An Autonomous UAS Detect, Sense, and Avoid System (AU-DSA)

The proposing team will continue the development and testing of the Autonomous UAS Detect, Sense, and Avoid (AU-DSA) system for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Key capabilities of the AU-DSA that set it apart from other autonomous collision avoidance systems include: 1) Autonomously complying with federally mandated operating procedures, 2) Operating as efficiently in multiple-aircraft scenarios as in two-aircraft scenarios, 3) Executing maneuvers that result in minimum disturbance to the overall airspace, and 4) Generating autonomous yet highly deterministic aircraft behaviors. In addition, the AU-DSA design incorporates a compact, flexible, state-of-the-art avionics system and an intuitive interface for communications with operators, ATC, and other pilots, in order to provide the complete range of functionalities needed for a UAS to operate safely and autonomously in the NAS. The main goal of this work is to develop and demonstrate the systems necessary to equip small UAVs with a collision avoidance system capable of autonomously complying with federally mandated regulations. While the Phase I focused on the design and initial implementation and testing of the AU-DSA system, the Phase II focuses on issues that must be addressed prior to AU-DSA certification.