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TAAC's work on certification and regulatory standards is part of the
Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Alliance, a
NASA-funded partnership of companies, government agencies, universities,
and non-profit organizations.
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The Detect-See-and-Avoid systems being developed for UAVs are an
advancement over the collision-avoidance systems used in commercial aircraft
now, and eventually could make it feasible for the Federal Aviation
Administration to move from the current "highways in the sky" toward a
more efficient "free-flight" system, he said.
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TAAC also is taking a leading role in the testing of UAV technologies,
like sophisticated collision-avoidance systems and over-the-horizon
communication systems, Gutman said. These new technologies are meant to make
UAVs safe for civilian air space, but they are sure to find their way to
manned aircraft and make flight safer overall, he said.
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Over-the-horizon communication also is an improvement over the commercial
standard of today, where "all communication systems on aircraft are
basically pointed at the ground," Gutman said. OTH systems use satellites to
maintain communication, so the vehicle does not have to be within the line
of sight of a control tower, he said.
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