The National Academies’ blueprint for advancing air mobility found that public safety (PS) applications provide opportunities to build experience, refine technology and establish acceptance of AAM technology. Information-sharing gaps currently hinder scalability for a broad range of interagency PS responses, from frequent local incidents to less common widespread disasters. Echoing UAM/AAM scalability limitations imposed by the need for human operators to safely manage air traffic, we begin developing a rapid-response UML2 emergency protocol by analyzing PS command and control (C2) information flows and developing scalable services based on UTM’s architecture to support information exchange between PS-C2 and air traffic management (ATM). Increasing automation and reducing operators’ load for contingency management (CM) supports the ATM-X vision of digitally integrated airspace operations. Integrating PS-C2 and ATM systems information flows should reduce scheduling and separation uncertainty for PS-related CM.
The scalable services also support development of a PS AAM concept of operations (CONOPS) enabled by and for UML4 operational density and complexity. Transportation and logistics are critical for widespread disaster response. Building on NASA’s Scalable Traffic Management for Emergency Response Operations (STEReO) project and our collaborative services, we will explore how UML4 and the AAM airspace pillars can be rapidly reconfigured to support logistical operations for disasters. STEReO envisions a new emergency response ecosystem using NASA's UTM for PS MUMT, and other NASA tech for scalability and operational resiliency in airspace coordination during dynamic disaster events. By extending STEReO’s CONOPS and using our services, rapidly reconfigurable AAM can support UML4 disaster logistical operations such as mass evacuation or casualty transport, the re-supply of commodity essentials, and critical infrastructure restoration.
Collaborative UAM/AAM services offer a new approach to ARMD & AOSP priorities associated with ATM-X Includes: Vision 2045: providing public safety perspective & input into community-supported CONOPS for 2045; UAM UML-4: developing concepts and technologies that will use the National Challenges to build toward UML4; and Traditional Ops: to enable new public safety services for improved efficient and safe operation, and to demonstrate services in an operational environment. This work additionally supports NASA ARMD’s STEReO CONOPS development.
Collaborative UAM/AAM services will be embraced by Federal, state, tribal and local public safety agencies, and it also has applicability for homeland security operational and S&T, and homeland defense operational and S&T agencies. Private sector interest includes support for, and use as Supplemental Data Service Provider, a Provider of Services for UAM and System-Wide Information Management.