Publications
Preliminary UAS Weather Research Roadmap(1.51 MB)
November 3, 2017
Project Report
Published in:
Project Report ATC-438, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Summary
A companion Lincoln Laboratory report (ATC-437, “Preliminary Weather Information Gaps for UAS Operations”) identified initial gaps in the ability of current weather products to meet the needs of UAS operations. Building off of that work, this report summarizes the development of a proposed initial roadmap for research to fill the gaps that were identified.
Summary
A companion Lincoln Laboratory report (ATC-437, “Preliminary Weather Information Gaps for UAS Operations”) identified initial gaps in the ability of current weather products to meet the needs of UAS operations. Building off of that work, this report summarizes the development of a proposed initial roadmap for research to fill the...
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Preliminary Weather Information Gap Analysis for UAS Operations(4.88 MB)
November 2, 2017
Project Report
Published in:
Project Report ATC-437, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Summary
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) are rapidly increasing. For example, 2017 has seen dramatically increased low altitude UAS usage for disaster relief and by first responders. The ability to carry out these operations, however, can be strongly impacted by adverse weather conditions. This report documents a preliminary quick-look identification and assessment of gaps in current weather decision support for UAS operations.
Summary
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) are rapidly increasing. For example, 2017 has seen dramatically increased low altitude UAS usage for disaster relief and by first responders. The ability to carry out these operations, however, can be strongly impacted by adverse weather conditions. This report...
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Preliminary weather information gap analysis for UAS operations, revision 1
November 2, 2017
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-437-REV-1
Summary
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) are rapidly increasing. For example, 2017 has seen dramatically increased low altitude UAS usage for disaster relief and by first responders. The ability to carry out these operations, however, can be strongly impacted by adverse weather conditions. This report documents a preliminary quick-look identification and assessment of gaps in current weather decision support for UAS operations. An initial set of surveys and interviews with UAS operators identified 12 major gaps. These gaps were then prioritized based on the importance of the weather phenomena to UAS operations and the current availability of adequate weather information to UAS operators. Low altitude UAS operations are of particular concern. The lack of observations of ceiling, visibility, and winds near most low altitude UAS operational locations causes the validation of numerical weather forecasts of weather conditions for those locations to be the highest priority. Hazardous weather alerting for convective activity and strong surface winds are a major concern for UAS operations that could be addressed in part by access to existing FAA real time conventional aircraft weather products.
Summary
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) are rapidly increasing. For example, 2017 has seen dramatically increased low altitude UAS usage for disaster relief and by first responders. The ability to carry out these operations, however, can be strongly impacted by adverse weather conditions. This report...
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UAS weather research roadmap
October 23, 2017
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-438
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Summary
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) are rapidly increasing, and the trend is expected to continue as regulations are refined to allow broader access to the airspace. The unique characteristics of UAS (e.g., extensive operations in populated areas at altitudes below 500 feet, speed capability, and control systems) may drive the need for new and unique operational strategies, many of which are highly dependent on weather conditions. The objective of this study is to identify information gaps in the ability of current weather products to meet the needs of UAS operations, and provide a roadmap of research required to fill the gaps. There are several trends in the information gaps that surfaced repeatedly. A key item is the availability of weather observations, and forecasts tailored for on-airport operations are not necessarily sufficient for off-airport operations. Surveyed users indicated that airport-specific weather information (e.g., METAR, TAFs, etc.) do not readily translate to conditions at remote launch locations, which may be 10-30 miles from the nearest airport, and are influenced by local terrain, vegetation, and water sources. Moreover, the results show significantly less weather information available to support low-altitude flight than for typical manned-flight profiles. Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations are found to have higher need for weather forecasts, uncertainty information, and contingency planning than Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) operations. Furthermore, the study identifies specific gaps related to how the airspace should be managed to mitigate safety and efficiency impacts to UAS operations. The research roadmap is composed of research recommendations that are derived from the aforementioned weather information gaps. In total, there are 14 specific recommendations that define the roadmap. The first two recommendations are not explicitly tied to specific gaps; rather they are based on lessons learned through the course of research in this study. The remaining recommendations are ordered such that their priority is based on their overall significance to the operation, the maturity of the operation, and any dependence among other recommendations.
Summary
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) are rapidly increasing, and the trend is expected to continue as regulations are refined to allow broader access to the airspace. The unique characteristics of UAS (e.g., extensive operations in populated areas at altitudes below 500 feet, speed capability...
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Development and use of a comprehensive humanitarian assessment tool in post-earthquake Haiti
May 13, 2014
Journal Article
Published in:
Procedia Eng., Vol. 78, 2014, pp. 10-21.
Summary
This paper describes a comprehensive humanitarian assessment tool designed and used following the January 2010 Haiti earthquake. The tool was developed under Joint Task Force -- Haiti coordination using indicators of humanitarian needs to support decision making by the United States Government, agencies of the United Nations, and various non-governmental organizations. A set of questions and data collection methodology were developed by a collaborative process involving a broad segment of the Haiti humanitarian relief community and used to conduct surveys in internally displaced person settlements and surrounding communities for a four-month period starting on 15 March 2010. Key considerations in the development of the assessment tool and data collection methodology, representative analysis results, and observations from the operational use of the tool for decision making are reported. The paper concludes with lessons learned and recommendations for design and use of similar tools in the future.
Summary
This paper describes a comprehensive humanitarian assessment tool designed and used following the January 2010 Haiti earthquake. The tool was developed under Joint Task Force -- Haiti coordination using indicators of humanitarian needs to support decision making by the United States Government, agencies of the United Nations, and various non-governmental...
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Airport surface traffic management decision support - perspectives based on tower flight data manager prototype
May 20, 2013
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-398
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This report describes accomplishments and insights gathererd during the development of decision support tools as part of the Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) program. This work was performed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The TFDM program integrated flight data, aircraft surveillance, information on weather and traffic flow constraints, and other data required to optimize airport conguration and arrival/departure management functions. The prototype has been evaluated in both human-in-the-loop simulations, and during operational tests at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport. In parallel, the Laboratory estimated future national operational benefits for TFDM decision support functions, using analysis and performance data gathered from major airports in the US. This analysis indicated that the greatest potential operational benefits would come from decision support tools that facilitate: i) managing runway queues and sequences, ii) tactical management of flight routes and times, impacted by weather and traffic constraints, and iii) managing airport configuration changes. Evaluation of TFDM prototype decision support functions in each of these areas provided valuable insights relative to the maturity of current capabilities and research needed to close performance gaps.
Summary
This report describes accomplishments and insights gathererd during the development of decision support tools as part of the Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) program. This work was performed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The TFDM program integrated flight data, aircraft surveillance, information on...
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Evaluation of Consolidated Storm Prediction for Aviation (CoSPA) 0-8 hour convective weather forecast using the airspace flow program blockage-based capacity forecast ("The Matrix")
November 9, 2011
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-385
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Summary
The CoSPA 0-8 hour convective weather forecast provides deterministic forecast products that can be used by strategic traffic management planners, and can be readily translated into forecasts of aviation capacity impacts for use in automated decision support tools. An operational CoSPA prototype was evaluated at several FAA Air Traffic Control facilities during the summer of 2010. As part of this evaluation, CoSPA forecasts were translated into forecasts of capacity impacts on traffic flows through two Flow Constrained Areas (FCAA05 and FCAA08) commonly used to control arrival traffic into the highly congested northeastern United States. This report describes an objective and operationally relevant evaluation of the accurancy of CoSPA-based forecasts of FCA capacity.
Summary
The CoSPA 0-8 hour convective weather forecast provides deterministic forecast products that can be used by strategic traffic management planners, and can be readily translated into forecasts of aviation capacity impacts for use in automated decision support tools. An operational CoSPA prototype was evaluated at several FAA Air Traffic Control...
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Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) weather integration
August 10, 2010
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-364
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Summary
TCAS behavior in New England airspace is being monitored and analyzed, making use of an omni-directional 1030/1090 MHz receiver. The receiver system, located in Lexington, MA, and operated by M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory, is used to record Resolution Advisories (RAs). Omni-directional receptions make it possible to examine the air-to-air messages exchanged between aircraft for coordination of RAs. Omni-directional reception rates are also being studied. THe results indicated the percentage of aircraft that are TCAS equipped and the percentage of received signals that originate from TCAS and other systems. A third aspect of the program evaluates the availablity of 1090 MHz Extended Squitter data for use in collision avoidance systems. Data is recorded continuously, and the busiest periods are selected for focused attention.
Summary
TCAS behavior in New England airspace is being monitored and analyzed, making use of an omni-directional 1030/1090 MHz receiver. The receiver system, located in Lexington, MA, and operated by M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory, is used to record Resolution Advisories (RAs). Omni-directional receptions make it possible to examine the air-to-air messages exchanged...
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Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) -- weather integration
January 18, 2010
Conference Paper
Published in:
14th Conf. on Aviaton, Range, and Aerospace Meteorology, ARAM, 16-21 January 2010.
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Summary
Time-based flow metering (TBFM) of traffic to capacity-constrained areas such as airport runways and arrival fixes is considered a key element of the Next Generation (NextGEN) Air Transportation System operational concept for managing high density air traffic. The principal operational TBFM system today is the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA). TMA is used to optimize the flow of aircraft through various control points (e.g., arrival fixes, final approach fixes, and runway thresholds) so as to maximize airspace capacity without compromising safety. TMA makes continuous predictions of aircraft Estimated Time of Arrivals (ETAs) at various metering points along the flight's trajectory. Scheduling algorithms use the ETAs to compute Scheduled Times of Arrival (STAs) for each aircraft to specific scheduling points. The desired change in aircraft arrival time to the meter fix is provided to en route controllers who then accomplish speed and/or trajectory changes such that the plane passes over the arrival fix at the desired time. The required arrival fix time adjustment is continually updated as the plane proceeds to the arrival fix to provide closed loop control. During non-convective weather, TMA usage has resulted in increased capacity, reduced aircraft fuel burn, and decreased delay. If significant convective weather is present, the TMA software currently still assumes that an aircraft will fly the normal fair weather trajectory to a metering fix. However, if an aircraft deviates around a storm, the flying time to a metering point will generally be different from the fair weather flight time. Therefore, the TMA ETAs will be in error. Currently, the TMA usage is often halted during convective weather events because the arrival time adjustments provided to the controllers may be unmanageable or in error. A study is underway to determine the potential benefits derived from various approaches to integrating weather information from the Corridor Integrated Weather System (CIWS) with TMA. Our focus is on near term weather-TMA integration capabilities that would provide enhanced decision support for the operational community that is successfully utilizing TMA in non-severe weather and/or seeking to increase its operational utility in severe weather. As part of this study, and in conjunction with case study analyses of TMA actions and air traffic operations during convective weather, Subject Matter Experts (SME) from the National TMA Workgroup and select FAA facilities were interviewed to determine TMA fair-weather practices and to identify current TMA capabilities and limitations during weather impact events. The SMEs were also asked to prioritize TMA weather integration needs and to discuss specific weather integration options for the TMA displays. Real-time observations of TMA operations during convective weather were also conducted at Atlanta (ZTL), Boston (ZBW), and Chicago (ZAU) Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC) to examine (a) the common TMA control actions executed to meter flows during adverse weather, (b) when and why the TBFM becomes unusable during convective weather, and (c) which approaches to providing integrated weather-TMA information would most effectively extend the current TMA capabilities and increase ATM efficiency. The paper will describe initial results of the study including specific options for TMA-CIWS integration and the anticipated operational benefits for these options.
Summary
Time-based flow metering (TBFM) of traffic to capacity-constrained areas such as airport runways and arrival fixes is considered a key element of the Next Generation (NextGEN) Air Transportation System operational concept for managing high density air traffic. The principal operational TBFM system today is the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA). TMA...
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Roadmap for weather integration into Traffic Flow Management Modernization (TFM-M)
July 24, 2009
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-347
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This report provides recommendations for aligning new Collaborative Air Traffic Management Technologies (CATM-T) with evolving aviation weather products to improve NAS efficiency during adverse (especially severe) weather conditions. Key gaps identified include 1. Improving or developing pilot convective storm avoidance models as well as models for route blockage and capacity in severe weather is necessary for automated congestion prediction and resolution. 2. Forecasts need to characterize uncertainty that can be used by CATM tools and, explicitly forecast key parameters needed for translation of weather products to capacity impacts. 3. Time based flow management will require substantial progress in both the translation modeling and in predicting appropriate storm avoidance trajectories. Near term efforts should focus on integration of the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) with contemporary severe weather products such as the Corridor Integrated Weather System (CIWS). 4. Human factors studies on product design to improve individual decision making, improved collaborative decision making in "difficult" situations, and the use of probabilistic products are also essential. 5. Studies need to be carried out to determine how well en route and terminal capacity currently is being utilized during adverse weather events so as to identify the highest priority areas for integrated weather-CATM system development.
Summary
This report provides recommendations for aligning new Collaborative Air Traffic Management Technologies (CATM-T) with evolving aviation weather products to improve NAS efficiency during adverse (especially severe) weather conditions. Key gaps identified include 1. Improving or developing pilot convective storm avoidance models as well as models for route blockage and capacity...
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