NASA and partners demonstrate high-altitude air traffic management concept
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - NASA, in partnership with AeroVironment and Aerostar, recently demonstrated a first-of-its-kind air traffic management concept that could pave the way for aircraft to safely operate at higher altitudes. This work seeks to open the door for increased internet coverage, improved disaster response, expanded scientific missions, and even supersonic flight. The concept is referred to as an Upper-Class E traffic management, or ETM, Hillary Smith writes for NASA. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
21 October 2024 - Smith, writing for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), notes that there is no traffic management system for aircraft operating above 60,000 feet, as commercial planes historically couldn’t fly at such altitudes. However, advances in aircraft design now enable high-altitude vehicles, such as airships and solar aircraft, to perform tasks like disaster response. Efficient traffic management is needed before these aircraft can operate regularly.
“We are working to safely expand high-altitude missions far beyond what is currently possible,” said Kenneth Freeman, a subproject manager for this effort at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. “With routine, remotely piloted high-altitude operations, we have the opportunity to improve our understanding of the planet through more detailed tracking of climate change, provide internet coverage in underserved areas, advance supersonic flight research, and more.”
Current high-altitude traffic management is manual and case-by-case, requiring operators to contact air traffic control for airspace access. NASA's ETM traffic management system addresses rising demand by enabling autonomous sharing of location and flight plans between aircraft, ensuring safe separation. A recent simulation demonstrated successful coordination between a fixed-wing vehicle and a high-altitude balloon, allowing operators to achieve objectives without air traffic control approval, improving efficiency for high-altitude missions.
Related: Airbus Zephyr Solar High Altitude Platform System (HAPS) reaches new heights
Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
