Smart Track Integration for UAS Operations

Last week I was taking a casual photo of this Manna Drone Delivery vehicle, then this Wing drone butted in, landing smoothly a few yards away. Needless to say, I was startled so I asked how these operations could be so close! What?!? Turns out both companies are using an international standard from ASTM International to exchange data about their intended flights before they even take off. They use these intents to ensure their plans do not intersect and have enough buffer based on their vehicle capabilities. This is, of course, on top of all the other processes they use to fly safely. Get out of town!!! The system is designed such that a company can build this strategic conflict detection service for its own use, like Wing does. Or an organization can partner with a service supplier, like Manna does with ANRA Technologies. Shut the front door!! Multiple service suppliers have a shared governance agreement to ensure interoperability and common understanding of requirements and responsibilities. I'm catching a case of the vapors!!! These services go through a battery of automated tests (in isolation and in collaboration) prior to going to production. These tests are open source and managed by the InterUSS Platform via processes from the The Linux Foundation. Slap my wombat!!! Anyway, just another step toward safe, routine, scalable, beyond visual line of sight operations in the National Airspace System. Go UAS Traffic Management (UTM)! Nice work by everyone involved in the FAA Key Site and US UTM Implementation Shared Airspace efforts! NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, and industry working together to make things happen! Stay tuned for public safety operations to get in on this too!

The United States Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is developing a system called CLUE (Collaborative Low-Altitude Uncrewed Aircraft System Integration Effort) to safely integrate drones into air traffic control at military bases. The system combines data from various sensors, like radars and counter-drone systems, to give a unified picture to air traffic controllers, security forces, and drone operators. John Sawyer, a UAS analyst with the Department of Defense (DOD), called CLUE a "game changer," as it improves visibility and coordination between drones and manned aircraft. This is especially important as the DOD increases its drone use while also needing to defend against potential threats. CLUE began in 2016 and was tested at MacDill Air Force Base in 2022. In 2023, it successfully demonstrated integration with multiple drone platforms. The DOD now plans to install CLUE at Ramstein Air Base in Germany later this year, and may soon issue a formal requirement to deploy the system more broadly. Sawyer also noted that broader efforts are underway between the DOD and FAA to improve drone operations, including a new FAA rule (Part 108) that would allow beyond visual line of sight drone flights with fewer restrictions, marking real progress in unmanned traffic management. https://lnkd.in/eNKRhtb6 #DefenseInnovation #DroneTechnology #UASIntegration #AFRL #CLUE #DoD #AirTrafficControl #MilitaryTech #NationalSecurity #FAA #AdvancedAviation #Ramstein #UnmannedAircraft #AerospaceInnovation

The Federal Aviation Administration just quietly rolled out something most people in this industry aren’t paying attention to—but should be. The Federal Aviation Administration DISCOVER (#DISCVR) Tool (https://lnkd.in/gF96SuqA) is a major step toward real-time visibility, accountability, and integration of drone operations into the National Airspace System. This isn’t another “nice to have” platform. This is infrastructure. The DISCOVER system is designed to pull together data from: • Remote ID • LAANC authorizations • Drone registrations and waivers …into a single operational picture for safety, compliance, and enforcement. Let’s be clear what this means: ➡️ The days of anonymous drone operations are over ➡️ Regulatory oversight is becoming data-driven and scalable ➡️ Public safety, security, and airspace coordination just leveled up For those of us building real-world drone programs—especially in public safety, infrastructure, and enterprise—this is exactly where the industry has been heading. Not hype. Not speculation. This is how you scale operations safely and integrate drones into critical environments. The gap isn’t regulation anymore. The gap is competency. #drones #UAS #PublicSafety #Aviation #RemoteID #DroneIndustry Uncrewed Aerospace #TheDronePro