Airspace Management and Deconfliction Training Environment for Manned and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAs)

ABSTRACT: Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) usage is proliferating at an unprecedented rate, making combat airspace increasingly more crowded (and dangerous) for manned aircraft. Familiarity with airspace control and deconfliction procedures varies greatly among RPA operators, while other operational personnel may not fully grasp the challenges of mixing manned and unmanned aircraft in the same airspace. This proposal offers a solution to meet this challenge by developing and validating a high fidelity, immersive environment for training airspace management and deconfliction for manned/unmanned aircraft sharing the skies. The objective of Phase I work is to develop and demonstrate a training environment featuring academic content presented in a realistic training scenario. Some of the products DDL OMNI Engineering will be developing during Phase I include example tools to create realistic and interactive portrayals of the airspace. Additionally, we will develop and demonstrate communications and coordination problem spaces for training the various players in the airspace. As envisioned, training will take place in three phases: Interactive Academics Acquaint students with current tactics, techniques and procedures for RPA deconfliction. Airspace Visualization Drills Get RPA operators thinking about airspace in three dimensions. Tactical Training Interactive Simulations Tactical scenarios which put it all together. BENEFIT: The most immediate benefit of this product will be RPA crews that are better trained in airspace deconfliction procedures and tactical controllers better prepared to integrate RPA into their combat airspace. The technology resulting from this SBIR is expected to have an immediate appeal to the military UAS communities, both U.S. and allied. Market potential for the developed system extends to non-DoD government RPA users such as the Department of Homeland Security. Though currently underdeveloped, a civilian market will eventually emerge; this product will certainly have wide applicability for RPA likely to be employed in the civilian/private sector.