Product Description

To safely operate UAVs in the National Airspace System (NAS) and minimize the risk of mid-air collisions, UAV pilots (i.e., UAV operators) must be able to detect and track air traffic to a level of safety equal to or better than required by the FAA Document 7610.4 K "Special Military Operations" and FAR Part 91. Most general aviation manned aircraft, which operate under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and lack collision avoidance systems, rely on the pilot's eyesight and radio contact with air traffic controllers to track approaching airborne vehicles. Equipping UAVs with Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) transponders to communicate with other transponder-equipped aircraft reduces the possibility of mid-air collisions; however, TCAS reduces conflict only with cooperative aircraft. Non-cooperative aircraft not equipped with collision avoidance transponders continue to pose a significant risk when flying under VFR. For this reason, UAV pilots must be equipped with a sense-and-avoid system that can locate and track both cooperative and non-cooperative airborne vehicles at sufficient range to maintain safe separation distances. The Sense-and-Avoid Display System (SAVDS ®) integrated with high-performance ground-based radar provides GBSAA functionality for UAV pilots based in Ground Control Stations.

Airspace monitoring for UAV flight safety has been achieved with radar providing the "eyes" and SAVDSS ® providing the "brains" of the GBSAA System. UAV pilots are provided with an integrated UAV-centric situational awareness of the 3D airspace: (1) detecting and tracking airborne traffic in relation to the UAV; (2) evaluating and prioritizing collision potential; (3) featuring safe separation and collision avoidance algorithms that generate audible and visual alerts for Closest Points of Approach; and (4) recommending changes in the UAV flight plan to maintain safe separation distances and enable deconfliction from other aircraft. SAVDS ® also has extensive data analysis tools and the capability of interfacing with varied data feeds (e.g., ADSB as well as FAA radar) for comparative analysis.

The UAV-centric perspective of SAVDSS ® represents a level of safety for UAV pilots that is equivalent to or better than the see-and-avoid capability of cockpit-based pilots in manned aircraft. SAVDS ® features multiple user-defined configurations and settings for its varied Display Modes. The user is provided with a Graphical User Interface (GUI), enabling the user to access the setup and operational menus, and make adjustments to the user-defined settings. The Nadir Display Window features georeferenced background maps corresponding to the areas of radar coverage. When the radar data source is repositioned at a new location or a new radar data source is integrated, the SAVDS ® background map creation procedures must be followed. A georeferenced map library is part of the SAVDS ® software package.

SAVDS ® features three different Display Modes that provide the most effective view of UAV-centric air traffic activity as a function of potential midair conflicts. These three Display Modes are referred to as: (1) Safe Separation; (2) Conflict Avoidance; and (3) Immediate Collision Threat. When there is no detectable airborne conflict, it is the Safe Separation Display Mode that shows the all-encompassing airspace view needed by the UAV pilot, providing reassurance that there is no need to change the UAV flight plan. When there is a detectable airborne conflict, SAVDS ® proceeds to provide the UAV pilot with the other Display Modes as a means of focusing on the conflict(s) of concern and enabling the most effective means of increasing the separation distance between the UAV and the intruding aircraft.