No abstract

One of the most critical challenges to full integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) is the requirement to comply with CFR 14 Part 91.113 to "see and avoid" other aircraft. Various attempts have been made to develop systems to "sense and avoid" other aircraft so UAS can comply with the intent of the regulation. This article proposes a framework to develop effectiveness requirements for any SAA system by linking UAS characteristics and operating environments to midair collision risk quantified by a fatality rate. The framework consists of a target level of safety (TLS) approach using an event tree format. Safety has been identified as the most important consideration in the UAS integration process. While safety can be defined in many ways, the authors propose using a fatality rate metric that follows other statistics used in the industry. This metric allows for the use of a TLS approach to the development of SAA requirements for system certification. Failure to adequately link system requirements to safety could result in the implementation of SAA systems that either do not adequately mitigate the risk associated with UAS operations or are overdesigned, resulting in increased cost and complexity. This article demonstrates the use of the proposed framework to develop specific SAA effectiveness standards based on UAS weight and airspace class combinations.

His research interests include capstone design teaching and assessment, undergraduate engineering student leadership development, and social network analysis. He is also a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The mechanical engineering faculty at the United States Military Academy recently implemented an integrated, two-course thermal-fluid systems sequence that presents fundamental thermodynamics and fluid mechanics topics. Instructors introduce students to these topics by exploring operational aspects of five complex systems: a helicopter, a power plant, a total air-conditioning system, an automotive system, and a high performance aircraft. Additionally, both courses incorporate laboratories, demonstrations and hands-on educational aids, design projects, and self-learning opportunities to reinforce understanding of fundamental concepts. Results from the first year the sequence was taught indicate students prefer learning topics from a global perspective and integrating thermodynamics and fluid mechanics topics reinforces student learning and retention of fundamental concepts. Challenges to teaching an integrated thermal-fluid systems sequence include lack of availability of textbooks that present thermodynamics and fluid mechanics topics in a truly integrated manner and establishing equivalency of courses within the integrated sequence with courses taught at other universities for those students on semester exchange programs.