At XPONENTIAL 2024, Kraettli Epperson, CEO and co-founder of Vigilant Aerospace Systems, gave a presentation on the integration of weather and wind hazard data into airspace management systems for safer drone and uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) operations.
The primary product, FlightHorizon, utilizes detect-and-avoid (DAA) capabilities based on NASA technology, allowing for real-time tracking and management of UAS and advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft. This system uses a combination of sensors, FAA data, and supplemental data service providers (SDSP) for improved hazard avoidance and compliance with uncrewed traffic management (UTM) standards.
Epperson emphasized the significance of integrating real-time weather hazard data for operational safety, especially in complex airspaces.
The software is built for scalability and resilience, supporting cloud and local deployments to handle data disruptions. Key projects include collaborations with NASA, FAA, and various UAS test sites, aimed at refining UTM functions and enhancing interoperability among various data sources for industry-wide adoption. Future initiatives include partnering with drone ports and testing systems for UTM compliance and standards-based service delivery. The company aims to advance automation in UTM, particularly with weather hazard data, to support a seamless, integrated airspace ecosystem for diverse applications, including agriculture, delivery, and AAM.
The Presentation
1. Introduction and Goals
Company Background: Vigilant Aerospace Systems, co-founded by Epperson, specializes in operationalizing real-time data for UAS airspace management and collision avoidance rather than data collection or modeling itself.
Primary Product – FlightHorizon: The FlightHorizon system, a UTM (uncrewed traffic management) -compatible airspace management system, is based on NASA-patented technology, enabling real-time detect-and-avoid (DAA) capabilities for UAS and AAM (advanced air mobility).
Presentation Focus: The need to integrate external wind and weather data as hazards that UAS operators need to navigate in real-time. Vigilant Aerospace’s role in this ecosystem centers on integrating diverse data sources to improve UAS safety.
2. Current Capabilities of FlightHorizon
System Overview: FlightHorizon is a multi-sensor airspace management system that can be deployed via cloud, workstation, or server, and it synthesizes data from flight controllers, radars, transponders, and real-time FAA and weather sources.
Collision Avoidance: Using FAA-standard algorithms, FlightHorizon detects potential conflicts and issues resolution advisories in real-time. The system visualizes UAS positions, the required safe distances from other aircraft, and collision trajectory projections.
System Architecture: The platform integrates data from various sources, including NASA and the FAA, and is capable of processing input from supplemental data service providers (SDSP) through standardized protocols.
GIS Capabilities: The system includes geofencing (defining operational boundaries for UAS), obstacle data, and both 2D and 3D airspace mapping to support complex airspace navigation.
3. Incorporating Weather and Wind Hazard Data
Real-Time Hazard Display: Vigilant Aerospace aims to incorporate real-time weather and micro-weather hazards (like gust fronts and microbursts) as safety-critical data layers within FlightHorizon, much like the system’s current handling of collision avoidance.
Automated Weather Avoidance: Epperson envisions that eventually, FlightHorizon will provide automatic avoidance recommendations for weather-related hazards, similar to its current DAA alerts for other aircraft.
Technical Standards and APIs: Vigilant Aerospace is working towards integrating SDSPs that provide weather hazard data in compliance with emerging industry standards. New API developments are anticipated to streamline the integration of high-accuracy weather data directly into the system.
4. Collaborations and Projects
Key Partnerships: FlightHorizon collaborates with NASA, the FAA, UAS test sites, and the U.S. Air Force, using real-time data from local sensors and SDSPs for test flights and evaluations.
Notable Projects
NASA ULI Wind Map Project: In partnership with Oklahoma State University, Vigilant Aerospace is near the completion of this project, which is focused on mapping wind hazards in support of UAS operations.
UAS and Supersonic Testing: NASA uses FlightHorizon for supersonic test flights, and Vigilant Aerospace also supports radar-based surveillance at Northern Plains UAS test sites in North Dakota and other locations.
Air Force Drone Project: FlightHorizon is being adapted for the Air Force’s new drone systems, which will ultimately require integration of weather data for improved safety and functionality.
5. Uncrewed Traffic Management (UTM) and the Future
UTM Compliance: FlightHorizon is designed to support the upcoming UTM infrastructure by being compatible with distributed UTM data networks and SDSPs. This interoperability allows it to scale across different providers and service layers.
Data Distribution: Through standards-based protocols, FlightHorizon facilitates real-time distribution of essential data (e.g., tracking non-cooperative aircraft or accessing FAA radar sources). Epperson uses the analogy of mobile networks to explain how UTM aims to enable seamless connectivity for UAS operators.
Advantages for Weather Hazard Data: The UTM system’s resilience and scalability make it ideal for integrating dynamic weather data, enabling UAS to operate safely even in challenging conditions by rerouting or taking other safety measures based on real-time updates.
6. Integration and Technical Considerations
Defining Hazards: FlightHorizon’s approach to defining weather hazards is nuanced, accounting for aircraft type, operational altitude, and weather tolerance of each UAS. Epperson mentions that integrating standards-compliant data in GeoJSON format allows streaming of high-frequency data with accurate timestamping and metadata for precision.
Standards and Contingencies: Adhering to Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards ensures compatibility with other systems. Contingency planning capabilities are built into FlightHorizon, which allows for predefined emergency procedures in case of unexpected weather hazards.
Goals for Weather Integration: Vigilant Aerospace is focusing on API-based ingestion of weather data to enable autonomous hazard avoidance, which will improve efficiency and reduce the burden on UAS pilots.
7. User Applications and Targeted Use Cases
End-User Focus: Vigilant Aerospace is targeting a broad user base, including drone ports, corridors, vertiports, agriculture, industrial, and delivery drone operators. These users require reliable, automated solutions for safe and efficient UAS operations in various environments.
Operational Needs of Different Sectors:
– Drone Ports and Corridors: Safe operation in controlled corridors and port environments with frequent flights, requiring accurate, real-time updates on weather and wind hazards.
– Agricultural and Industrial Operators: These users deal with varying weather conditions, and FlightHorizon’s integration of weather hazard data directly benefits their safety and operational consistency.
– Delivery and AAM: Delivery drones and air taxis operate over short distances, often in urban areas where micro-weather data is essential to avoid disruptions.
8. Upcoming Demonstrations and Data Collection
NASA ULI Wind Map Demo: Tulsa, September 2024 event demonstrated the integration of real-time wind hazard data into FlightHorizon’s airspace management system, seeking more real-time data providers for this field test.
Public-Private Partnership Opportunities: Vigilant Aerospace is exploring further collaborations with additional drone ports and test sites, aiming to establish UTM and DAA solutions where weather hazard data can be piloted.
9. Q&A Highlights
FAA’s Key Site Operational Evaluation: Epperson confirms interest in FAA’s operational evaluation initiatives, which could enhance the process for verifying service provider compliance, especially around DAA and weather hazard integration.
Weather Hazard Validation: A question about the validation of weather data sources points to future standards for assessing the reliability of weather and wind data sources within UTM. Epperson expresses interest in FAA standards for weather data certification, akin to existing practices for radar and other surveillance data.
10. Conclusion
Future Vision: Vigilant Aerospace aims to make automated weather hazard avoidance as standard as collision avoidance in UAS operations. Through integration of authoritative real-time weather data, Vigilant Aerospace seeks to create a robust, scalable airspace management system adaptable to various types of UAS missions and operations.
In summary, Vigilant Aerospace’s FlightHorizon seeks to enhance UAS safety and operational efficiency through advanced weather hazard integration and real-time data-sharing within a growing UTM ecosystem. The company’s partnerships and ongoing projects position it to support a range of UAS applications, with upcoming demonstrations highlighting the capabilities of integrated weather data for future airspace management.
Watch the full presentation
Learn more about some of Vigilant Aerospace’s latest research projects.
US Air Force Long Endurance UAS
Vigilant Aerospace is the leading developer of detect-and-avoid and airspace management software for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS or drones). The company’s product, FlightHorizon, is based on two NASA patents and uses data from multiple sources to display a real-time picture of the air traffic around a UAS and to provide automatic avoidance maneuvers to prevent collisions. The software is designed to meet industry technical standards, to provide automatic safety and to allow UAS to safely fly beyond the sight of the pilot. The software has won multiple industry awards and the company has had contracts and users at NASA, the FAA, the U.S. Department of Defense and with a variety of drone development programs. Visit our website at www.VigilantAerospace.com