Improving situation awareness for safe and compliant UAV/RPAS operations

无人机系统在空域的运行和集成需要一个安全管理系统来感知和避免来袭的飞机，并消除空中相撞的机会。Seamatica的阿波罗系统是一个集成的ADS-B(自动相关监视-广播：向/从其他飞机广播/接收地理位置信息的应答器)。目前，阿波罗依靠安装在无人机上的GPS跟踪器将其GPS位置传回阿波罗进行显示。需要与自动驾驶仪GCS(地面控制站)进行双向通信，以便将其自身的无人机位置传达给Apollo，并由Apollo命令GCS在操作员没有对来自Apollo的NMAC(接近空中碰撞)警报做出及时响应时启动避让操作。这将消除对 在自己的无人驾驶飞机上安装额外的GPS跟踪器，并在需要时提供直接启动避让机动的能力。在这个项目中，我们计划研究和集成阿波罗系统和我们实验室现有的微型飞行员自动驾驶系统。这将使无人机的GCS接收到的无人机信息重新传输到阿波罗系统，以便与ADS-B和其他平台识别和跟踪系统的其他输入一起使用Falconview地图应用程序在动态地图上显示。将实现一个接口，以接收自动驾驶GCS系统从阿波罗发出的更高级别的导航命令，以启动无人机回避策略。此外，履带式飞机的地理位置信息将在自动驾驶地面控制站上显示，而不是基本上在猎鹰地图软件上显示 成为一个单一的控制站，将态势感知直接内置到任何自动驾驶GCS中。该项目的主要任务是：1)建立从MicroPilot自动驾驶仪到Apollo和Apollo到自动驾驶仪GCS的接口，以便在这两个系统之间共享地理位置信息和其他命令；2)开发自动驾驶仪GCS的驱动程序，以从Apollo获得ADS-B信息；3)对设置进行地面和飞行测试；以及4)开发将Apollo功能纳入MicroPilot自动驾驶系统的程序。

Operation and integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems in the airspace requires a safety management system to sense and avoid incoming aircrafts and eliminate chances of mid-air collision. Seamatica's Apollo System is an integrated ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast: A transponder which broadcasts/receives geo-position information to/from other aircraft). Presently, Apollo depends on a GPS tracker installed on the unmanned aircraft to transmit its GPS position back to Apollo for the display. Two-way communications with the autopilot GCS (Ground Control Station) is desired so that its own UAV's position is communicated to Apollo and for Apollo to command the GCS to initiate an avoidance manoeuvre when the operator does not respond promptly to a NMAC (near mid-air collision) alert from Apollo. This will eliminate the need for an additional GPS tracker on the own unmanned aircraft as well as provide direct ability to initiate an avoidance maneuver when required. In this project we propose to research and integrate the Apollo system with the Micropilot autopilot system we have at our laboratory. This will enable the UAV information received by the UAV's GCS to be retransmitted to Apollo System to display on a dynamic map using FalconView Mapping application with other inputs from ADS-B and other platform identification and tracking systems. An interface will be implemented to receive higher level navigation commands by the autopilot GCS system from the Apollo to initiate UAV avoidance strategy. Further the geo-position information of the tracked aircraft is to be displayed on the autopilot ground control station instead of the Falconview Mapping Software essentially becoming a single control station with situational awareness directly built in to any autopilot GCS. The main tasks of the project are: 1) Build the Interface from Micropilot autopilot to Apollo and Apollo to autopilot's GCS so that geo-position information and other commands can be shared among the two systems; 2) Develop Drivers for autopilot's GCS to get ADS-B information from Apollo; 3) Ground and Flight Test the setup; and 4) Develop procedures for the incorporation of Apollo functionalities into Micropilot's autopilot system.