Integrating Department of Defense Unmanned Aerial Systems into the National Airspace Structure
Abstract
The Department of Defense (DoD) is constantly adding to the inventory of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) across all Services. Compounded by increasing mission sets for unmanned aviation, both home and abroad, DoD requires the ability to operate UAS within and throughout the U.S. national airspace structure (NAS). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the responsibility of managing, updating, and amending federal regulations for the safe operation of aerospace vehicles within the NAS. Based on safety concerns, the FAA currently limits UAS operations within the NAS through a certification of authorization process that takes up to 60 days for approval and limits flight profiles to specific parameters. While the DoD is not satisfied with this process, as it limits UAS operations within the United States, the FAA will not amend current regulations until certain operating and design parameters are met. This thesis investigates whether the DoD and FAA are working together in an efficient manner to develop a safe way to integrate UAS into the NAS. To answer the overarching question, the researcher addressed the following secondary issues: Can the FAA improve the COA process to reduce the turn-around time until UAS are able to access the NAS on a regular basis?; Does current available technology allow the FAA to formulate safe sense-and-avoid procedures for UAS in lieu of see-and-avoid procedures for manned aviation?; Finally, does the current acquisition and categorization of UAS by the DoD make the FAA's job of regulation harder? The thesis concludes with recommendations for UAS gaining quicker and easier access to the NAS while still maintaining safety.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 11, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA524226
Entities
People
- Scott W. Walker
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College