NASA has launched a partnership with autonomous flight specialist Reliable Robotics to support the integration of large uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) into the U.S. National Airspace System. The new collaboration announced on August 5 under the Space Act Agreement will focus on scaling up UAS applications for cargo and air transportation operations.
California-based Reliable Robotics has been tasked with conducting simulations for autonomous aircraft operations in three phases. These cover human-in-the-loop detect and avoid, lost command and control link, and interactions as aircraft enter and depart airports.
The agency will work with Reliable Robotics on joint research, data collection, test planning, systems integration as part of wider work to develop UAS operational standards and procedures. The partners have previously worked on detect and avoid testing to validate the use of surveillance radars.
“The path to high-reliability, uncrewed aircraft systems is through rigorous testing and validation,” said Shivanjli Sharma, air traffic management and exploration project manager at NASA’s Ames Research Center. “This collaboration underscores both Relibable Robotics’ and NASA’s commitment to advancing autonomous aviation safety and efficiency.”
In July, the U.S. Air Force signed a research and development agreement covering autonomous collaborative platforms. The service’s Autonomy-Government Reference Architecture is intended to establish an open standard multiple UAS manufacturers could use as a framework for developing new aircraft.