NASA has conducted research to develop technologies, data, and guidelines for conflict detection and resolution (CD&R) in the terminal maneuvering area (TMA) under current and emerging NextGen operating concepts, creating a protective safety layer in the event that traffic awareness is not sufficient or human errors or blunders occur. The CD&R concepts use cockpit display designs to promote surface situation awareness and flight deck indication and alerting concepts for safety assurance. The concepts employ continual own-ship and traffic data monitoring and algorithms to detect conflicts on the runway, at low altitudes near the airport, and during taxi and ramp operations for multiple classes of aircraft and surface vehicles. Indications and alerts create awareness of traffic in the event that TMA safety or operational conditions warrant flight crew response in order to avoid potential collisions.
The CD&R technologies have been evaluated in numerous human-in-the-loop simulations for commercial and general aviation operations, a batch study, and multiple flight tests. NASA collaborated with the FAA to conduct a flight test evaluating the integration of an advanced surface surveillance infrastructure and the airborne CD&R technologies. The technology has been transferred to the FAA and industry. NASA also contributed to development of requirements for Enhanced Traffic Situation Awareness on the Airport Surface with Indications and Alerts (SURF IA), RTCA DO-323.
New Technology
NASA Case Number LAR 17679-1, A Method for Airport Traffic Conflict Detection, Alerting, and Resolution for Collision Avoidance on and Near the Airport Surface
NASA Case Number LAR 16544-1, Runway Incursion Prevention System (RIPS) Software
Tech POC: Denise Jones
References
Jones, D. R., Chartrand, R. C., Wilson, S. R., Commo, S. A., Ballard, K. M., Otero, S. D., and Barker, G. D., Airport Traffic Conflict Detection and Resolution Algorithm Evaluation, NASA TP-2016-219334, August, 2016.
Jones, D. R., Prinzel, L. J., Bailey, R. E., Arthur, J. J., and Barnes, J. R., Conducting Safe and Efficient Airport Surface Operations in a NextGen Environment, NASA TP-2016-219172, March, 2016.
Otero, S. D., Barker, G. D., and Jones, D. R., Initial Concept for Terminal Area Conflict Detection, Alerting, and Resolution Capability On or Near the Airport Surface, Version 2.0, NASA TM-2013-218052, October, 2013.
Jones, Denise R. and Prinzel, L. J., III, Simulator Evaluation of Runway Incursion Prevention Technology for General Aviation Operations, NASA TP-2011-217045, January, 2011.
Safety, Performance and Interoperability Requirements Document for Enhanced Traffic Situational Awareness on the Airport Surface with Indications and Alerts (SURF IA), DO-323, RTCA, Inc., Washington, DC, 2010.
Jones, Denise R., Prinzel, L. J., Shelton, K. J., Bailey, R. E., Otero, S. D., and Barker, G. D., Collision Avoidance for Airport Traffic Simulation Evaluation, Proceedings of the 29th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, October 3-7, 2010.
Jones, Denise R., Prinzel, Lawrence J., Otero, Sharon D., and Barker, Glover D., Collision Avoidance for Airport Traffic Concept Evaluation, Proceedings of the 28th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Orlando, FL, October 25-29, 2009.
Jones, Denise R., Runway Incursion Prevention System Testing at the Wallops Flight Facility, Proceedings of the SPIE Defense & Security Symposium, Enhanced and Synthetic Vision 2005, March 28, 2005, Vol. 5802-5.
Jones, Denise R., Runway Incursion Prevention System Simulation Evaluation, Proceedings of the 21st Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Irvine, CA, Oct. 27 – 31, 2002.
Jones, Denise R., Quach, Cuong C., and Young, Steven D., Runway Incursion Prevention System – Demonstration and Testing at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Proceedings of the 20th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Daytona Beach, FL, Oct. 14 – 18, 2001.
Young, Steven D. and Jones, Denise R., Runway Incursion Prevention Using an Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS), Proceedings of the 19th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Philadelphia, PA, Oct. 7 – 13, 2000.
Jones, Denise R. and Young, Steven D., Airport Surface Movement Technologies – Atlanta Demonstration Overview, Proceedings of the 17th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Seattle, WA, Oct. 31 – Nov. 6, 1998.
Jones, Denise R., Young, Steven D., Wills, Robert W., Smith, Kathryn A., Shipman, Floyd S., Bryant, Wayne H., and Eckhardt, Dave E. Jr., Flight Demonstration of Integrated Airport Surface Technologies for Increased Capacity and Safety, NASA TM-1998-206930, Feb. 1998.
Jones, Denise R. and Young, Steven D., Flight Demonstration of Integrated Airport Surface Automation Concepts, Proceedings of the 14th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Nov. 5 – 9, 1995.