A lightweight communication architecture for small UAS Traffic Management (SUTM)

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Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations at low altitude are growing rapidly and it is causing safety issues. UAS Traffic Management (UTM) is an effort for safely managing the low-altitude UAS operations. While its major concerns are for medium to large UASs, there is also a great need for managing smaller scale UASs (sUAS). The number of incidents caused by sUASs invading the controlled airspace is growing at an alarming rate. It is very difficult to track small UASs, let alone communicate with their operators. To monitor and coordinate the operations of small UASs, a specialized UTM system for small UASs (sUTM) is necessary. Through sUTM, the current Air Traffic Management (ATM) controllers will be able to monitor and establish communication with the sUAS operators when necessary. Conversely the sUAS operators can have a better situational awareness and avoid safety incidents. In this research, we analyze the requirements of sUTM, define their functions, and design the communication architecture. The proposed sUTM system consists of an sUTM server in the cloud and a portable sUTM unit deployed in the field. The portable sUTM unit manages multiple sUAS, and relays all communication from the sUASs to the sUTM server in the cloud. The sUTM server monitors sUAS activities, coordinates the flight continuously throughout the flight, communicates with the ATM, and enables two-way real-time communication between the UAS operator and the ATM controller. The sUTM can be augmented with a third-party UAS reporting tool for better coverage. A proof-of-concept prototype has been developed and demonstrated with simulated data.