesensors

(TCAS, ADS-B)

Non-cooperative sensors

(radar, EO/IR, …)

Data processing“intruders mapping”

Sense function module

Analysis & decision

Control Station

Data link(ground terminal)

Intruders position

SemiAutomaticflight mode

Inputs(heading/altitude)

Non-imminent risk

Data link(air terminal)Separation

assistance

Non-cooperative Sensors

• SAR

• Laser

• Microsoft RingCam

• Infrared

ATC Communication

VHF COMSSR transponder

strobe lightsTCAS IIsense & avoid

relay C³ linkRelay

Other aircraft

direct C³ link

UAV

UAV Control Station

Avionics System( NAV / FMS / AFCS / FTS)

telephone

Air Traffic Control

Comm delay

Regulation and Certification

• EC Regulation 1592/2002 established the European Aviation SafetyAgency and gave it competency for airworthiness certification and continuing airworthiness. In addition the regulation gave EASA the ability to develop Implementing Rules dealing with these areas.

• Certain categories of civil aircraft are exempt from the need to comply with the EASA Regulation and its Implementing Rules.

• The exempt categories, which are of relevance for UAS, are:

– aircraft specifically designed or modified for research, experimental or scientific purposes and likely to be produced in very limitednumbers;

– aircraft whose initial design was intended for military purposes only;

– unmanned aircraft with an operating mass of less than 150 kg.

• Civil aircraft falling into these categories are still, however, subject to state regulation in order to meet the states obligations under the Chicago convention.

Certification Issues - Type Certification

• EC Regulation No 1702/2003

– ….implementing rules for the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances…..

• The terms ‘aircraft’, ‘product’ and “parts and appliances” were written with manned aircraft in mind.

• Following a review the control station and any other equipment remote from the aircraft can be considered as a “part and appliance” as it is functionally attached to the aircraft.

• UAS control stations and other remote equipment performing functions that can prejudice takeoff, continued flight, landing or environmental protection, shall be considered as part of the aircraft and included in the type certification.

• Identification of UAS elements to be included in the type certification should be supported by an FHA performed by the applicant.

Certification Issues - Pilots Licences

• Currently no common view

• Example US military:

– Air Force were selecting military pilots as UAS operators but are now training dedicated UAS operators

– Navy and Marine UAS operators are required only to have a private pilot’s license,

– Army Shadow UAS operators generally are not rated pilots.

• Previous Basic Regulation (1592) established Community competence for EASA but only for the regulation of the airworthiness and environmental compatibility of products

• EASA’s competence was extended to flight operations, flight crew licensing and third country aircraft (including UAS):

– New Basic Regulation No 216/2008 dated 20 February 2008 and effective 8 April 2008

– Implementing rules for manned aircraft: commenced 1 year later

• IRs for UAS crews and UAS ops expected in due time

USICO Simulation

• Evaluation of the UAV integration concept:

– Normal operations

– Emergency Operations:

• Standard emergency procedures

– Comm Loss

– Thrust Loss

• UAV specific emergency procedures (additional emergency codes)

– Data Link & Comm Loss

– Data Link & Comm & Thrust Loss

• Investigation of UAV specifics:

– Within LOS operation no communication delay

– Beyond LOS operation with communication delay for voice and data

Simulation Airspace

• Outbound and Inbound Routes of the UAV

Hahn

Replay

Objectives Recap

• The aim of this session was to make you aware of the rapid developments in UAS and the probable impact on the European ATM system.

Summary

• Anathema to many.

• Legitimate airspace users.

• Challenge is considerable and global.

• Many pieces to jigsaw.

• Technology may enhance flight safety for all users.