THis is a three page paper on What changes are required to the FAA/ATC guidelines to operate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) during taxi/Airfield operations at multi-use airfields? Only include current limiting regulations while operating on the ground or during taxi while at an airfield. Please include US FAA regulations and limitations that are unique to UAS operations and how they may have to change to accommodate operations at major airports. Regulations that govern UAS during flight operations are not required.
Aviation
Much is being said about the operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the air and during flight operations, but less is being said about the equally as important issue of UAS during taxing and airfield operations. It is crucial for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Air Traffic Control (ATC) guidelines to be revised to include provisions for UAS on the ground. New rules for ground, taxi, and airfield operations in multi-use airfields are especially important as UAS become more integrated with commercial manned vehicles. Taylor (2005) notes that one of the main obstacles to the wider deployment and use of UAS is a lack of regulatory guidelines that can be universally applied.
Current "sense and avoid" protocols for in-air procedures need to be applied to ground procedures for UAS. As Taylor (2005) points out, there are only three standardised acceptable systems available for UAS integration within current ATC operations: Automatic Dependence Surveillance Broadcast (ADS -- B), Tactical Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and Traffic Information System Broadcast (TIS -- B). These systems can and should be upgraded and integrated to work on runways at commercial mixed-use airports.
The FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) program is "multi-disciplinary effort that will offer a host of air transportation operational, technical, economic, and environmental advantages," (Joint Planning and Development Office, 2011). Addressing issues such as equipment, personnel, and communication links, NextGen offers opportunities for mixed-use airports to make room for and accommodate the needs of unmanned aircraft. NextGen (2013) asserts their commitment to ground safety: "in anticipation of future air traffic growth, NextGen capabilities will help commercial airports accommodate the demand for additional capacity in a safe, efficient and environmentally responsible manner."
There is little in the way of regulations that will facilitate UAS integration into manned aircraft and multi-use airports. The Joint Planning and Development Office (2011) points out that currently, UAS are in segregated airspace and are likewise in segregated facilities on the ground. They are "restricted due to a lack of appropriate operational procedures, standards, and policies, because the NAS is tailored to accommodate manned aircraft." This gap between manned and unmanned craft needs to be addressed immediately because it is estimated that by 2018 there will be more than 15,000 UAS in service and many of those UAF will be in the civic sector and designed for commercial and non-military use (Joint Planning and Development Office, 2011). Safety, human resources, and resources allocation issues all need to be taken into consideration when revising FAA and ATC guidelines.
Thus, the changes that are required to the FAA/ATC guidelines include the following. First, Air Traffic Control stations need to be fully fitted to accommodate for unmanned vehicles. Some analysts are positing the importance of creating the means by which to integrate unmanned Air Traffic Control centers in multi-use airports, which highlights the need to robust data links (Sheridan, 2012). It makes sense that automated systems and datalinks will be better positioned to address the role of unmanned vehicles within their domain. Software and hardware systems can emerge to accommodate both the coordination efforts of the ground crews in ATC and also the ground crew pilots of UAS. Egozi (2012) points out that Israeli ground crew systems in ATC and related to UAS operations are working together to create mutually beneficial solutions. Therefore, the FAA needs to take the cue from emerging technology sectors that can help guide the way to regulations related to integrating both hardware and software systems on the ground for both unmanned and manned vehicles. As the Joint Planning and Development Office (2011) points out, there has yet to emerge a standard interface design for use in any category or type of vehicle, let alone between ATC and UAS operators and pilots. This must change if UAS are to become not just more prolific but also safer and more integrated into mixed-use aircraft facilities. The Joint Planning and Development Office (2011) also suggests that there may be, especially in larger airports, a separate ground control and ATC area for unmanned aircraft. However, it is far more reasonable to assume that ATC should be unified. Communications links need to be under the same umbrella, the same staff, and the same physical rubric. Thus, the suggestion that "multi-UAS control by a single control station with the role of the UAS pilot moving toward that of a controller" is a sound one but one that must be considered in light of human resources available (Joint Planning and Development Office, 2011).
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