Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Deconfliction
The global aviation community has experienced significant advancements in the recent past. Following these developments, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have attained a critical mass in this community. Consequently, UAS operations have becomes a critical component and part of today’s global aviation community. According to Fern et al. (2011), UAS is increasingly used in combat zones, which has, in turn, generated mounting pressure and demands on airspace operations. As UAS become more common, their civil and military applications are faced with the need for decreasing levels of human involvement and supervision. This implies that there is an increased need for autonomy of UAS operations. In this regard, deconfliction has emerged as a suitable strategy for promoting the autonomy of UAS. This paper provides an overview of UAS and deconfliction in relation to the growing need for autonomy of UAS operations in civil and military applications.

Overview of UAS

UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) is a system comprising aircraft with no onboard pilot, controlled remotely at an operating station (Congressional Research Service, 2016). The aircraft used in this system is sometimes known as a drone or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). However, there are three basic types of aircraft, apart from missiles, that fly without onboard pilots. They are aircraft that fly in a repetitive manner and designed with limited flexibility, steered remotely at an operating station, and controlled by onboard navigation systems that maintain direction, altitude, and location. UAS falls under the category of aircraft controlled remotely from an operating station.

UAS applications have become common in civic and military aviation operations in the recent past. However, the public’s understanding of this system is largely shaped by the use of drone aircraft by the military in overseas conflicts. Military use of drone aircraft in combat operations can be traced back to World War I and II as the U.S. Army applied this technology for reconnaissance missions. Since its use in the First World War, UAS has remained an important part of military aviation operations. Over the past few decades, the use of UAS in civic aviation operations has gained more attention as rapid technological advancements continue to transform the aviation industry. Currently, unmanned aircraft are sold in the hobbyist and commercial marketplace though it is slightly different from military drones. According to Congressional Research Service (2016), unmanned aircraft in hobbyist and commercial marketplaces use other terminology like UAS because it is generally different from military drones.

The increased availability and use of UAS in civic operations are attributable to its potential in transforming the modern business environment. UAS has the capability to bring numerous changes in business operations as well as transform how government agencies operate. As a result, many companies and public-sector organizations are increasingly considering ways for productive and beneficial use of this system. This trend has been coupled with the design of new generations of UAVs by inventors. The rate of development and deployment of UAS across the globe has increased rapidly in recent years. In the United States, the rate of commercial use of this system continues to increase though UAVs have traditionally been used for military operations or applications. Additionally, the rate of development and deployment of this system in the country is influenced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations governing UAS applications in commercial and public-sector areas.

Challenges and Opportunities for UAS

One of the opportunities associated with the increased development and deployment of UAS is the potential to transform public-sector and commercial operations. UAS provides public-sector organizations and commercial enterprises with numerous opportunities to enhance business operations. This opportunity...…(Unmanned Airspace, 2020). In addition, 4-D operation volumes are used for planning conflict-free operations that account for and avoid other operations. This approach to strategic deconfliction allows preemption, lessens human interaction, and ensures that pre-departure operations are linked to the organization and based on clear guidelines.

Tactical Deconfliction

The second approach to UAS deconfliction, which occurs during in-flight operations. According to Rios (2018), tactical deconfliction entails monitoring, conflict advisory, geographic flight containment, and alert service. Tactical deconfliction is carried out in line with strategic deconfliction to promote the successful deployment of UAS. When carrying out tactical deconfliction, operators adopt a holistic view of the airspace. Furthermore, operators maintain awareness of the state of the airspace in relation to planned and current operations. The holistic view is maintained as the UAV flight is controlled/monitored remotely. During this process, operators detect potential conflicts in the airspace early and design speedy responses for safe and efficient resolution of the identified conflicts. Operators can employ manual, automated or assisted mechanics for tactical deconfliction as part of in-flight operations. Tactical deconfliction provides live alerts and alternative flight plans in real-time (Press, 2019).

In conclusion, UAS has become significant in the global aviation community. Rapid technological advancements in recent years have facilitated increased development and deployment of UAS. While the system has primarily been used in military operations, it is increasingly developed for commercial and hobbyists marketplaces. The use of UAS in these marketplaces is attributable to its potential to transform the operations of commercial and public-sector organizations. There are many opportunities and challenges for the successful development and deployment of UAS. One of these challenges is autonomous deconfliction, which is essential to ensure the safe and efficient operations of UAS. As evident in this discussion, strategic and tactical deconfliction is essential for safe UAS operations.