Description: Intelligent Automation, Inc. proposes a robust SA architecture that uses integrated airborne and ground-based SA concepts such that SA functions are switched between airborne or ground-based activity as the system monitors traffic, network characteristics such as data drop rates and latency, and time to Loss of Separation (LOS). The uniqueness of an integrated air-ground SA concept is that the SA functional roles are changed between the SA stakeholders (i.e., ATC, Pilot and service providers) to maintain robustness of the SA performance under degraded network conditions. The proposed SA architecture consists of a Network and SA Performance Metric Monitor (PMM), which monitors short-horizon performance metrics of the network and the currently used SA concept. It also consists of an Air-Ground Concept Manager (AGCM), which decides if one or multiple SA concepts are to be applied in a given airspace (i.e., center, flow corridor or transition airspace) based on the observed and estimated network and SA performance metrics. The proposed mechanism consists of dividing airspace into SA sectors, where SA activity in each sector is managed based on a single SA concept. The approach delineates the SA functions or roles between the stakeholders for each SA sector and addresses the transfer of control between the SA stakeholders as the aircraft flies through the SA sectors.

Benefits: Successful demonstration of the integrated SA architecture will enable us to transition the technology to FAA and DOD programs. This effort, in part, explores FAA's solution to "Trajectory Management - Conflict Resolution Advisories" activity under the FY2011 funded NextGen Trajectory Based Operations (TBO) program. The FAA's TBO program is expected continue beyond FY2011, when this research effort would have matured enough to be transitioned to FAA. The technology can also be transitioned to DOD's initiative on a number of programs to study safe operation of UAVs in the NAS for national security operations.

The proposed effort enhances NASA's simulation testbeds ACES, ATOS and MACS for NASA researchers to perform SA studies of applying multiple SA concepts with delineation of roles and transfer of control. The outcomes of the research are results of SA performance trade-off studies between different airborne and ground-based SA concepts under varying level of traffic densities, complexities and communication and surveillance characteristics. The outcomes and proposed concepts also contribute to NASA's NextGen milestones on Separation Assurance and System Level Analysis based research, and hence they can be transitioned into NASA programs such as Center-terminal Automation System (CTAS) and En-route Descent Advisor (EDA).