The U.S. space agency NASA is testing a system that would make it possible for unmanned aircraft to fly routine operations in U.S. airspace. The tests engage the core air traffic infrastructure and supporting software components through a live and virtual environment to demonstrate how an autonomousEngineers and technicians checking the equipment installed on NASA Dryden's Ikhana unmanned aircraft. Source: NASA aircraft interacts with air traffic controllers and other air traffic.

The tests are made up of two phases. The first is focused on validation of sensor, trajectory and other simulation models using live data. Some of the tests will be flown with an Ikhana aircraft that has been equipped with a sense-and-avoid system. Other tests will involve an S-3B plane serving as a high-speed piloted surrogate aircraft.

Both tests will use other aircraft following scripted flight paths to intrude on the flight path the autonomous craft is flying, prompting it to either issue an alert or maneuver out of the other aircraft’s path. These flights will also conduct a full test of an automatic collision avoidance capability on autonomous aircraft.

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