T
he fielding of the U.S. Army Ground Based Sense and Avoid (GBSAA) system is both a technological frontier for
unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and a first in aviation applications.
GBSAA is a groundbreaking solution that
uses ground-based sensors and
processing to meet the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandate for all aircraft that operate in the National Airspace to “see and avoid” other aircraft. (See Figure 1 on Page 64.) Because unmanned
aircraft do not
have an onboard pilot to perform this function, alternate means of compliance are necessary. GBSAA provides this compliance.
All services have a vested interest in establishing a means to comply with the FAA’s “see and avoid” requirements. GBSAA is a near-term solution being pursued by the Army, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Marine Corps. Te Army is the designated lead on the Office of the Secretary of Defense UAS Task Force for GBSAA.
A longer-term solution for meeting the FAA’s requirement is to develop an Airborne
SEE AND AVOID
Close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration is critical to implementation of the Ground Based Sense and Avoid (GBSAA) system. The GBSAA was introduced as an alternate means for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to “see and avoid” in the National Airspace System; previously, the FAA required either a ground observer or chase plane. Here, an aircraft operator (left) and GBSAA operator conduct a synthetic/virtual mission at a GBSAA testbed laboratory using Shadow unmanned aircraft and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, NC, airspace. (U.S. Army photo by John Innes, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Management Office, Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation)
currently funded to field GBSAA to five Gray Eagle sites.
FIELDING PREPARATIONS As with any system, extensive advance planning
emplacement is detailed
the only coordination
that would occur. However, the type of
coordination and coordination with the Sense and Avoid (ABSAA)
System, which the Air Force is pursuing as the DOD lead for ABSAA. Te final solution, defined as integration of GBSAA and ABSAA systems, will play a role in the longer-term solution for UAS integration into the National Airspace System (NAS).
In the meantime, fielding preparations for the Army’s GBSAA system are well underway, led by the Unmanned Systems Airspace Integration Concepts (USAIC) Product Office within the UAS Project Management Office of Program Execu- tive Office (PEO) Aviation. Te Army is
fielding locations are required to ensure a smooth fielding process. Site surveys have been conducted at three GBSAA sites thus far, with plans to place two radar at each of the three sites. Two addi- tional site surveys will be conducted with plans to place up to three radar per site, depending on site-specific parameters such as local terrain and access to power and access communication lines.
Along with radar site selection, other required coordination includes identify- ing acceptable climate-controlled storage, coordinating with the base for network access, and related activities.
It would be easy to consider GBSAA as “just a radar” and assume that radar
INCREMENTAL APPROACH How do you take a first-of-its-kind tech- nology like GBSAA from development to the field and concurrently receive FAA approval for such a system when the FAA is
still establishing policies
for UAS integration into the NAS? Te simple answer is to take small, incre- mental steps and coordinate closely with certification authorities.
Te Army’s prototype GBSAA system received an FAA Certificate of Authori- zation to operate at night with the Army’s Gray Eagle UAS at El Mirage, CA, in August 2010. Tis was, and still is, the first time the FAA has granted a Cer- tificate of Authorization to a UAS using GBSAA as an alternate means to “see
ASC.ARMY.MIL 63 being con-
ducted at each site serves as a model for any fielded system.
ACQUISITION
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