Proposal Number:          21-1- A3.02-2295

          

          

   

Subtopic Title:
      Increasing Autonomy in the National Airspace System (NAS)

          

          

   

Proposal Title:
      FLITE Core Human/Autonomy Interaction

          

          

   

Firm:

          

Atlantic Drone Pros, LLC

          

   

Address:

          

2605 Whispering Oaks Terrace, Midlothian, VA 23112

          

   

Phone:

          

(804) 479-0046                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

Keith Mottas

          

   

E-mail:

          

keith@atlanticdronepros.com

          

   

Address:

          

2605 Whispering Oaks Terrace, VA 23112 - 4270

          

   

Phone:

          

(804) 415-7030                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

Keith Mottas

          

   

E-mail:

          

keith@atlanticdronepros.com

          

   

Address:

          

2605 Whispering Oaks Terrace, VA 23112 - 4270

          

   

Phone:

          

(804) 415-7030                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) :                                                                                                                                                          
Begin: 1
End: 2

          

          

     

Technical Abstract (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words):

In this NASA Phase I SBIR, Atlantic Drone Pros, LLC (ADP), with Daniel H. Wagner Associates, Inc. (DHWA), as a subcontractor, will investigate appropriate combinations of human intelligence (HI) and artificial intelligence (AI) in improving flight planning and real-time decision making in the future (2030 and beyond) National Airspace System (NAS).  Leveraging ADP’s 37 years of manned flight experience, including 5 years of flying and instructing on small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) and 2 years of flying MQ-9s in tactical airspace, as well as DHWA’s decades of experience with advanced algorithms and AI, and building on our team’s recent award of a Phase I STTR for Agility Prime to design and demonstrate combined HI/AI capabilities for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the FLITE Core Cloud System (FCCS) (which will enable control of multiple UAS by a single pilot, while monitoring and mitigating any potential risks even should a UAS go into a lost link condition, all while sharing telemetry with other USSs and ATM), the ADP team will help NASA, FAA, and other aviation stakeholders answer key questions regarding the effective application of AI to piloted, remotely-piloted, and eventually autonomous aviation. Additionally, the ADP team will design a ground control station (GCS) that is built for HI/AI collaboration. This investigation will result in the design of a set of Phase II prototype components to be integrated with FCCS and existing/emerging UTM systems, and eventually NextGen air traffic management (ATM).  Benefits to NASA, FAA, and other aviation stakeholders include a better understanding of the appropriate combinations and interactions of HI and AI, leading to safer and more efficient piloted, remotely piloted, and autonomous flight in the NAS

          

          

     

Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

Human operators utilizing AI and an AI-ready GCS to control 10+ aircraft safely through this technology will introduce new capabilities for air traffic management and airspace operations (e.g., TBO). Additionally, our approach will introduce new methods of utilizing artificial intelligence, data science methods and machine learning.

          

          

     

Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

Our target markets for this software are AAM/UTM, package delivery firms, food delivery firms, public safety agencies, U.S. Government agencies, military in addition to UAS manufacturers. The platform is being designed for having a pilot ultimately control 10+ aircraft safely and for the AI to be in a position to handle all flight scenarios including emergencies fully autonomous.

          

          

     

Duration:     6