The introduction of fixed-wing cargo Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) has the potential to revitalize traffic at under-utilized regional airports. These regional airports are often non-towered airports in uncontrolled airspaces with increasingly non-cooperative air traffic. This work proposes to adapt current U-space architectures for the terminal airspace of these airports. This will reduce traffic intent uncertainty as all airspace users must be electronically conspicuous to the U-space environment. To further mitigate traffic intent uncertainty in uncontrolled airspaces, this paper analyzes the spatial traffic density of crewed traffic at four German non-towered airports in 2022. The investigated flight routes and traffic patterns of crewed traffic help to understand current flight intents and enable a more seamless airspace integration of UAS together with crewed traffic. In addition, this paper introduces a UAS holding stack concept for non-towered airport approaches within a U-space environment. UAS holding stacks are intended to handle increased traffic intent uncertainty in the context of tactical conflict management provided by U-space services. The results of this paper will enable more efficient airspace integration of UAS in terms of strategic and tactical flight planning and conflict management at non-towered airports.
Navigating the Uncertain: Integrating Uncrewed Aircraft Systems at Airports in Uncontrolled Airspace
23.04.2024
7565420 byte
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
Operational integration potential of regional uncrewed aircraft systems into the airspace system
Springer Verlag | 2025
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British Library Conference Proceedings | 1997
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