Good overview on sense-and-avoid tech from GCN:
Some excerpts:
ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) transponders not only broadcast aircraft location in real time, they also deliver information on altitude and velocity. What's more, they can deliver data on other aircraft, weather and terrain to the vehicle that is carrying them. In fact, ADS-B transponders will replace radar as the primary technology for tracking air traffic, and the FAA will require the majority of aircraft operating in U.S. airspace to be equipped with ADS-B by Jan. 1, 2020.
Using ADS-B transponders on many UAVs was infeasible until recently, when Sagetech Corp., an avionics company based in White Salmon, Wash., developed one that weighed only 3.5 ounces.
...
One of the most ambitious civilian efforts under way to develop an integrated system for UAVs is the Mid-Air Collision Avoidance System (MIDCAS), which is being developed by five European countries — Sweden, Germany, France, Italy and Spain — and 11 industrial partners.
The four-year, $65 million project is expected by 2014 to deliver an automated sense-and-avoid system that will not depend on transponders. While it is being designed to integrate ADS-B, MIDCAS also includes two visible-band electro-optical cameras and one infrared camera for aircraft to use in identifying other aircraft. In addition, the team's developers are designing image-processing algorithms, processing units and integration with on-board avionics.
A key point is in the last paragraph:
"The real challenge is not technological," Glenn said. "The real challenge is regulatory acceptance. I think we're close enough. The key is that we are able to be as good as manned aviation. So the issue is how to get federal aviation authorities around the world to get their minds around it."
According to Glenn, if government regulatory agencies would specify the performance standards UAVs need to meet, he can design appropriate equipment. "You tell me what the requirement is, and I will build it," he said.
Pellebergs agrees. "No one really knows what the requirements are for sense-and-avoid for UASes in civilian airspace, so we need to get a set of standards in place," he said. "I think that's what's holding up a lot of the progress in this area."
Unfortunately, the Federal Aviation Administration declined our requests for comment.
Comments
BTW, further to Monroe's comment, the "give-way" rules of the air are already in place for manned aviation. It's just unclear where UAV's sit in the pecking order of balloons > gliders > powered
It's worth also pointing out FLARM, which has been developed and widely used by the gliding community. It's a low-cost, low-power system that lets multiple gliders safely share a thermal, although the avoid decision making is done by the on-board biological neural-network system.
@Gary, which doppler radar? I had never heard of anything that cheap.
http://www.sagetechcorp.com/client/Sagetech%20XP%20Transponder%20Br...
Comes with NMEA and RS232 interfaces
Supply Voltage 10-32V
Im not referring to Recreational Hobby UAS. I am talking about for commercial use in the future. having a transponder on the UA could be a requirement for UAS to operate in the NAS. If that happens I think it would be a good thing to have the ability there on the APM HW and SW so that it can be plug and play for users.
we are all talking about receiving ads-b what about our aircraft spitting out ads-b to other aircraft too... We should have the transponder on our ua giving all aircraft our information too...
I have seen MIDCAS in action, it was jaw droppingly good tracking birds lifting from fields even. It spotted aircraft miles out and at the talk I went to it was being said that all manned aircraft should be fitted with it. They should see us and get out of the way then. I believe it was also said that the noise of seeing every bird, plane and car truck bus train was an issue.
Don't forget the FAA are now deciding how to handle privacy and then once they announce that it will be a year before the integration process is restarted. It is currently halted.
3.5 ounces is 108g according to convert-me.com so far less than even a small battery. Small enough to put on all but the smallest quadcopters. Of course, it'll probably cost more than the quadcopter until the open source community makes their own version. Still, great news!
I'm afraid the FAA's entire stance on non government UAVs is a delaying tactic.
Once they say anything, whatever happens then lands on them and they don't come close to having the manpower to cover it.
I am pretty sure that is their perception anyway.
As far as the FAA is concerned there is no upside.
I reckon binocular vision systems operating in the IR band might deliver useful non-transponder sense-and-avoid. Something like that which Mercedes Benz has experimented with and demonstrated and I blogged about earlier
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