Goals
of NextGen
The program developed by the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) and commercial partners called the Next
Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) seeks to create safer, more
abundant and more efficient air travel in the United States and its
territories. There are currently NextGen components already in place in
portions of the National Airspace System (NAS). The goals of the NextGen system
include more reliable air travel, an airspace that can handle increased
capacity, a decrease in delays for the average air traveler, and a reduction in
fuel usage and greenhouse gases (AIA, 2010). The NextGen system will accomplish
this by using satellites to take the play of 1960s radar technology thereby
increasing accuracy on almost every system using a clock (AIA, 2010). In the
next 15 years, the FAA estimates that the NextGen system will produce $11.4
billion by way of the benefits of a more reliable air traffic control (ATC) system
(FAA, 2017).
The
UAS Piece
Unmanned Aerospace Systems (UAS) fit into the NextGen
system very nicely. With the improvement of air traffic control accuracy and
reliability, unconventional aircraft like UAS will be able to move about in
congested airspace with a decreased threat of inflight collisions. Like many
manned aircraft, larger UAS have global positioning system (GPS) receivers that
can communicate with satellites in orbit. The NextGen systems will fully implement
Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) which will replace ATC as
the primary means for tracking aircraft in the NAS (FAA, 2017). ADS-B will
about larger UAS to link to the ATC system and be easily tracked just like a
jet airliner. For concerns related to lost-link procedures in the NAS, the FAA
issued a policy implying that to move closer to becoming part of NextGen, UAS
must follow procedures in the case of lost-link. The main point from the policy
was that all UAS will have the capability to squawk 7400 when a control lost
link has occurred (US DOT, 2016). This will allow manned systems to identify
UAS on their individual traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS).
Human
Factors Issues
The increased traffic over the skies
of the United States will create a many more opportunities for disaster to
strike. Though the relative number of accidents compared to the number of
manned and unmanned systems in the air may not increase, the total amount of
aircraft involved in accidents may. Small UAS (sUAS) do not typically travel
above the altitude of 500 feet and generally are not allow in the vicinity of
airports. However, larger UAS controlled privately and commercial in the United
States will only increase over time. Pilots of transportation and general
aviation aircraft must be provided separation assurance so that situation
awareness is not spent on looking out for sUAS and other unmanned systems. The
ability to communicate with UAS operators would also increase the fidelity
between pilots and create a safer environment for everyone involved. Lack of
human factors guidelines for UAS will be a difficult hurdle to overcome in the
coming years as integration of UAS into the NAS seems inevitable.
References
Aerospace
Industries Association of America. (2010). NextGen:
The Future of Flying. Arlington, VA:
AIA. Retrieved from http://www.aia-aerospace.org/report/nextgen-the-future-of- flying/
Federal Aviation Administration. (2017). NextGen Works. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov /nextgen/works/
Federal Aviation Administration. (2017). NextGen Works. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov /nextgen/works/
United
States Department of Transportation. (2016). Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Lost Link.
Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Notice/N_JO_7110.724_5-2-9_UAS_Lost_Link_2.pdf
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