Cooperative and Coordinated Digital Flight
A capability of cooperative and coordinated flight operations founded on a platform of secure digital information exchange, distributed authority, and intelligent onboard automation for flight path management in four dimensions (lateral, vertical, & time) to promote ubiquitous, safe, seamless, and efficient airspace utilization for all operators and with flexible architectures that enable operators to achieve their unique and diverse mission objectives with minimal restriction.
Intelligent and Adaptive Automation
Collective learning and dynamic information processing that augments operations and optimization of shared resources, with built-in resilience through intelligent and adaptive automation and applications, such as enhanced weather forecasting and predictive routing efficiency.
In-Time System-Wide Safety Assurance
A broad range of safety systems that proactively mitigate risks and demonstrate innovative solutions while ultimately ensuring safety to the community on the ground and in the airspace, employing services, functions, and capabilities that perform comprehensive monitoring and communication of the aviation system state, assessment of elevated risks, and mitigation actions to assure safety.
Micro-Services for Flight Operators
A diverse marketplace of appropriately authorized service providers distributed throughout the aviation ecosystem supporting flight operations with a wide range of micro-services to meet the varied needs of each operator in the local airspace.
Digital Airspace
A capability of airspace and air traffic management founded on a platform of digital information and automation to promote safe, seamless, and flexible airspace utilization for all operators and considers airspace constraints dynamically by digital means to ensure system performance and safety.
We envision two community groups, day of use and contributing. Contributing stakeholders perform research, development, and implementation to ensure the day of use stakeholders are successful.
Day of Use Stakeholders
Contributing Stakeholders
Planning
An internet service provider plans to use a fleet of High Altitude Platform System (HAPS) fixed-wing, solar-powered aircraft to provide emergency broadband internet to hurricane survivors, potentially for several months. Due to limited maneuverability and the desire to use altitude to store excess energy during the day for flight through the night, the vehicle’s position may be difficult to predict many hours in advance, but can be accurately reported on a continuous basis.
Other vehicles operating in or near the defined airspace are aware of the aircraft’s position and operational intent and maintain the recommended margin through use of Cooperative and Coordinated Digital Flight and Digital Airspace capabilities. The streamlined flight planning and communication also reduces the cost of operations.
Operation
Micro-Services for Flight Operators providers coordinate climb out to 60,000 feet with air traffic control. Prior to arriving at altitude, the aircraft updates its operational intent for climbing above 60,000 feet with other vehicles including supersonic military and passenger jets. Trajectories are shared digitally via Digital CNS Infrastructure to maintain In-Time System-Wide Safety Assurance.
While in upper Class E airspace, the operator leverages Cooperative and Coordinated Digital Flight to report position for collaborative flight operations and ensure appropriate separation with other vehicles tailored to their respective performance capabilities.
All operators play a role in the collaborative use of airspace by sharing both operational intent and their real-time maneuver capability. More maneuverable vehicles utilize Cooperative and Coordinated Digital Flight to alter their flight paths to avoid conflict with less maneuverable vehicles, while equivalent-performing aircraft apply established right-of-way rules.
Improved high-altitude weather forecasting products are accessed via the Data and Decision Support Marketplace. If winds aloft are different than predicted or an unexpected problem occurs, Micro-Services for Flight Operators aid in coordinating response with minimum impact to airspace operations.
Success
Vehicles operating in Upper Class E airspace receive information about the HAPS vehicle’s operational intent for the duration of its mission. With the increased number of operations in this airspace and the wide variation in their performance characteristics, digital exchange of information is crucial to continued safe operations for all. The operator completes the mission and returns safely to base.
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