ONR ACE-O Subsequent PhII

Detecting and Avoiding (DAA) manned aircraft from small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) remains the unsolved problem for safe integration of sUAS into civil airspaces where Navy UAS must pay Due Regard to the laws of civil aviation. The difficulties are manifold. The solution must be effective against aircraft that are not broadcasting their position, requires ultra-low SWaP sensors that track aircraft over long ranges, and must provide a 360° field-of-regard (FOR).  The DAA system must be reliable, trusted, and certifiable. SARA is developing the Acoustic Cued Electro-Optical (ACE-O) DAA system to address this need.  ACE-O uses a passive acoustic array to detect collision hazards from all directions, then tip and cue the mission camera to verify the intruder and refine the track.  Track data is input into ACAS sXu, the FAA’s avoidance maneuver calculator of choice.  The result will be an advanced DAA system providing a Due Regard capability for the Navy. There are important commercial applications as well.  This novel solution to the challenge of DAA will unlock the commercial ‘drone economy’ by enabling safe Beyond Visual Line of Site (BVLOS) operations and autonomy as is necessary for drone services businesses in agriculture, linear inspection and package delivery.