UAS Integration into NextGen

            The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s latest ongoing airspace management system, known as NextGen, is an initiative collaboration created in an attempt to update and fully modernize the National Airspace System (NAS). Relying on help from the entire aviation industry, NextGen promises to improve safety and efficiency throughout the airspace (Houston, 2017). Beginning in the early 2000’s with the Vision 100 act, the FAA’s plan to bring the NAS into the modern era aims to improve fuel economy, reduce airport and airspace congestion, provide standardize weather information to pilots and Air Traffic Controllers alike, and provide a better overall experience for passenger travelling on commercial airlines (Houston, 2017). NextGen intends on reaching these goals through Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) systems that act as a more reliable and accurate replacement to current radar systems, a System-Wide Information Management (SWIM) system that standardizes and secures communications and data transfers, a digital data communication network, and a host of additional upgrades to flight decks, voice systems, and weather service systems (Houston 2017). These examples are just a few of the changes in store for the aviation industry as the National Airspace System makes the long-term switch to the NextGen system.

            Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have a future within the NextGen system as well, in order to operate within the changing system, UAS must be fully compliant with the regulations and requirements of NextGen, just as manned aircraft are. While these requirements can place a burden on manned aircraft in the form of additional costs of modernized equipment, the potential added weight, and training, these factors are even more present in the case of unmanned aircraft. Many current unmanned aircraft are fairly small and lightweight in comparison to manned aircraft. Any addition of equipment required to comply with NextGen initiatives can adversely affect the performance capabilities of these smaller craft. In addition, a major benefit to UAS in many applications is their relatively low costs and accessibility to the general public. The addition of ADS-B or updated data communication equipment (or any of the other required pieces of equipment to fit into the NextGen NAS) can exponentially increase the cost of these aircraft, making them no longer a viable solution to many applications.

            While potentially difficult to apply to unmanned aircraft, the requirements of the NextGen program to play a positive impact on the integration of UAS into the National Airspace System. Situational awareness of both the UAS operator and any nearby manned aircraft stands to be greatly increased. The ADS-B features surveillance capabilities at altitudes much lower than those offered by current radar systems, and is effective regardless of the size of the aircraft (FAA, 2017). Given the typically lower altitude and small size of many commercial and private use UAS, this can greatly improve the overall safety of these aircraft operating in the National Airspace alongside manned aircraft. The improved NAS Voice Systems has the potential to allow ATC the ability to communicate with UAS pilots regardless of their distance to the other flight operations, providing a further level overall awareness on all parts (FAA, 2017).