Commercial and public-sector demands are helping to accelerate advancements in unmanned systems. For instance, military services and federal agencies use the technology for aerial, surface, and underwater applications. A new
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report from TRB finds that the U.S. Coast Guard should proceed more aggressively and deliberately in taking advantage of Unmanned Systems (UxS) advancements.
The potential for UxS is illustrated using scenarios depicting their utility for a range of Coast Guard missions, including search and rescue, reestablishing aids to navigation for the clearing of channels and docks to reopen ports in the aftermath of hurricanes or other natural disasters, and detecting illegal fishing or other illicit activities. Unmanned Aircraft or Aerial Systems (UAS) could expand the Coast Guards capacity to monitor the country’s vast territorial waters in remote locations with harsh environmental conditions. These responsibilities are particularly well-suited to automation because they are “dull, dirty, and dangerous.”
It is unlikely that the preparation and investment needed for UxS research, development, and deployment can be met by simply reducing or reallocating the Coast Guard’s spending on manned assets and operations, notes the report. Therefore, concludes the committee which authored
Leveraging Unmanned Systems for Coast Guard Missions, the Commandant should issue a high-level strategy that:
- lays out the compelling case for UxS,
- sets forth critical goals for the systems when deployed, and
- outlines the Coast Guard’s approach for achieving them.
Planning and executing an UxS strategy will likely require other organizational changes, as outlined in other recommendations of the report.
Key to a strategy would be for the Coast Guard to leverage UxS technologies and resources from the Navy, other military services and federal agencies, and the private sector. In order to accelerate the introduction of UxS into its missions and across its operational and mission support units, the study proposes that the Coast Guard expand its experimentation with low-cost UxS. Such experimentation, when undertaken across the ranks, will lead to the identification of more beneficial uses, while also nurturing a technologically proficient workforce.
“A major realignment is needed,” said Heidi C. Perry, assistant head of the Air, Missile, and Maritime Defense Technology Division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory and chair of the committee that wrote the report. “As other military services integrate UxS into their force structure, the Coast Guard will be impelled to do the same.”
Supplying airports with the research needed to hit the air running
Drones and UxS offer potential to military, industry, and also hobbyists. For 10 years, mass market drones have been flying the friendly skies. The technology, policy around it, and users’ experience all continue to evolve, increasing both its potential and challenges.
Aviation experts have long explored the wide range of safety, economic, operational, regulatory, community, environmental, and infrastructure challenges and opportunities UAS present airports and the National Airspace System. Federal regulations in the United States currently allow broad commercial use of UAS, but operations directly over people are still prohibited unless the operator has received a waiver or other approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The TRB Airport Cooperation Research Program’s (ACRP)
Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Volume 1: Managing and Engaging Stakeholders on UAS in the Vicinity of Airports provides guidance for airport operators and managers to interact with UAS operations in the vicinity.
Some public airports are currently supporting limited UAS operations (like testing, agriculture, surveying, photography, and racing).
Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Volume 2: Incorporating UAS into Airport Infrastructure— Planning Guidebook provides planning, operational, and infrastructure information to safely integrate existing and anticipated UAS operations into an airport environment.
Smaller airports (non-hub and general aviation) without capacity issues may use this research to prepare for and attract UAS operations for additional revenue in the near term. Larger airports will have to accommodate UAS as they are integrated into the commercial cargo and passenger aircraft fleet in the future.
When airports effectively implement the use of UAS, they gain efficiencies in tasks such as inspecting pavement and wildlife management. Experiences and lessons learned from recent major aviation system changes demonstrate the critical importance of ensuring that airports have the resources needed to avoid adverse impacts and maximize benefits as early as possible.
Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Volume 3: Potential Use of UAS by Airport Operators offers practical considerations for appropriately integrating UAS missions as part of standard operations at airports.
Keeping airports ahead of the curve on drones
An important aspect of incorporating drones is working with existing airfield layouts.
Upcoming ACRP research will look into airfield design challenges, issues, and considerations for the unique operational needs of large UAS, which are classified as those that are greater than 55 pounds.
The opportunity to better manage the public health and safety risks around drones is highlighted in
Critical Issues in Transportation 2019. Research published in
Transportation Research Record (TRR), shows evidence that
conflicts in minimum separation standards between commercial airlines and drones occasionally occur. It did not explore the frequency or severity of these airspace conflicts.
Assessing the Risks of Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examines the various ways that risks to people either on the ground or in manned aircraft can be defined and applied to integrating UAS into the National Airspace System. The National Academies research found that a tendency to focus on drone risks rather than potential benefits may have unintentionally helped foster general hesitancy around UAS.
UAS technology has been ahead of policies around its use. ACRP’s
Evolving Law on Airport Implications by Unmanned Aerial Systems offers an overview of basic legal and operational issues and reviews common practices in use by airports. The report highlights the benefits of viewing UAS as an opportunity rather than a threat and something airports can take ownership of by proactively influencing policymaking.
Specific drone safety, security, and privacy concerns within the context of the Small Unmanned Aircraft Regulations were discussed in a 2018
TRB webinar featuring ACRP research and sought to clarify competing local, state, and federal regulations. Presenters pointed out the benefits of airports taking initiative in the conversation and engaging with users as well as working to mitigate risk and manage safety.
Exciting potential for U.S. leadership on drones
There are ways that the U.S. can maintain its leadership in developing, deploying, and embracing new drone technology. The National Academies’
Advancing Aerial Mobility presents a national vision for advanced aerial mobility and overcoming barriers that restrict the vision. The report recommends a Joint Advanced Aerial Mobility Master Plan formulated by a partnership between the FAA and NASA. These entities may also coordinate on research to extend UAS traffic management concepts to accommodate emerging advanced aerial mobility traffic in all classes of airspace. Taking things a step further in the air, the partnership could make facility and airspace resources available to better establish secure continuous flight test capability.
Even on the ground, drones present a wealth of opportunity
Drones have broad applications for surface transportation agencies. A 2020
TRB webinar reviewed test cases that can be implemented into traditional workflows, including herbicide application, geotechnical support, bridge inspection, and traffic monitoring. Presenters also noted resources on the topic made available by the Federal Highway Administration.
Established programs have shown that using drones could increase safety or reduce liability; increase efficiency and productivity; save on costs; offer environmental protection; and result in higher quality end products across a number of applications. Successful programs have worked under centralized authority with top-down support, notes the TRB National Cooperative Highway Program’s (NCHRP)
Successful Approaches for the Use of Unmanned Aerial System by Surface Transportation Agencies. The report also explores the role of effective policy and regulations, risk management, operations, workforce training, and public relations in overall program success.
For instance, DOTs are finding immediate benefits for using UAS around construction. NCHRP’s
Emerging Technologies for Construction Delivery highlighted case studies, including instances in states as geographically diverse as New York and Utah. For example, to evaluate the compliance of 8,000 wheelchair ramps, NYDOT required three years and 30 people. A consultant using drone technology collected data on 1,000 of the ramps and evaluated them in only three hours. The Utah DOT formalized its UAS program for construction use with policy, procedures, training, and resources all the way back in 2016. In the years since, the state has been able to document cost efficiency, improve data quality, and increase worker safety, especially in rural and limited access areas.
More recent case studies will be featured in an
anticipated NCHRP synthesis, which will explore use by various state DOTs of drones during construction.
Drones can also be implemented into
bridge management methods, and forthcoming NCHRP research will determine how. Evaluating the data by comparing it to data collected by an inspector will be an important part of understanding successful implementation. An
active Rail Safety IDEA project uses UAV with sensing laser technologies to assess the structural condition of simply supported spans, thereby informing subsequent prioritization of the need for more detailed inspections.
As e-commerce providers like Amazon invest in the use of drones for package deliveries, there are implications for both the quantity of line-haul truck shipping and personal travel, but also the structures supporting current systems. NCHRP’s
Foreseeing the Impact of Transformational Technologies on Land Use and Transportation reviews the characteristics of new transportation-related technologies and explores potential impacts on areas such as travel and land use and planning projects. Public agencies face significant challenges in the face of the private sector’s prodigious output of new technologies. For instance, UAS delivery systems may require smart lockers where packages would be dropped off. Buildings and central locations like transit stations may require design modifications to accommodate the need for aerial access, provide space for lockers, or incorporate other characteristics as the delivery technology develops.
Using drones and geospatial intelligence technology, TRB Transit Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis Program's (IDEA)
sUAS-based GeoINTEL1 for Commuter Rail Parking in Rural and Suburban Areas tests ways to enhance the safety, security, and validation of parking revenue at small urban and rural commuter rail parking areas.
TRB has a place for UAS experts to be part of the foundational research
TRB’s
Standing Committee on New Users of Shared Airspace offers guidance on the topic, helping research stay ahead of the curve. Daniel Friedenzohn, Associate Dean of the College of Aviation and Associate Professor of Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is the chair of the new committee. Committee members and friends of the committee will focus on three topics: urban air mobility, commercial airspace, and UAS.
“It’s important to have a diverse committee to foster ideas and discussion,” says Friedenzohn. “The committee has representatives that are working right in the thick of these topics. It’s important for regulators to have a seat at the table as well as future-facing private industry and academic researched understandings. Among the three topics there are unique facets, but there are overarching ideas that can be integrated into each aspect.”
“UAS have great humanitarian benefits,” said Friedenzohn, citing a project between
Zipline and Norvant Health that, as the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic continues, is distributing personal protective equipment and medical supplies in North Carolina. “In terms of dealing with health emergencies, drone deliveries are the direction we’re moving in.”
At sea, autonomous ships and marine systems can reduce the contact between personnel as well as remotely deliver medication and offer diagnostic and treatment systems. Participants at the
Sixth Biennial Marine Transportation System Innovation Science and Technology Conference in 2021 will explore the direction, technical challenges, enabling technologies, and potential hurdles to successfully navigate the future of the marine transportation system, including potential benefits in light of COVID-19.
Predictions of growth in commercial and government adoption of UxS suggests increasing generally for such skilled personnel, not only for mission operations but also system engineering, cyber security policies, data management implications, and the like as noted in the Coast Guard report. As a result, the Coast Guard training and career paths may be needed to attract and develop personnel with the necessary knowledge and skills, but these skills will likely become increasingly sought after throughout the transportation industry.
Be part of TRB’s efforts to stay ahead of the curve with transportation-related research about unmanned vehicles. Get involved with future Cooperative Research Program work. Look for
ongoing information on new projects, requests for proposals, or to nominate yourself or others to serve on a project panel. Become a friend of TRB’s
Standing Committee on New Users of Shared Airspace.
TRB reports cited in this article:
National Academies reports cited in this article:
Papers published in Transportation Research Record cited in this article:
TRB Webinars cited in this article:
CRP and IDEA Projects cited in this article:
TRB Committees cited in this article:
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Contact:
Beth Ewoldsen, Content Strategist
Transportation Research Board
202-334-2353;
bewoldsen@nas.edu
Published July 27, 2020, updated November 16, 2020
This Summary Last Modified On: 11/16/2020