Live Location Sharing System (L2S2): Empowering Management of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operations

Abstract

Transparency and confidence-building measures in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operations continue to be important topics of discussion in various contexts. Transparency helps build trust and alleviate concerns about the use of UAS, especially in sensitive areas or situations where privacy and security are paramount. Meanwhile, confidence-building measures aim to establish trust and mitigate potential risks associated with UAS operations, particularly in complex UAS operations involving multiple teams. These measures include implementing systems that enable the identification and tracking of UAS operations activities that can be achieved through technologies such as global positioning system (GPS)-based tracking systems. Although there are several UAS operations GPS-based management systems available in the market, it requires a certain initial investment cost that creates a barrier for some parties, particularly smaller organisations or those with limited budgets. Therefore, in this study, we have developed a web-based application called as Live Location Sharing System (L2S2) by leveraging the capabilities of Traccar, a free and open-source GPS tracking system. Through this system, the movement activities of the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) UAS operation teams can be monitored in real-time by the mission commander, which has finally empowered the management of UAS operations as a whole.