Keynote presentation to CEOs of global air traffic control and air navigation services agencies. Exploring forces shaping the operating environment, stakeholder expectations, customer needs and future strategies for air navigation agencies.
The Future – What Leaders Should Know Rohit Talwar - CEO – Fast Future CANSO Global ATM Summit Dublin - June 29 th 2014 [email protected]www.fastfuture.com
Transcript
The Future What Leaders Should Know Rohit Talwar - CEO Fast
Future CANSO Global ATM Summit Dublin - June 29th 2014
[email protected] www.fastfuture.com
Contents Presentation p. 4 About Fast Future p. 46 Image
Sources p. 58 Background Notes p. 63
What we do Foresight Research Helping you explore and
understand the roadmap of economic, business, scientific,
technological, social, political and environmental trends, forces,
developments and ideas shaping the future of the sector Consulting
Helping you create future strategies, business models and
innovations to help respond to and create disruptive change
Speaking and Moderating Delivering keynote speeches offering
inspiring insights into a changing world and how others are
responding to the future Future Leadership Programs and Events
Designing high impact leadership development programs, workshops
and events that encourage new thinking, bring the future to life
and enable you to develop an action agenda Business Design and
Innovation Facilitating development of innovative, future proofed
designs for products, services, processes and customer
experiences
Can we Change our DNA? Play by the Rules of the Game Create a
New Game
Our Research suggests airports need to see themselves an as
ecosystem - An integrated portfolio of models Conceptual Model
Infrastructure Model Revenue Model Customer Engagement Model
Service Delivery Model Financing Model
Future Proofed Organisations Work on 3 Horizons in Parallel
4-10+ Years Creating the Future 1-3 Years Search for Growth 1-12
Months Operational Excellence
Future Strategic Challenges
Economic and Political Uncertainty and Turbulence are the New
Normal
Continued Global Shifts Of Influence, Wealth and Power to
Emerging Markets
Intense Competition Strategy, ICT, Insight, Ideas,
Responsiveness, Innovation, Financing, Structure, Business Models,
New Entrants and Talent
Disruptive Innovation is the Holy Grail
Crowdsourcing Innovation
Socio-Demographic Shifts are Reshaping Society Free education
is a game changer
Risk and Sustainability Issues Will Play a Bigger Role in
Decision Making
Growing Cities New Rules
Automation is Accelerating ....and eliminating jobs
Robots are Entering the Workforce
New Organization and Collaboration Models
Embracing the Transformative Role of IT Customer Centric Hive
Mind Talent: Develop and Leverage Staff Innovate to Differentiate
Re-engineer Processes
Technology Timeline
Our Technologies are Evolving From the Desktop...
...to Portable and Mobile ...
...to Wearable...
...to Embedded...
... to Grown and Grafted...
and totally Connected via The Internet of Everything What
happens when the smartest thing in the room is the room itself?
Madeleine Albright
An Immersive Multi-Sensory Internet is Emerging
Speech / gesture / image recognition, integrated analytics,
knowledge management, image / video / voice mining, client
self-service, intelligent documents, expertise systems,
collaboration, secure email, virtual assistants, intelligent agents
and collective intelligence AI is Here
Collective and Collaborative
Magic and Science are Blurring Mapping and Uploading the Human
Brain Cognitive, Genetic, Physical and Electronic Enhancement of
the Human Body The biological era is emerging
Science is Creating New Sectors
Big Science is the Battleground
Barbarians at the Gate
New Ideas are Reshaping Industries
Rapid Execution e.g. Superfast Construction Ark Hotel -
Dongting Lake - China
New Paradigms Challenge Old Orthodoxies e.g. Hyperloop
Virtual Collaboration Novel and Adaptive Thinking Social
Intelligence Trans Disciplinarity New Media Literacy Computational
Thinking Design MindsetCross Cultural Competency Sense
MakingCognitive Load Management
Assets: Usership vs. Ownership
Innovation: e.g. Kickstarter.com
Alternative Revenue Models E.g. Auctions $5190 (3088) $14,770
(8791.50) $136 (81)
Mindset - 3 Horizon Thinking 12 Months 1-3 Years 4-10
Years
Management - Tackling Complexity Customer Interface Process
Organisation Information / Systems Regulatory Human
or be Consumed by them Conclusion - Step into Our Fears
About Fast Future
50 key trends 100 emerging trends 10 major patterns of change
Key challenges and choices for leaders Strategic decision making
framework Future Scenarios Key futures tools and techniques
Designing Your Future - Key Trends, Challenges and Choices
Reinventing the Airport Ecosystem Drivers of change Science and
technology advances Customer expectations Innovation priorities
Strategies and business models Surveys to test ideas and scenarios
on a global audience Models for managing tomorrows airport
ecosystem http://www.amadeus.com/airlineit/resour
ces/reinventing_the_airport_ecosystem/i ndex.html?OADS=78
ILTA Legal Technology Future Horizons Project Key business and
legal trends and forces Timeline of emerging technologies and IT
developments with high potential legal impact Explores ITs
transformative role in future legal business models and service
differentiation Defines strategic business and IT imperatives 6
sponsors - combined desk research, interviews with managing
partners, CIOs, vendors, futurists and technologists, global
surveys on the business applications of IT and emerging
technologies http://www.iltanet.org/Downloads/LTFH-Report.pdf 200
emerging technology developments
http://www.iltanet.org/Downloads/TechTimelineAppendixLTFH.pdf
Futurium - Science and Technology Transformations Shaping the
World of 2050 European Commission project Examined 87 potential
developments and trends Clustered into 11 overarching future
societal themes Content identified through a combination of
crowdsourcing via the Futurium web platform, suggestions from the
EC, and ideas proposed by our team http://ec.europa.eu/digital-
agenda/futurium/ Futurium
ACCA / IMA 100 Drivers of Change Identifies 100 drivers of
change impacting business and the accounting profession Outlines
future scenarios for the accounting function Highlights strategic
imperatives for business and the accounting function 5 minutes on
executive summary Report: www.accaglobal.co.uk/en/research-
insights/accountancy-futures/drivers- change.html
Hotels 2020 Identifying key drivers of change for the globally
branded hotel sector over the next decade Examining the
implications for: Hotel strategy Brand portfolio Business models
Customer targeting Innovation http://www.amadeus.com/hotelit/
beyond-segmentation.html
Global strategic foresight study to help the meetings industry
prepare for the decade ahead - Industry-wide sponsors Future
strategies for venues, destinations and agencies Convention
2020
Rohit Talwar Global futurist and founder of Fast Future
Research. Award winning speaker on future insights and strategic
innovation addressing leadership audiences in 40 countries on 5
continents Author of Designing Your Future Profiled by UKs
Independent Newspaper as one of the Top 10 Global Future Thinkers
Led futures research, scenario planning and strategic consultancy
projects for clients in telecommunications, technology,
pharmaceuticals, banking, travel and tourism, environment, food and
government sectors Clients include 3M, BBC, BT, BAe, Bayer,
Chloride, DTC De Beers, DHL, EADS, Electrolux, E&Y, GE, Hoover,
Hyundai, IBM, ING, Intel, KPMG, M&S, Nakheel, Nokia, Nomura,
Novartis, OECD, Orange, Panasonic, Pfizer, PwC, Samsung, Shell,
Siemens, Symbian, Yell , numerous international associations and
governments agencies in the US, UK, Finland, Dubai, Nigeria, Saudi
Arabia and Singapore. To receive Fast Futures newsletters please
email [email protected]
Videos of Rohit Exploring the Future The World in 2025 -
Driving Forces, Global Challenges and Potential Disruptions (35
mins) http://vimeo.com/93302584 Anticipating 2025 - Driving forces,
global challenges and potential disruptions (30 mins):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwcLQCIfxpY A World in Transition
(60 mins): http://www.colliers.com/en-gb/uk/insights/multimedia
Future of Travel (22 mins)
http://www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php?id=14300 Parallel
Revolutions Impacting Global Labor: Bloomberg TV Interview (4
mins):
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/parallel-revolutions-impacting-
global-labor-talway-T0tJZRX6TpGIxjKShTzv~w.html
Useful Sources Genetic profiling - https://www.23andme.com/ X
Prize - Breakthrough innovation projects - http://www.xprize.org/
Google brain uploading - http://digitaljournal.com/article/352787
Brain mapping projects -
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/513011/why-obamas-brain-mapping-project-matters/
Global Future 2045 (immortality) http://2045.com/ Human enhancement
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_enhancement Wearable
technology Google Project Glass -
http://www.google.com/glass/start/ Emotiv Epoc Brain-Computer
Interface - http://www.emotiv.com/ AI Essay Grading Software -
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/05/science/new-test-for-computers-grading-essays-at-college-
level.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Digital / Crypto currencies
http://www.abc.net.au/technology/articles/2013/09/25/3855973.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocurrency
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cryptocurrencies Autonomous
cars -
http://www.engineering.com/DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/6357/Tesla-Working-on-Autonomous-Car.aspx
http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2013-09/google-self-driving-car
Contact Information Email [email protected] Phone +44
(0)7973 405145 Web http://www.fastfuture.com Twitter
http://twitter.com/fastfuture Blog
http://widerhorizons.wordpress.com LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/in/talwar Past presentations
http://www.slideshare.net/fastrohit Newsletter signup
http://fastfuture.com/?page_id=13 Our current charitable campaigns:
Charlotte Talwar's fundraising project to build a new toilet block
for Sunrise School Ghana http://www.gofundme.com/7gaxho Street Kids
International - Helping Street-Active Youth In Ghana Start
Businesses
https://www.globalgiving.co.uk/projects/help-street-active-youth-in-ghana-start-businesses
Technology Transforming Air Traffic Management For years air
traffic control has been dependant on the skill and ability of the
person doing the controlling. It is only relatively recently that
that expertise has become increasingly married to better and better
technological tools. Technology isnt replacing the need for air
traffic controllers, but it is changing the nature of their job.
From a mainly manual operation, controlling is now much more about
making planned decisions supported by technological tools. iFacts
is a software developed by NATS that allows them to handle more
traffic comfortably and safely. iFACTS enables controllers to look
up to 18 minutes into the future, with this look-ahead capability
enabling them to test the viability of various options available
for manoeuvring aircraft, as well as providing more time to make
decisions. Source: NATS Blog, 26/07/13:
http://nats.aero/blog/2013/07/how-technology-is-transforming-air-traffic-management/
iFACTS iFACTS is a software that takes some of the complex
manual calculations out of air traffic control. It is based on
Trajectory Prediction and Medium Term Conflict Detection, provides
decision-making support and helps controllers manage their routine
workload, increasing the amount of traffic they can handle. iFACTS
uses data from both aircraft and Nats itself to calculate flight
paths, ascent and descent details. The software can also identify
potential collisions, working around 18 minutes ahead of real time,
and spot any unexpected behaviour by individual aircraft,
highlighting potentially dangerous situations in the sky. Source:
BBC, 5/02/13: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21195765
iFACTS From an operational point of view, iFACTS enhances
safety and through early detection of conflicts between flights and
helps reduce aircraft fuel burn and emissions by giving more
precise routes. In 2012 it delivered an average 15% increase in
airspace capacity in the UK, with some airspace sectors growing as
high as 40% without increasing the number of operational staff or
redesigning the air routes. NATS was given an award from the Royal
Institute for Navigation in recognition of what iFACTS has helped
us achieve Source: NATS Blog, 26/07/13:
http://nats.aero/blog/2013/07/how-technology-is-transforming-air-traffic-management/
NASA's vision for aeronautics
http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/new_global_aviation_graphic_v2.jpg
NASAs Vision for Transforming Global Aviation NASAs new vision
embraces a future where global trends combine with emerging
technologies to transform flight around the world into something
unimagined today. NASA's contributions to aviation are expected to
be even more relevant as ongoing research leads to new aircraft,
improved mobility and safety, less strain on the environment, and
an all-around better experience in the sky. In crafting the new
vision, NASA planners began by trying to understand what trends are
taking place around the world that might relate to aviation,
concentrating on economics, technology and the environment. Source:
NASA, 14/08/13:
http://www.nasa.gov/aero/strategic_vision/#.U60uH_ldXQg
NASAs Vision for Transforming Global Aviation One key trend is
the rapid economic growth in the Asia Pacific region. The growth of
the middle class and cities will lead to many people willing to fly
like everyone else in the world and to buy more of the goods that
come from around the globe. Other trends include the quickening
pace at which revolutionary technology is invented and then widely
adopted, as well as the ongoing environmental concerns related to
the climate and availability of energy sources. Informed by these
emerging global trends, NASA identified three "mega-drivers" that
are expected to shape the future look of aviation within the next
20 to 40 years. Source: NASA, 14/08/13:
http://www.nasa.gov/aero/strategic_vision/#.U60uH_ldXQg
NASAs Vision for Transforming Global Aviation The first
mega-driver relates to the expected growth in demand for all air
services across the planet. How must aviation change so it can fly
enough to meet the worldwide demand every day, routinely and
safely? The second mega-driver deals with global climate issues,
resources and energy. How can aviation's impact on the environment
be lessened? And are plentiful but significantly less expensive
sources of energy available? The third mega-driver involves
incorporating new technology into aviation. How can the aviation
community best take advantage of the incredible advances being made
in areas not usually tied to aeronautics, such as power storage and
robotics? Source: NASA, 14/08/13:
http://www.nasa.gov/aero/strategic_vision/#.U60uH_ldXQg
NASAs Vision for Transforming Global Aviation Thrusters Ahead:
Six areas of research to prioritize: Safe, efficient growth in
global operations that will enable full deployment of the Next
Generation Air Transportation System in the United States by 2035
and develop technologies to substantially reduce aircraft safety
risks. Innovation in commercial supersonic aircraft that will
provide data for a low level sonic boom standard that could lead to
permission for supersonic flight over land. Ultra-efficient
commercial vehicles that will pioneer technologies for big leaps in
efficiency and environmental performance. Source: NASA, 14/08/13:
http://www.nasa.gov/aero/strategic_vision/#.U60uH_ldXQg
NASAs Vision for Transforming Global Aviation Transition to
low-carbon propulsion that gives industry more information about
drop-in alternative fuels (i.e., can be used in existing aircraft
without changing systems), and pioneer low-carbon propulsion
technology. Real-time, system-wide safety assurance in which tools
are developed for use in creating a prototype of an integrated
safety monitoring and assurance system that can detect, predict and
prevent safety problems in real time. Assured autonomy for aviation
transformation that will enable the utilization of higher levels of
automation and autonomy across the aviation system. Source: NASA,
14/08/13:
http://www.nasa.gov/aero/strategic_vision/#.U60uH_ldXQg
Boeing's Advanced Vehicle Concept The concept centers around
the familiar blended wing body design like the X-48. What makes
this design different is the placement of the Pratt & Whitney
geared turbofan engines on the top of the plane's back end, flanked
by two vertical tails to shield people on the ground from engine
noise. The design also uses other technologies to reduce noise and
drag, and long-span wings to improve fuel efficiency. Source:
Space.com: 19/07/12:
http://www.space.com/14438-photos-future-airplanes-nasa-21st-century-aircraft.html
The concept proposes a box wing design, which is now feasible
thanks to modern lightweight composite (nonmetallic) materials,
landing gear technologies and other advancements. Lockheed Martin's
Advanced Vehicle Concept Source: Space.com: 19/07/12:
http://www.space.com/14438-photos-future-airplanes-nasa-21st-century-aircraft.html
Northrop Grumman's concept is based on the extremely
aerodynamic "flying wing" design. The four Rolls Royce engines are
embedded in the upper surface of the wing to achieve maximum noise
shielding. Northrop Grumman's concept Source: Space.com: 19/07/12:
http://www.space.com/14438-photos-future-airplanes-nasa-21st-century-aircraft.html
This is a computer-generated image showing a possible future
"flying wing" aircraft, very efficiently and quietly in flight over
populated areas. Developed by Northrop Grumman, it would most
likely carry cargo at first and then also carry passengers. Source:
Space.com: 19/07/12:
http://www.space.com/14438-photos-future-airplanes-nasa-21st-century-aircraft.html
Future Subsonic Aircraft D8 D8 is designed for efficiency and
has a very wide fuselage to provide extra lift and low-swept wings
to reduce drag and weight. It is being developed by MIT, a subscale
model was tested in MITs wind tunnel in 2012. The model has a very
wide fuselage for extra lift, low-swept wings for reduced drag and
weight, and engines above the fuselage for noise shielding. Source:
Space.com: 19/07/12:
http://www.space.com/14438-photos-future-airplanes-nasa-21st-century-aircraft.html
This future aircraft design concept for supersonic flight was
developed by Lockheed Martin. The team used simulation tools to
show it was possible to achieve over-land flight by dramatically
lowering the level of sonic booms through the use of an
"inverted-V" engine-under wing configuration. Green Supersonic
Machine Source: Space.com: 19/07/12:
http://www.space.com/14438-photos-future-airplanes-nasa-21st-century-aircraft.html
Icon-II" future aircraft design concept for supersonic flight
over land developed by The Boeing Company. Source: Space.com:
19/07/12:
http://www.space.com/14438-photos-future-airplanes-nasa-21st-century-aircraft.html
Solar Impulse 2 Solar Impulse 2 is is designed to stay aloft
for several days straight in order to allow its pilots to take it
across the Pacific. To manage that feat, its designers have built a
giant glider with a wingspan greater than a 747's but weighing only
as much as about a dozen of the jet's wheels. Every horizontal
surface on the aircraft is covered with solar panels, and over a
quarter of its weight is accounted for by batteries that will keep
its propellers turning overnight. The first flight only took two
hours, and it took Solar Impulse 2 to an altitude of 1.6 km (about
a mile) and a maximum speed of 55 km/hour (35mph). Future flights
will be longer and undoubtedly build up to round-the-clock test
flights. The flights will be based out of Payerne, Switzerland,
near the city of Lausanne on Lake Geneva Source: ArsTechnica,
06/06/14:
http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/06/around-the-world-solar-aircraft-takes-maiden-voyage/
The Future of Unmanned Flight Thee Association for Unmanned
Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) says that unmanned aircraft
systems (UAS) will create $82 billion in economic impact over the
10-year span from 2015 to 2025. Some avionics companies have
already created Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) control, guidance and
navigation micro-avionics systems that can fit into often small,
lighter-than 5-pound systems. The use of UAS has already expanded
beyond Border Patrol and military drone strikes. For example,
researchers at the University of Virginia employ UAV sensors that
can comb the air for pathogen spores and even detect concentrations
for substances like anthrax via in-flight micro- chemical lab
processes. Source: Aviation Today, 22/04/14:
http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/issue/cover/The-Future-of-Unmanned-Flight_81910.html#.U61Sm_ldXQg
The Future of Unmanned Flight Brad Hayden, the former Vice
President of marketing at Aspen Avionics and now Director of
Robotic Skies says In my mind, the future of flight is really going
to be rooted in the integration of the emerging commercial drone
market and the current aviation support infrastructure.
Developments in GPS, camera and accelerometer products, driven by
smart phone market growth, mean the technology is ready to cash-in
on those AUVSI numbers, but the FAA has not released safety
standards and requirements for UAS. Regulation is clearly holding
back the commercialization of UAS. Projections suggest that
industry sales from 2014 onward will total to $89 billion by 2023,
yet the U.S. has not even entered that market commercially. Source:
Aviation Today, 22/04/14:
http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/issue/cover/The-Future-of-Unmanned-Flight_81910.html#.U61Sm_ldXQg
The Future of Air Traffic Management For the last 80 years, the
worlds air traffic controllers have been safely guiding our flights
through the skies using some fairly familiar tools radar, radios
and little strips of paper to keep track of the flights. The job is
a complex and stressful one. It requires the controller to think in
three dimensions of space and keep track of aircraft carrying
hundreds of people, moving very fast and often in crowded airspace.
But over the last few years, there has been a steady evolution in
the way we think about air traffic control. And it is allowing more
capacity into the airspace, with even safer operations and reduced
fuel use. Paul Steele, Executive Director, Air Transport Action
Group Source: ATAG (2012), Revolutionizing Air Traffic Management,
Practical steps to accelerate airspace efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
The Future of Air Traffic Management Since the aviation
industry started in the 1930s, the introduction of any new
technology or operational procedure has been undertaken in a very
systematic way and often quite slowly with safety being the primary
consideration. The industry is now flying jets produced in the
21century along routes that were in some cases defined by the
placement of radar stations in the 1940s and 50s which is leading
to capacity constraints and inefficient aircraft operations. Around
the world, technology, collaboration and innovative new concepts
are leading to a shift away from air traffic control to air traffic
management. The aircraft and the people that fly them are being
given more decision-making authority over the speed and exact route
of their flight than before. Source: ATAG (2012), Revolutionizing
Air Traffic Management, Practical steps to accelerate airspace
efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
The Future of Air Traffic Management Improving aviation
efficiency is no longer an option but an environmental and business
necessity. Air traffic management (ATM) plays an important role in
helping the aviation industry reduce carbon emissions and save fuel
which accounts for over one third of the operational costs for the
worlds airlines. And while new aircraft are becoming ever quieter
than their predecessors, new techniques in air traffic management
are also allowing for less of a noise impact on the communities
around airports. Air traffic management and planning are not areas
in which the industry can act alone. With issues of airspace
sovereignty and military restricted airspace, not to mention the
fact that most air navigation service providers are state-owned,
governments must also play a key role in this evolution. Source:
ATAG (2012), Revolutionizing Air Traffic Management, Practical
steps to accelerate airspace efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
The Future of Air Traffic Management Much of the real change
can only occur when the institutional arrangements that govern air
traffic control are reformed. Current governance restrictions and
regulatory capabilities are holding back the ability for air
navigation service providers to respond to change. CANSO estimates
that the current air traffic system is operating at 92% to 94%
efficiency, on an average global basis (with some significant
regional variations). They have set a goal to reach 95% to 98%
efficiency by 2050. While it appears we are close to the goal now,
it must be remembered that each years growth in air traffic can add
to the inefficiency, thus making efficiency gains harder to reach.
Source: ATAG (2012), Revolutionizing Air Traffic Management,
Practical steps to accelerate airspace efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
Airways New Zealand Collaborative Flow Management Airways New
Zealand has been using Collaborative Flow Management (CFM) to
manage aircraft arrivals at its key international airports. CFM in
New Zealand uses ground delays to manage terminal area congestion
at the destination airport, similar to the US and Europe. By using
the flow management process, aircraft do not leave the departure
airport until they have been given an exact time of arrival at the
destination airport, therefore allowing flight at the optimum speed
and no need to hold before landing. The difference is that in New
Zealand the calculated arrival times are used throughout the
flight. These times are transmitted to aircraft operating companies
between two and three hours prior to departure. Source: ATAG
(2012), Revolutionizing Air Traffic Management, Practical steps to
accelerate airspace efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
Airways New Zealand Collaborative Flow Management The
Controlled Time Of Takeoff and Controlled Time of Arrival are
established through an online reservation system based on the
latest flight plan information as modelled by the ATM system and
the declared capacity for the destination airport, as determined by
the ANSP. The airline operations team can manipulate their fleet
times to prioritise or optimise the management of their network but
cannot manipulate other flights without mutual agreement between
the operating companies and approval of the CFM coordinator. The
optimised departure times are provided to aircrew by their flight
operations team using cockpit communications system or
pre-departure messages no later than 25 minutes prior to departure
but these can be modified and updated prior to take-off. Once the
flights are airborne, the aircrew is required to conform as closely
as possible to the filed flight plan. Source: ATAG (2012),
Revolutionizing Air Traffic Management, Practical steps to
accelerate airspace efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
Airways New Zealand Collaborative Flow Management If it were a
country, the aviation sector alone would be the 19th largest
economy in the world, around the same size as Switzerland. The jobs
the sector provides are 3.5 times more productive than average jobs
in the economy. Aviation also helps drive high-tech manufacturing,
high-value produce and service industries such as tourism are areas
that will continue to provide the stimulus for economic development
around the world. Oxford Economics forecast that by 2030, over 82
million jobs and $6.9 trillion in economic activity would be
supported by air transport, based on current growth rates. Source:
ATAG (2012), Revolutionizing Air Traffic Management, Practical
steps to accelerate airspace efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
Airways New Zealand Collaborative Flow Management It is
expected that by 2030 the number of flights will almost double to
48.7 million, up from 26 million in 2012. Passengers will also be
travelling further. In 2010, over 4.8 trillion passenger kilometres
were flown by airlines (one passenger flying one kilometre is a
passenger kilometre). By 2030, forecasts suggest that 13.5 trillion
passenger kilometres will be flown but the airspace is not getting
bigger. In Europe and North America, congestion has already been
causing constraints to growth for a number of years. One of the
causes is the need to keep aircraft at sufficiently safe distances
from one another due to the lack of accuracy of legacy air
navigation technology. The system is very safe, but it is not as
efficient as it could be. Source: ATAG (2012), Revolutionizing Air
Traffic Management, Practical steps to accelerate airspace
efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
Airways New Zealand Collaborative Flow Management Unlike the
improvement projects in the United States or Europe, in Asia there
is no overarching legislative framework. However, there is a clear
vision emerging for a Seamless Asian Sky. This foresees not a
single sky as in Europe, but a system of information exchange and
coordination between air navigation service providers, which would
allow for far greater efficiency. Capacity planning on the ground
is also a crucial part of the system. Runways and airport
congestion can lead to delays in the air as well as on the ground
and sufficient planning for new infrastructure is vital. China is
leading the way, with 82 airports scheduled for construction
between 2011 and 2015 alone. Source: ATAG (2012), Revolutionizing
Air Traffic Management, Practical steps to accelerate airspace
efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
Airways New Zealand Collaborative Flow Management Incentives to
reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption have led to a series of
aggressive cross industry targets: 1) To improve fleet fuel
efficiency by 1.5% per annum between 2009 and 2020. 2) To stabilise
net CO2emissions from aviation from 2020 through carbon neutral
growth 3) To reduce net CO2emissions from aviation by half by 2050,
as compared with 2005. Source: ATAG (2012), Revolutionizing Air
Traffic Management, Practical steps to accelerate airspace
efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
Expected savings per year if air traffic management systems and
technology on board aircraft were optimised Source: ATAG (2012),
Revolutionizing Air Traffic Management, Practical steps to
accelerate airspace efficiency in your region:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/Revolutionising%20ATM_FINAL_WEB%20RES.pdf
Automatic Dependant Surveillance Broadcast ADS-B is a
satellite-based technology enabling aircraft to be accurately
tracked twice every second by air traffic controllers, and other
pilots, without the need for conventional radar. ADS-B increase
safety and efficiency particularly in non-radar airspace. Air
traffic controllers will be able to provide pilots with radar-like
separations resulting in more aircraft being able to use preferred
flight routes. The technology also offers improved access to flight
levels with more efficient diversions around bad weather and
restricted areas. ADS-B has been strongly supported by the aviation
industry. It is environmentally friendly and will help airlines
save fuel. ADS-B in Australia Australia has a network of 61 ADS-B
ground stations across Australia which provides continent-wide air
traffic control surveillance. Over the next three years Airservices
will install a further 15 ADS-B ground stations to provide
additional surveillance coverage at lower altitudes and extend
higher level coverage offshore. Source: Airservices, 28/05/14:
http://newsroom.airservicesaustralia.com/releases/new-air-traffic-control-technology-improving-safety
ADS-B Security Threats Computer scientist Andrei Costin gave a
talk at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas in 2012
suggesting that ADS-B, which is replacing old radar systems, can be
hacked. Planes cannot be forced from the sky or dangerously
redirected. But the researcher says the system can be tricked into
seeing aircraft that are not actually there. Messages sent using
the system are not encrypted or authenticated, meaning anyone with
the basic technology and know- how could identify a plane and see
its location. The traditional radars work by sending a signal that
triggers an aircraft's responder to send back its position. The new
system uses the global satellite navigation system to continuously
broadcast the locations of planes. The information is sent to other
aircraft and ground stations; the ground station sends the location
to air traffic controllers. Source: CNN, 26/07/12:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/26/tech/web/air-traffic-control-security/
ADS-B Security Threats The new system will open up this flight
information to a new player: the general public. According to
Costin, the chance of these security holes being exploited for
terrorism is unlikely, but he says they still have the potential to
be used by pranksters, paparazzi and military intelligence
organizations interested in tracking private aircraft or confusing
air traffic control systems on the ground. In a statement, the
Federal Aviation Administration said it already has a process in
place for addressing potential threats to the system, and it does
conduct ongoing assessments of vulnerabilities. Source: CNN,
26/07/12:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/26/tech/web/air-traffic-control-security/
NextGen NextGen is a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar tracking
system that incorporates satellite navigation technology similar to
what's now available in cars and on smartphones. It is intended to
replace the traditional radar-based national air traffic control
system developed after World War II. The FAA hopes to complete the
new system by 2025. By tracking the position and speed of aircraft
more precisely than radar, the system will safely allow less time
and space between takeoffs and landings, minimizing chain-reaction
type delays, and increasing the number of movements at any given
airport. The accompanying reduction in fuel consumption by reducing
the time planes spend circling at airports or idling on taxiways
could save money and reduce countless tons of harmful emissions.
However, the cost of the system is astronomical, with estimates
ranging from $40 to $160 billion (in the US). Source: Nj.com,
11/03/14:
Air Traffic Flow Management Balancing airport and airspace
capacity and demand with ATFM (air traffic flow management)
provides a wide range of benefits such as reducing airborne
holding, fuel burn and emissions and ensures equitable use of
resources. Airbus ProSkys ATFM solution, Harmony, enables
stakeholders to strategically, pre-tactically and tactically
balance demand with available capacity for improved performance and
common situational awareness in all phases of flight. Harmony
includes collaborative decision making (CDM) capabilities for
stakeholders to proactively manage operations to utilise available
capacity through data sharing and advanced slot substitution
capabilities. Source: Air Traffic Technology International 2014:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/pages.pdf
Performance-Based Navigation Airbus ProSky offers turnkey
solutions for deployment of performance-based navigation (PBN)
solutions for aircraft operators, airports and aviation authorities
worldwide. PBN is helping the aviation industry save fuel,
participate in eco-efficient developments, reduce aircraft noise
and operate in all weather conditions, even at the most complex
airports worldwide. Source: Air Traffic Technology International
2014: file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/pages.pdf
Exact landing interference simulation environment ELISE is a
software solution based on advanced technologies that model all
objects in close proximity to airports in order to analyse the
impact to instrument landing system (ILS) antenna signals. It can
accurately predict and analyse disturbances caused by objects,
allowing for improved airport safety. It can be used for existing
operational analysis, as well as to study the impact of proposed
temporary or permanent structures near the airport. Operational
benefits of ELISE also include increased runway capacity in low
visibility conditions and airside land usage. Source: Air Traffic
Technology International 2014:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/pages.pdf
Airport CDM Airports are the nodes of the air transport
network; consequently, they face the highest traffic density of the
entire system. The runway, taxiway and apron areas of high-traffic
airports worldwide are regarded as the main bottlenecks in the ATM
system. Airport CDM (A-CDM) improves the overall efficiency,
predictability and punctuality of airport operations and improves
overall network efficiency by improving ATFM departure compliance.
By including all stakeholders in the process through information
sharing and active control based on local and network constraints,
A-CDM contributes to reduced buffer times for resource planning and
reduced flight times due to enhanced predictability by expanding
the quality of information on which decisions are made. A-CDM
supports the best use of the available capacity and critical
airport resources. Source: Air Traffic Technology International
2014: file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/pages.pdf
Unmanned Aircraft Civil and military unmanned aircraft systems
(UAS) currently face airspace restrictions. How do unmanned
aircraft vehicles (UAV) gain safe, secure and efficient integration
into non-segregated airspace and aerodromes? A necessary safety
aspect is the introduction of UAS into high reliability ATC systems
which include ground- based ATC, policies and designs of airspace,
collision avoidance ground/airborne equipment, and aircrew see-
and-avoid. A very useful recent document is the FAAs framework for
integrating UAS into future ATC. s. The Concept excludes any
integration of small UAVs that operate by visual line of sight of
the UAS ground control staff into civil (manned) transport traffic.
The thrust of the main UAS Concept is ensuring that UAS operations
are lookalike versions of civil IFR-based operations as far as
technically possible. t UAVs must comply with existing, adapted
and/or new operating rules or procedures; not require new classes
or types of airspace; file and fly IFR flight plans; and comply
with ATC separation minima in controlled airspace. Source: Air
Traffic Technology International 2014:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/pages.pdf
Critical Issues in Air Traffic Control To move towards
harmonised airspace and away from the present fragmented nature of
ATC provision, CANSO is working towards achieving seamless airspace
globally. In the future it should not matter where an aircraft is;
it should operate to harmonised procedures and adopt the optimum
route in terms of time and efficiency. The biggest hurdle towards
this is the States themselves and their desire to retain full
control of everything in their airspace. Moving beyond sovereignty
- Jeff Poole, CANSOs director general, says that although
governments have sovereignty over their air space, they need to
recognize that they dont need to manage it themselves strictly in
accordance with their national boundaries. Source: Air Traffic
Technology International 2014:
file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/pages.pdf
Critical Issues in Air Traffic Control The one thing they can
do is work together so that national geographical boundaries dont
remain boundaries in the sky and barriers to progress. Aircrafts
should be able to fly freely across a regions airspace. Although
some progress is being made, the biggest issues remain at
governmental and regulatory levels. CANSO has been working through
ICAO on a global air traffic navigation plan. Part of it are
agreements on technology and operational upgrades that can be made
at the national and regional level by governments. Operational and
technical issues lead to safety which is the industry number one
priority although safety should not be taken as an excuse by people
who dont want to embrace change. Source: Air Traffic Technology
International 2014: file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/pages.pdf
Critical Issues in Air Traffic Control To improve safety, ANSPs
have increasingly focused on safety-management systems. CANSO has
been taking a lead role in offering guidance to support the
implementation of new systems that are consistent with regional
regulatory frameworks. An increase in the use of performance-based
navigation is expected, which will enables aircraft to fly more
precisely defined paths without relying, as they have in the past,
on ground-based navigation systems. Source: Air Traffic Technology
International 2014: file:///C:/Users/Iva/Downloads/pages.pdf
Express Skyways What if the skies were stitched into one
seamless blanket? Airbus vision - Aircraft could navigate more
directly and thus more quickly, efficiently and safely from Point A
to Point B through optimal gate-to-gate flight paths or express
flyways. Huge efficiencies would come from flying less track miles
through optimal "gate-to-gate" flight paths. On an Airbus test
flight from Brussels to Stockholm, a 20-minute gain meant fuel
savings of 725 kg., in turn reducing CO2 emissions by 2,283 kg. A
generation of intelligent aircraft could use 4D navigation
capability to self-select the most efficient route, making optimum
use of prevailing weather, atmospheric conditions and each other.
Source: Airbus:
http://www.airbus.com/innovation/future-by-airbus/smarter-skies/aircraft-in-free-flight-and-formation-along-express-skyways/
Express Skyways Trailing planes can effectively "surf" on the
energy coming from the wing tip vortices of the preceding aircraft.
This reduces drag, which increases fuel efficiency and minimises
engine emissions. Airbus already is looking into cooperative flight
scheduling and conducting research into aircraft stability and
control. In parallel, a new breed of sensors able to detect the
wake of the previous aircraft and rapid state changes must be
developed. Avionic technologies already make this possible in
principle. Lightweight remote sensing equipment such as LIDAR
(Light Detection and Ranging) and Infrared cameras allow aircraft
to detect the wake vortex which is the turbulence produced by an
aircraft in flight of those ahead. For aircraft to autonomously
keep station, they will need to communicate with each other.
High-speed, real-time computation, communication and coordination
would take inputs from all sources in the air and on the ground.
High bandwidth telecommunications would cope with the increase in
data being transferred around the network. Source: Airbus:
http://www.airbus.com/innovation/future-by-airbus/smarter-skies/aircraft-in-free-flight-and-formation-along-express-skyways/
A New Way to Fly In the past, air travel has mainly focussed on
getting people to their destination in the safest and fastest way
possible. In the future, however, travelling could be an entirely
different experience integrating different stages of the journey or
possibly changing how passengers pay, and making the excursion so
enjoyable that passengers may want a trip to last even longer.
Perhaps taking a plane could become as simple as taking public
transportation using the same style of boarding platforms as for a
metro or underground city train. In another scenario, passengers
could be pre-seated in cabin pods before the plane actually
arrives, ready for integration on the aircraft, saving time and
making processing much simpler. Source: Airbus:
http://www.airbus.com/innovation/future-by-airbus/a-whole-new-way-to-fly/
A New Way to Fly In the future, instead of operating dozens of
separate flights, perhaps airlines could have giant aircraft
carriers. Smaller aircraft could dock on them for most of the
journey perhaps using vertical take-off and landing techniques then
be deployed on more localised shuttle service at either end of the
trip. Source: Airbus:
http://www.airbus.com/innovation/future-by-airbus/a-whole-new-way-to-fly/
SESAR The Single European Sky ATM Research program aims at
developing air traffic management system capable of ensuring the
safety and flow of air transport worldwide over the next 30 years.
It is composed of three phases: Definition phase expected to
prepare the ATM master plan for defining the content, the
development and deployment plans of the next generation of ATM
systems. Development phase expected to produce a new generation of
technological systems Deployment phase expected to seek to build
the new infrastructure at a wide scale both in Europe and in
partner countries. This will be carried out under the
responsibility of the industry without further public funding.
Source: European Commission:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/sesar/index_en.htm
Satellite Innovation: Micro- Satellites and Nano-satellites
According to Euroconsult, most small satellites are built for
government clients including the academic world. Over three
quarters of the 352 small satellites launched and to be launched
are requested by the civilian and military agencies of various
governments around the world, says Villain. When small satellites
built by academic institutions are added, the total grows to 91
percent with only 9 percent left for commercial companies. As to
where demand is coming from, in 2011 the United States is the
dominant force in this sector, with a 30 percent share due to
high-demand from NASA and the Department of Defence (DoD). Europe
enjoys a 25 percent share, while Asia follows suit with 22 percent
thanks to activity in China and Japan. Russia has a 13 percent
share of the market, while the Middle East and Africa (MENA) tops 9
percent and the rest of the world follows with 5 percent. Source:
http://www.satellitetoday.com/via/features/The-Bright-Future-of-Small-Satellite-Technology_37150.html
Satellite Innovation: Micro- Satellites and Nano-satellites
There are certain applications that seem commonly well suited to
small satellites: in-orbit technology demonstration and testing;
Earth observation; and space science. Together, these three
examples dominate 80 percent of the application environment,
portraying a clear indication of an increasing number of countries
entering space. Traditionally, satellite manufacturing has been the
domain of a handful of large aerospace companies from
technologically advanced countries and regions such as the United
States and Europe. Small satellites, however, are bringing about
major changes to this world order, as an increasing number of
developing countries are entering the space sector Source:
http://www.satellitetoday.com/via/features/The-Bright-Future-of-Small-Satellite-Technology_37150.html
Satellite Innovation: Micro- Satellites and Nano-satellites
growth area is that of very small satellites nanosats and cubesats.
While the capability of these satellites is still generally below
what is needed for most operational missions, they can be
implemented at an extremely low-cost and are becoming widespread
for educational missions More satellite mission types are being
developed to provide support to valuable applications, opening
opportunities for instrument builders, subsystem suppliers and
other supply chain elements. Launch costs, debris creation and
competition from hosted payloads applications, are costs to be
considered across the whole satellite value chain. Cost-effective
launches remain important, as small satellites are still penalised
in comparison to larger platforms when it comes to launch costs per
kilogram of mass. Source:
http://www.satellitetoday.com/via/features/The-Bright-Future-of-Small-Satellite-Technology_37150.html
Satellite Innovation: Micro- Satellites and Nano-satellites
There is a trend in imaging missions is the ever increasing demand
for very high resolution data which is in demand There is also a
trend of small satellites moving into other areas which have been
the domain of larger satellites until recently, for example, radar
missions can now be supported through small satellite solutions
such as the SSTL NovaSAR (synthetic aperture radar) system. Smaller
and cheaper satellites continued to be pioneered, reducing entry
costs and allowing the public to be engaged in the production and
use of satellites. Examples include the N-Prize for a citizen team
developing a nano-satellite (nothing has yet been achieved),
PhoneSat and SkyCube Source:
http://www.satellitetoday.com/via/features/The-Bright-Future-of-Small-Satellite-Technology_37150.html
PhoneSat Project by NASAs Ames Research Center in Silicon
Valley Aims to lower the cost of building space satellites to the
point where anyone with space ambitions could launch a satellite
PhoneSat 1.0 costs about $3,500 to build. Its a coffee-cup-sized
cube designed to withstand cosmic radiation, contains an HTC Nexus
One phone running the Android operating system, an external radio
beacon, external batteries, and a circuit that will reboot the
phone if it stops transmitting data all off-the-shelf commercial
parts. anyone can write software for it from home PhoneSats 2.0,
will use newer Samsung Nexus S phone (launch June 2013) Source:
http://www.satellitetoday.com/via/features/The-Bright-Future-of-Small-Satellite-Technology_37150.html
SkyCube Made by Southern Stars, makers of astronomy apps for
iOS and Android. The plan is to launch a cube satellite from a
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2013. Backers of the project will be able
to broadcast their own messages from the satellite, as well as
request photos from the satellite using mobile apps. The project
has raised nearly $70,000 of its $82,500 goal in August 2012
Source:
http://www.satellitetoday.com/via/features/The-Bright-Future-of-Small-Satellite-Technology_37150.html
Satellite Innovation Growth in ubiquitous geo-positioning i.e.,
the integration of GPS into all aspects of geospatial technology.
beyond fusion, participatory sensing and visual analytics as the
underlying techniques that optimize human use of spatial data NGA
seeks experts in a visiting scientists program to advance knowledge
with regard to large and complex geospatial data sets, spatial
statistics, data mining and quantitative methods regarding human
geography Pleiades Direct Tasking is satellite software which
provides companies with the ability to control a satellite by
Astrium Apps to provide satellite information for individual
soldiers is becoming available The earth observation community
could be seen to have data overload - Customers could seek to
collect useable information rather than more information, making
advances in ground processing and product line may become far more
important than the satellites. Source:
http://www.innovative-analytics.com/PDF/IAT_DoC_Alternative_Futures_Commercial_Satellite_Imagery.pdf
Satellite Innovation 3D imaging There are a number of software
packages which produce accurate point clouds for 3D analysis from
imagery collected in flight missions by aeroplanes, helicopters,
UAVs, satellite imagery or terrestrial photography collected by
mobile mapping vehicles. Satellite imagining is especially useful
for large scale images of the earth. KA-SAT and ViaSat-1
High-throughput satellites that seek to provide broadband Internet
access to homes and small offices at rates and speeds comparable to
terrestrial alternatives. Ka- band satellites can dramatically
lower the cost per bit of delivering a satellite service. Intelsat
and SES , the mitigation of Galaxy-15 Collaboration between two
leading satellite operators to prevent a perfect storm of radio
frequency interference over the US domestic arc. Source:
http://beta.geospatialworld.net/Paper/Cover-Stories/ArticleView.aspx?aid=30259
and http://www.sspi.org/?Industry_Innovators
Satellite Innovation Inmarsat 4 Spacecraft Inmarsat as the
creative innovator and EADS Astrium as systems engineer and project
manager for the complex, multi-year effort to develop and launch
the Inmarsat-4 system of spacecraft Cisco Systems Internet Router
in Space Cisco Systems developed and placed into operation a hosted
satellite payload offering the ability to route IP traffic on the
satellite, which eliminates the need to send the data to and from
an extra ground station to implement the circuit-switched function.
NASA Innovations in Space Communications and Robotic Operations
Related to the Deep Space Network, Mars Exploration and the Hubble
Space Telescope The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
deep space communications and robotics in support of Mars
exploration programs and the reconditioned Hubble Space Source:
http://www.sspi.org/?Industry_Innovators
Satellite Innovation: ion propulsion units Expectation that
satellites will be launched not with chemical thrusters to
manoeuvre them in space but with ion propulsion units. This means
lighter satellites which allows That weight saving can either be
given over to more payload (transponders in the case of
telecommunications satellites), or allow the satellite to squeeze
on to a smaller, cheaper rocket. Boeing has agreed to build four
"all electric" telecommunications spacecraft for Asian and Mexican
operators.
SKYLON SKYLON is an unpiloted, reusable spaceplane intended to
provide reliable, responsive and cost effective access to space
pioneered by Reaction Engines The vehicle will be capable of
transporting 15 tonnes of cargo into space. Because SKYLON is
reusable (unlike current single-use space launchers) it can be
purchased by companies and nations that want space access in a
manner similar to current civil aircraft. As with aircraft,
purchasing a vehicle will provide a much more cost effective option
than trying to develop an independent launcher system. The space
industry is on a trajectory to reach $1bn per day in revenues
within the next few years SKYLON sees itself as positioned to have
the SKYLON will provide aircraft-like access to space to enable:
oOperation from runway to orbit and back oOrder of magnitude
reduction in cost vs. existing technology o400 x improved
reliability oResponsive access to space Source:
http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/space_skylon.html and
http://www.theengineer.co.uk/sectors/aerospace/in-depth/skylon-and-sabre-your-questions-
answered/1014164.article
SKYLON SKYLON uses SABRE's combined air-breathing and rocket
cycles that enables a vehicle that can take off from a runway, fly
direct to earth orbit and return for a runway landing, just like an
aircraft. SABRE engines can be configured specifically for space
access, operating as a jet in the atmosphere to accelerate up to a
speed of Mach 5.5 and then transitioning to rocket mode to
accelerate beyond the atmosphere to orbital velocity, Mach 25. The
SABRE engine is still around 6 years away from ground testing As
the latitude of the spaceport will impact the mass that can be
lifted to a given orbit high volume cargo flights are likely to be
launched at an equatorial spaceport in a remote location. Source:
http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/space_skylon.html and
http://www.theengineer.co.uk/sectors/aerospace/in-depth/skylon-and-sabre-your-questions-
answered/1014164.article
SKYLON SKYLON will pursue multiple space launch markets
including: Telecoms: The delivery of payloads to low Earth orbit
(LEO) which have an upper stage attached to propel them to
Geo-stationary orbit (GSO) for telecoms and other markets which
require GSO satellite launches. Once used it would be possible to
collect the upper stage for reuse on a future mission. Multiple
Small Satellites: SKYLON can launch multiple small satellites in a
single launch by installing a small payload carrier rack in the
payload bay. Personnel and Cargo: A specialised compartment can be
installed in SKYLON payload bay to carry people and cargo into
space. Space Station Supplies: SKYLON can link to space stations
using a specially designed interface allowing passengers and
supplies to be delivered. Orbital Infrastructure: SKYLON would be
able to launch elements on in-orbit infrastructure such as modules
for future space stations, for space telescopes, for planetary
missions and for large satellites. Source:
http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/space_skylon.html
Crowdsourcing Drone Designs DARPA together with Space and Naval
Warfare Systems Command ran a competition that allowed the public
(on a global scale) to come together in teams to design a small spy
drone that can fly for at least two hours. The Pentagon and its
contractors are usually building big drones. Such drones are too
costly and too complicated to be used effectively by troops on the
ground. The project was launched in April 2011. The requirements
for the new drone design are: fitting in a rucksack, taking off and
landing vertically, being able to perch and stare (into a
building). Source:Popular Mechanics,
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/planes-uavs/darpas-uav-crowd-sourcing-contest#slide-4
(accessed 26/10/12)
Crowdsourcing Drone Designs More than 140 teams and 3,500
registered citizen scientists took part in the UAVForge challenge1.
Independent governmental panels selected 10 finalists. The winning
team will receive a $100,000 prize, a subcontract with a
manufacturer to produce a limited number of systems, and an
invitation to demonstrate the winning UAV design solution1.
Sharoharon Weinberger states in Popular Mechanics that UAVForge
Challenge blends two things that DARPA has championed in recent
years the use of open competitions and increasing reliance on the
power of social networks2. Source:1UAV Forge:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/planes-uavs/darpas-uav-crowd-sourcing-contest#slide-4
(accessed 26/10/12) 2 Popular Mechanics,
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/planes-uavs/darpas-uav-crowd-sourcing-contest#slide-4
(accessed 26/10/12)
Drones Recognizing Arm Signals MIT researchers are devising a
system that would allow robotic aircraft to understand human arm
gestures. The project is divided into 2 parts: 1) getting the
system to identify body poses within digital images; 2) identifying
specific gestures within a series of movements. First, videos for
the study were recorded where different people demonstrated a total
of 24 gestures used commonly on aircraft carrier runways. The
system analyzes the persons body pose in each frame. It then
cross-references that pose with each of the 24 possible gestures,
and uses an algorithm to calculate which gesture is most likely
being made. The estimation process is then applied to the string of
poses that make up the whole sequence, and then to several
successive sequences. The accuracy rate of 76% is currently being
improved. Source: Gizmag,
14/03/2012:http://www.gizmag.com/drone-deck-crew-gesture-recognition/21832/(accessed
26/10/12)
Flying Gas Stations U.S. military flight tests have shown that
drones could handle midair refuelling by themselves, without human
pilots. Tests were performed by DARPA which recently flew two
modified RQ-4 Global Hawk drones in close proximity to simulate
midair refuelling. The Hawks flew in formation with less than 100
feet separating the refuelling "probe" on one and refuelling
"receiver" on the other during a two-and-a-half hour flight test.
Neither Global Hawk drone needed human guidance during the final
flight test at the high altitude of 44,800 feet (8 miles). The
drones also maintained their tight formation despite turns and wind
gusts of up to 23 mph. These finding raise the possibility of
automated "flying gas stations" topping off robotic aircraft in
future battlefields. Source: Yahoo, 07/10/12:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/drones-could-soon-refuel-themselves-mid-air-091251644.html
(accessed 26/10/12)
Flying Gas Stations DARPAs Autonomous High-Altitude Refuelling
(AHR) program ended in September 2012. Analysis of final results
reveal that 3 out of 5 aerial refuelling attempts were successful.
The positive results would allow the U.S. military to extend the
duration and range of its drone swarms. The U.S. military is also
exploring other refuelling ideas for drones. For example, lasers
could do midair recharging for smaller, battery-powered drones,
such as the Stalker drone flown by U.S. Special Forces. Source:
Yahoo, 07/10/12:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/drones-could-soon-refuel-themselves-mid-air-091251644.html
(accessed 26/10/12)
