Surrounding Traffic Visualization on Visionair GCS Software for ACAS

UAV Navigation has developed a new feature the surrounding traffic visualization on the GCS software, Visionair for Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS).

The increasing number of the unmanned aviation industry and the growth of UAVs populating the sky pose new challenges for safety assurance. Moreover, the growing interest and development of the future of urban air mobility (UAM), which some experts have named as the future of mobility, may be produced that the controlled airspace becomes too complex.

During the last years, unmanned aircraft have been closer and closer to being integrated into the non segregated airspace so they should coexist with manned aircraft in the same conditions of safety and reliability. For this reason, relying on a new generation of airborne collision avoidance system, ACAS, where UAV operators may require to visualize the surrounding traffic. In addition, the use of the same technology used in the current manned aviation provides the possibility to auto-split the unmanned traffic providing the ATC (Air Traffic Control) the capability to identify risks and recommend actions.

UAV Navigation is concerned about this situation and are committed to the evolution of the skies and the safe integration of their client’s platform with manned aviation so they have developed a new feature: the surrounding traffic visualization on the GCS software, Visionair.

The UAV autopilot (FCC)  is a key part of the unmanned traffic management system and its integration in the controlled airspace as it is the core of the platform’s flight control system.

VECTOR range of autopilots receives the information from the transponder IN and represents this real-time data to the GCS Software permitting UAV operators to have surrounding air-traffic information. Thanks to this information, the operator will be able to execute evasive action in case any aircraft approach or have a crossed trajectory with the aircraft sensed, avoiding hazardous situations. In the same way, the autopilot, by means of the transponder, will send information about its speed and location in the airspace to surrounding aircraft creating collaborative airspaces.

The system developed consists of an intuitive interface where the icons of surrounding aircraft have a different shape and color depending on the response time. Additionally, the system displays an indicator of the vertical speed so the operator will see their situational awareness improved.

Unmanned aviation keeps its path to the future and UAV Navigation wants clients’ platforms to follow that (air)way. For more information check out the video about this new feature: https://youtu.be/TmqobX2ERnU