Minimum-Risk Planning and On-Board Replanning for UAS Operations

Current aircraft operations within the National Airspace System (NAS) rely heavily on the presence of an on-board pilot to safely manage the flight. Integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the NAS requires a high confidence that these unmanned aircraft operations can meet or exceed the safety afforded through manned operations. Specifically, these UAS operations must not pose an undue risk to persons, structures, and vehicles on the ground. The Autonomous Planning and Replanning (AutoPRep) system is designed to autonomously construct a minimum risk flight plan and includes an on-board replanning capability to accommodate contingencies without requiring an active control link. AutoPRep leverages population, land use, and airspace data as well as potential failure modes, emergency procedures, and the associated vehicle responses to plan mission routes with minimal risk to on-ground persons, structures, and vehicles. The research plan includes: (1) the development of a risk assessment capability to allow Air Vehicle Operators (AVOs) to rapidly assess traditionally planned routes (direct, victor airway, published ATC preferred routes, etc.); (2) a capability to plan and recommend flight routes to AVOs; and (3) an in-flight capability to replan, predictably, without an active control and communications link.